Building social networking and communities in remote physics laboratories

Abstract

Remote laboratory work has greatly expanded due to in part the recent global pandmeic. Many departments transitioned into remote learning without much previous experience with remote learning practices. I present here a study examening students social learning experiences in in-person and remote physics laboratories as they relate to their interactions with their peers and their instructors. I also examen their physics laboratory self-efficacy. These factors were compared using an analysis of variance to examen potential differences between groups. Remote students experienced weaker levels of connection to their peers and their instructors than their in-person counterparts. Remote students who connected with one another had lower self-efficacy than their in-person counterparts. Correlations between factors were also tested. I present findings of this study as well as recomendations for the implimentation of future virtual remote laboratory learning environments.