Progress of Digital Learning Resources: Development and Pedagogical Integration of a Virtual Environment Laboratory for the Practical Experiments in Chemistry

Abstract

The work presented in this paper aims at applying a new complementary computer methodology to the teaching of chemical science including the use of a virtual environment laboratory that has an alternative value for the simulation of practical experiments in chemistry. This study is based on two axes, the first deals with the implementation of a laboratory for simulation that helps to carry out various practical work of chemistry. The second axis aims to demonstrate the pedagogical impact of the use of virtual learning environments on the teaching-learning process in the university curriculum. To study the necessity and the feasibility of this technological tool we took as a case study the exploitation of the periodic table in the descriptive chemistry and the practical works of chemical kinetics. In this article we used a strategic methodology to meet the validation constraints of our computer tool thenwe conducted a qualitative study on a sample of students from the Physical Chemistry of Materials Laboratory at the Ben M'sik Faculty of Science to identify the didactical factors influencing the progress of the practical work using our computer solution.