Virtual Laboratory as A Learning Tool for Anatomy and Physiology Course

Abstract

The world is continuously suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning was implemented by the Philippine government which brought a serious problem in teaching science courses that requires conducting experiments in a laboratory facility. Thirty-six (36) Laguna University Science major students under the Bachelor of Secondary Education Program were selected as respondents in this study. The students' scores in the pre-test and post-test on plant and animal physiology were analyzed. The purpose of the Quasi-experimental research design was to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, Virtual Laboratory, as a learning tool for Anatomy and Physiology Course. Laboratory worksheets and modules were used to test the level of proficiency of the respondents in the pre-intervention stage. To alleviate the difficulty, a virtual laboratory in Anatomy and Physiology course was designed by the researchers. This laboratory was utilized by the respondents before answering the post-test worksheets. An Independent T-test was utilized to determine if there is a significant difference in the test scores before and after the intervention. A survey tool was used to gather data on students' perception on the effectiveness of the virtual laboratory. Based on the results, the virtual laboratory was an effective learning tool that improved students' academic performance in the Anatomy and Physiology course. Results showed that it reduced the time needed to understand the concepts within a topic and helped enhance the quality of the learning process. Therefore, this tool maybe adopted in other experimental-based science subjects.