Virtual Physics Laboratory Research Articles

The rolling with slipping experiment in the virtual physics laboratory—context-based teaching material

The Virtual Laboratory was created as a complementary educational activity, with the aim of working abstract concepts from an experimental point of view. In this work, the motion of a ring rolling and slipping in front of a grid printed panel was recorded. The frames separated from this video received a time code, and the resulting set of images can be visually inspected to determine the object angular and center-of-mass positions at known moments. From the positions versus time table, it is possible to analyse the dynamical evolution of the system and the ensuing physical interpretation of the ring rotation and translation. It is also shown here how this hands-on activity has been assigned to university students, that access the material from the website www.fep.if.usp.br/~fisfoto.

An Innovative Approach in Virtual Laboratory Education: The Case of “IUVIRLAB” and Relationships between Communication Skills with the Usage of IUVIRLAB

The aim of this study was the 3-dimensional active learning methods and techniques, interactive, multiuser and innovative Istanbul University Virtual Laboratory (IUVIRLAB) is to introduce the physics laboratory was developed as a model and investigate its relationships between communication skills with the usage of IUVIRLAB. Although there are many computer simulations and virtual laboratory applications, the model introduced in this study has a unique characteristics in terms of being a 3-dimensional, interactive virtual laboratory that enables students to learn in cooperative groups, and is the first in its kind due to its qualities of enabling multi-admin. and multi-user operation, having a special software compatible to run on iPad, iPhone, android and smart phone platforms, and having been designed on the basis of active learning approaches and provocate innovation approach in e-learning. Due to its multi-user and internet accessible nature, the produced virtual physics laboratory was designed in a way suitable for the use of all active learning(problem-based learning in cooperative groups, cooperative learning, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, research-based learning, learning through invention and structuralist learning) approaches that can be carried out with cooperative groups.

Examining the Novelty, Interactivity and User-Friendly Attributes of Virtual Laboratory Package For Conducting Nigerian Secondary School Physics Experiments

The study assessed the novelty, interactivity and user-friendly attributes of a developed virtual laboratory package for conducting Nigerian secondary school physics experiments. Descriptive survey design was employed and answers were provided to three research questions. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 22 instructional design experts and 35 computer experts who examined and rated the package using adapted questionnaires that were validated and found reliable for data collection. Data gathered from the administration of the questionnaires were analyzed using Mean and Standard deviation. Findings revealed that computer experts agreed that learning through virtual laboratory is an innovation that is new to physics students and teachers in Nigerian secondary schools (average mean response = 2.61 out of 5), instructional design experts rated the interactivity features of the package low (average mean response = 2.32 out of 5), but agreed that the package possess user-friendly features (average mean response = 2.80 out of 5). Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that, developers of learning packages such as virtual physics laboratory package should ensure high interactivity and friendliness of the packages in order to improve students’ achievement, enhance effective communication and foster their interest in physics contents.

The Impact of Internet Virtual Physics Laboratory Instruction on the Achievement in Physics, Science Process Skills and Computer Attitudes of 10th-Grade Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the impact of Internet Virtual Physics Laboratory (IVPL) instruction with traditional laboratory instruction in physics academic achievement, performance of science process skills, and computer attitudes of tenth grade students. One-hundred and fifty students from four classes at one private senior high school in Taoyuan Country, Taiwan, R.O.C. were sampled. All four classes contained 75 students who were equally divided into an experimental group and a control group. The pre-test results indicated that the students’ entry-level physics academic achievement, science process skills, and computer attitudes were equal for both groups. On the post-test, the experimental group achieved significantly higher mean scores in physics academic achievement and science process skills. There was no significant difference in computer attitudes between the groups. We concluded that the IVPL had potential to help tenth graders improve their physics academic achievement and science process skills.

Content analysis of online discussion on a senior-high-school discussion forum of a virtual physics laboratory

In this study we content analyzed the online discussion of several senior-high-school groups on a forum of a virtual physics laboratory in Taiwan. The goal of our research was to investigate the nature of non-course-based online discussion and to find out some useful guidelines in developing such discussion forums for learning purposes. We adapted Henri’s framework and models (1992) for our analysis. The content analysis was conducted in terms of participation rate, social cues, interaction types, and cognitive and metacognitive skills. In this study, we compared the result patterns of two discussion conditions (‘required’ (R-) condition versus ‘non-required’ (NR-) condition) of a non-course-based discussion forum and investigated how the quality of message content changed in the processes of discussion. In the R-condition, participants were required to reply to the thread before they were allowed to read other messages on the forum, whereas participants in the NR-condition were not restricted to this demand. The results showed that for both conditions, the most frequently involved interaction type was ‘direct response’, and the most frequently used cognitive skill was ‘elementary clarification’. Fewer participants of the R-condition strayed from the subject under discussion in comparison to the NR-condition. However, larger percentage of message content containing metacognitive components was found in the NR-condition. When taking the sequences of postings into account, we found that for the R-condition, the percentage of metacognitive component in the message content tended to increase in the up-third postings, whereas for the up-third postings of the NR-condition the percentage of non-cognitive components substantially increased. Overall, the results of our study indicated that the way in which participants used cognitive and metacognitive skills during the discussions was related to the discussion conditions. The initial requirement of reply fostered the use of cognitive skills, but it did not necessarily induce the use of high-level cognitive or metacognitive skills. We concluded that beside the discussion conditions the moderators’ guidance would be influential in determining the quality of online discussion on a non-course-based discussion forum.

Development of avirtual laboratory on the internet as support for physics laboratorytraining

A virtual physics laboratory is being developed in the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Informática ofthe Universidad de Valladolid (UVA). This laboratory will beaccessible via the internet, and its main aim is to providesupport for the real physics laboratory. In this paper wedescribe the main steps taken to develop such a laboratory. This virtual laboratory is currently accessible from http://cawdor.fa2.etit.uva.es/laboratorio/index.html.Se está desarrollando un laboratorio virtual de Física enla Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Informáticade la UVA. Este laboratorio seráaccesible a través de internet y su principal finalidad esservir de ayuda al laboratorio real de Física. En esteartículo describimos los principales pasos seguidos para eldesarrollo del mismo. Actualmente este laboratorio es accesibledesdehttp://cawdor.fa2.etit.uva.es/laboratorio/index.html.

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Requirements development in scenario-based design

We describe and analyze the process of requirements development in scenario based design through consideration of a case study. In our project, a group of teachers and system developers initially set out to create a virtual physics laboratory. Our design work centered on the collaborative development of a series of scenarios describing current and future classroom activities. We observed classroom scenarios to assess needs and opportunities, and envisioned future scenarios to specify and analyze possible design moves. We employed claims analysis to evaluate design trade-offs implicit in these scenarios, to codify the specific advantages and disadvantages in achieving requirements. Through the course of this process, the nature of our project requirements has evolved, providing more information but also more kinds of information. We discuss the utility of managing requirements development through an evolving set of scenarios, and the generality of the scenario stages from this case study.

Human Factors Engineering of a Virtual Laboratory for Students with Physical Disabilities

Medical advances, new legislation, and changing social attitudes have encouraged more students with disabilities to enter college. Educational systems consequently must continue to respond to the unique needs of these Individuals by developing adaptive educational tools. Laboratory courses requiring hands-on experience, such as physics and biology, are challenging to students with physical limitations. One promising and innovative way to provide access is through virtual environment technology, which can provide a unique tool for students with physical disabilities by offering opportunities for mobility and manipulative exploration without requiring physical access, dexterity, and strength. We are developing a virtual physics laboratory that should benefit students with physical disabilities by providing them greater control over their environment and more educational opportunities. These benefits also will be realized by nondisabled students. We discuss some of the issues and technologies employed to design the laboratory, including user needs analyses, task analyses, and assessment of current technologies.