PraxiLabs A virtual world of science
Last Updated on June 18, 2023 by Sara Assem
Virtual lab is defined as a virtual teaching and learning environment aimed at developing students’ laboratory skills. They are one of the most important e-learning tools. They are located on the Internet, where the student can conduct many experiments without any constraints to place or time, in contrast to the constraints of real labs.
In this article, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratory in the educational process.
Virtual labs also provides many advantages to the teacher. With virtual labs, teachers don’t have to go to the lab at certain times and move from place to place to prepare the experiment. This saves plenty of effort and time; one of the most important goals of e-learning.
It has been used in many universities and schools around the world to keep up with the technological development we are witnessing in the digital age, which is reflected in various forms in the fields of distance learning and e-learning.
As for the applications of technology in the field of education, there are many benefits and importance of virtual laboratory that can be mentioned. There are also many obstacles facing the spread of these technological applications.
Create a FREE Virtual Labs Account Now!
Table of Contents
Benefits of Science Laboratories
The science learning goals of laboratory experiences include enhancing mastery of science subject matter, developing scientific reasoning abilities, increasing understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, developing practical skills, increasing understanding of the nature of science, cultivating interest in science and science learning, and improving teamwork abilities.
The researches suggest that laboratory experiences will be more likely to achieve these goals if:
- they are designed with clear learning outcomes in mind.
- they are thoughtfully sequenced into the flow of classroom science instruction.
- they integrate learning of science content and process.
- they incorporate ongoing student reflection and discussion.
Computer-based representations and simulations of natural phenomena and large scientific databases are more likely to be effective if they are integrated into a thoughtful sequence of classroom science instruction that also includes laboratory experiences … Here comes the role of virtual laboratories
Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Laboratory
Now we will show some of the advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratory:
Try PraxiLabs Virtual Lab For FREE
15 advantages of virtual laboratory in education
1- Virtual labs enable students to perform many experiments that are difficult to perform in real laboratories because of the risks.
2- Virtual labs help teachers and students save time and effort because they don’t need to adhere to certain times to enter the lab, or to move from one place to another.
3- Virtual labs enable students and teachers to use the latest technologies.
4- Virtual Labs help users keep up with the technological development of the digital age.
5- Virtual labs allow students to perform the practical experiments related to the theoretical courses, which helps them absorb the courses.
6- The virtual lab provides enjoyment during experiments.
7- Virtual labs help students perform the experiment more than once.
8- Online Virtual labs protect students and teachers from hazards, given there is no direct contact with toxic or radioactive chemicals and there is no handling of explosive devices or electricity.
9- Virtual labs provide the convenience of changing the inputs and transactions used in the experiment without worrying about any dangerous effects of these changes.
10- Virtual labs allow students to stay in touch with the Internet, which helps them search and gather information during the experiment.
11- Virtual Labs enable students to record results electronically and share them with others to exchange experiences.
12- Virtual Labs provide teachers with the opportunity to follow up and evaluate students electronically.
13- Virtual labs provide flexibility in performing experiments.
14- Virtual labs provide a complete Learning Management System (LMS) around the virtual labs where students can avail the various tools for learning including addition web-resources, videos, animated demonstrations and self-evaluation.
15- Virtual labs help students learn basic technology techniques and practice methods used by lab technicians and researchers with keeping the advantages of biology laboratory and advantages of chemistry laboratory
Get Started Praxilabs For FREE
5 Disadvantages of Virtual Laboratory
1- They require computer devices with high specifications in order to simulate the exact phenomena with full details and create a three-dimensional virtual lab.
2- They require professional programmers with strong skills in different programming languages. They also require a team of experts in the scientific material, teachers, and experts in psychology.
3- One of the negative effects of Virtual Labs is that it reduces the direct interaction between students and each other, and between students and teachers, given that the communication between them is electronically most of the time.
4- Due to the experiment in virtual lab can repeat as many times as necessary, student will get insensitive to failure and danger in a real situation.
5- students can learn something useful from a full sensory experience in a real lab like weird noise and smell, random error, faulty machinery, etc.
