The Effect of Using Virtual Laboratory on Grade 10 Students’ Conceptual Understanding and their Attitudes towards Physics

Year 2018, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 54 - 68, 31.01.2018

Malak Abou Faour Zalpha Ayoubi

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of using (VL) on
grade 10 students’ conceptual understanding of the direct current electric
circuit and their attitudes towards physics. The research used a quantitative
experimental approach. The sample of the study was formed of 50 students of the
tenth grade, aged 14 to 16 years old, of an official secondary school in Mount
Lebanon. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups of 25 students
each. The experimental group was taught using VL, where experimental activities
were conducted through Circuit Construction Kit developed by the PhET
simulations. However, the control group was taught through interactive
demonstrations using real laboratory equipment. Both groups were pre and post-tested
by means of two instruments: “Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric
current Concepts test” (DIRECT) and “Physics Attitude Scale” (PAS). The
data analysis of the DIRECT test scores showed that, after 10 weeks, the
conceptual understanding of the direct current electric circuit had markedly
improved in both groups. However,
the mean score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of
the control group. On the other hand, there was no significant
difference in students' attitudes towards physics between the two groups.

Keywords

Physics teaching, Conceptual understanding, Virtual laboratory, Interactive demonstrations, Students’ attitudes

References

• Faour, M.A. & Ayoubi, Z. (2018). The effect of using virtual laboratory on grade 10 students’ conceptual understanding and their attitudes towards physics. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health (JESEH), 4(1), 54-68.