Virtual Laboratories in STEM

 

Lawrence O. Flowers *

Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, Saint Augustine’s University, North Carolina.
 
Review
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2024, 12(02), 1573–1576.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2024.12.2.1271
Publication history: 
Received on 03 June 2024; revised on 09 July 2024; accepted on 12 July 2024
 
Abstract: 
Virtual laboratory utilization has been trending in STEM undergraduate curricula for over twenty years. A virtual laboratory is an interactive computer simulation that mimics real-world laboratory experiences in silico. Virtual labs are cost-effective pedagogical options for academic institutions that lack adequate funding for physical infrastructure and instrumentation. Virtual labs are an excellent proxy for lab activities threatening individual safety and public health. Further, during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual labs were the primary pedagogical strategy for laboratory instruction. STEM faculty have developed numerous techniques for incorporating virtual labs into classroom and laboratory activities. New technology like artificial intelligence will expand virtual lab usability and effectiveness. Educational research demonstrates positive student outcomes and other benefits from virtual lab engagement. Continued effective mixed-methods research and production of essential virtual lab-based evaluation materials, such as discipline-specific rubrics, are needed to advance the application of this vital technology further. Moreover, from a software development perspective, many more virtual laboratories are needed in technology, engineering, mathematics, and specialized scientific fields.
 
Keywords: 
Virtual Laboratory; Undergraduate; STEM; Distance Education
 
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Copyright information: 

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0