Students in a second semester general chemistry lab performed two experiments in either the physical laboratory (control) or in the virtual world of Second Life (experimental). Virtual lab experiments were designed to mimic the analogous real world experiments as much as possible. Students in both groups performed all other experiments in the physical laboratory. Pre- and post-semester surveys measured changes in students’ attitudes about chemistry and pre-/post-experiment quizzes measured gains in knowledge. Students from both groups performed a short practicum after one experiment in order to determine if the virtual environment affected students’ kinesthetic lab skills. Finally, students in the experimental group completed a survey in which they compared various aspects of the real and virtual experiments.<br/><br/>Although students in both groups held a lower opinion of chemistry at the end of the semester, the views of students performing the virtual experiments were less negative. Overall, both groups of students showed similar gains in knowledge and similar kinesthetic skills, although interesting differences between the control and experimental groups are noted for some aspects of these assessments. Students performing virtual experiments expressed more positive views of the lab curriculum, indicating a preference for a mix of the two types of experiments. Women showed more positive attitudes about the virtual experiments than male students. This project began in 2013 and is ongoing. Results from fall 2014 will be presented also

Student learning and attitudes in real world vs. virtual laboratories

249th National Meeting (2015)

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