Key Findings: Virtual Lab Simulations
Virtual Lab Simulations Overview
Virtual labs and gamified simulations expose learners to exercises and practice opportunities that, in “wet labs,” would normally involve costly equipment, hazardous materials, and techniques that are difficult to provide equitably across students, programs, and geographical locations. Exposure to these methods of investigation is critical to meeting curriculum learning outcomes. Within the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) disciplines in particular, “simulations and games have great potential to improve science learning in… undergraduate science classrooms” (Honey and Hilton, 2011).
Implementing virtual labs in post-secondary teaching is gaining traction because of the increased demand on physical lab spaces and the barriers of cost, safety, and time required to ensure student preparation. Virtual labs can avoid these barriers and better prepare students for wet labs. A virtual lab can function as a supplement to a wet lab or a pre-lab requirement, or can replace the wet lab experience (Bak et al, 2013).
In studies measuring the benefits of virtual labs, students report that they are an engaging alternative to a lecture-based introduction to wet labs, saying that the self-paced completion and ability to pause and review material contribute to better individual and collective learning outcome achievements (Bak, Dandanell, and Sichhlau-Brunn, 2013). There is also evidence of higher learning outcome achievement when the virtual labs are used in tandem with traditional teaching methods (Bonde et al., 2014).
In addition, gamification elements contained in virtual simulations have been shown to increase motivation and interest in pursuing education in STEM fields (Bonde et al., 2014). Another interesting finding is that students feel less anxiety when introduced to lab practices virtually than in the wet labs, and this alleviated their concerns when preparing to enter the wet labs for the first time (Bak et al., 2013).
The eCampusOntario Educational Technology Sandbox case studies involved integrating virtual labs into a variety of STEM courses (e.g., engineering technology, general chemistry, human biology). Most implementations accompanied face-to-face classes, but a couple were part of an online cohort. The project at the University of Toronto was coupled with a previously funded research and innovation grant, and thereby offered a longer and more intensive evaluation opportunity. All institutions that participated indicated interest in virtual lab simulations as a possible solution to limited availability of physical lab resources as well as a means to deliver the content to more students more often.
Virtual Lab Simulation Teams
The virtual lab simulation teams comprised faculty, staff from teaching and learning centres, continuing education staff, program coordinators, advisory committee members and in some cases, senior administration/leadership team members. Iden