Abstract
Laboratory experiences are a vital component within science education. This paper is a report on the findings of a study conducted on undergraduate level laboratory science courses. A causal-comparative quantitative study was conducted with 150 learners enrolled at a 2-year community college, to determine the effects of simulation laboratory experiments on Higher-Order Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, and Cognitive Load. The treatment population used simulated experiments, while the non-treatment sections performed traditional experiments. Comparisons were made using the Revised Two-Factor Study Process survey, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Scientific Attitude Inventory survey, using a Repeated Measures ANOVA test for treatment or non-treatment.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Nguyen, D., Hsieh, Y., & Allen, G. (2006). The impact of web-based assessment and practice on students’ mathematics learning attitudes. The Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 25(3), 251-279. Retrieved from http://www.aace.org/pubs/jcmst/default.htm.
Smetana, L., & Bell, R. (2007). Computer simulations to support science instructions and learning: A critical review of the literature. A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
Trundle, K., & Bell, R. (2010). The use of a computer simulation to promote conceptual change: A quasi-experimental study. Computers & Education, 54, 1078-1088. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2009.10.012.
National Research Council. (2005). America’s lab report: Investigations in High School Science. Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, S.R. Singer, M.L. Hilton, and H.A. Schweingruber, Editors. Board on Science Education, Center for Education. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Tiernan, P. (2010). Enhancing the learning experience of undergraduate technology students with LabViewTM software. Computer in Education, 55, 1579-1588. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2010.07.001
National Science Teacher’s Association. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.nsta.org.
Corter, J., Nickerson, J., Esche, S., Chassapis, C., Im, S., & Ma, J. (2007). Constructing reality: A study of remote, hands-on, and simulated laboratories. ACM Trans. Computer Human Interaction, 14(2), Article 7, 27. doi = 10.1145/1275511.1275513.
Bloom, B., & Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals by a committee of college and university examiners. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Cook, M. (2006). Visual representations in science education: The influence of prior knowledge and Cognitive Load on instructional design principles. Science Education, 90(6): 1079-1091. doi:10.1002/sce.20164.
Pintrich, P. (1991). Implications of psychological research in behavioral research, 3rd Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage.
Moore, R., & Foy, R. (1997). The scientific attitude inventory: A revision (SAI II). Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34(4), 327-336. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199704)34:4<327::AID-TEA3>3.3.CO;2-V.
Biggs, J., Kember, D., & Leung, D. (2001). The revised two-factor study process questionnaire: R-SPQ-2F. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 133-149. doi:10.1348/000709901158433.
Clark, D. (2007). Learning domains or bloom’s taxonomy. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html.
Pyatt, K., & Sims, R. (2007). Learner performance and attitudes in traditional versus simulated laboratory experiences. In ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Proceedings Ascilite Singapore 2007. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/pyatt.pdf.
Pyatt, K., & Sims, R. (2011). Virtual and physical experimentation in inquiry-based science labs: Attitudes, performance, and access. Journal of Science Educational Technology. doi:10.1007/s10956-011-929-6.
Zoller, U., & Pushkin, D. (2007). Matching higher order cognitive skills (HOCS) promotion goals with problem-based laboratory practice in a freshman organic chemistry course. The Royal Society of Chemistry, 8(2), 153-171.
Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Artino, A. (2007). Self-regulated in online education: A review of the empirical literature. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Education, 4(6), 3-18.
Limniou, M., & Whitehead, C. (2010). Online general pre-laboratory training course for facilitating first year chemical laboratory use. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 5, 39-55. doi.10.1016/j.compedu.2008.06.006.
National Science Teacher’s Association. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.nsta.org.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Simon, N. (2015). Improving Higher-Order Learning and Critical Thinking Skills Using Virtual and Simulated Science Laboratory Experiments. In: Elleithy, K., Sobh, T. (eds) New Trends in Networking, Computing, E-learning, Systems Sciences, and Engineering. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 312. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06764-3_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06764-3_24
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-06763-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-06764-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)