| NSF Org: |
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 31, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | February 23, 2016 |
| Award Number: | 1431904 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Elizabeth VanderPutten
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2014 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,464,256.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,464,256.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
21 N PARK ST STE 6301 MADISON WI US 53715-1218 (608)262-3822 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
21 N. Park Street Madison WI US 53715-1218 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | ECR-EDU Core Research |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
Both physical labs and virtual labs are often used in science teaching, and both have their advantages and disadvantages. With each providing different affordances for learning, it is often feasible to combine the two in a multitude of ways. This project will conduct a series of studies to: (1) Uncover the differential benefits of physical versus virtual labs, for learners with a range of abilities and prior knowledge, and for content of different difficulty levels; (2) Understand the differential effects of sequencing physical and virtual labs for different learners and content; and (3) Examine how best to combine physical and virtual labs in mixed reality environments. In addressing an important question in educational research, the project will help clarify the currently conflicting findings about the learning benefits of physical and virtual experimentation in fostering deep learning of science concepts. Publications resulting from the project will significantly extend current knowledge about learning from hands-on experimentation and learning from simulated experiments.
The research team will systematically examine factors that affect learning from physical and virtual labs in studies conducted across three grade levels in three states. Rigorous analytical tools will assess the effect of several factors on students' learning processes and outcomes. Each year's studies will build upon results from the prior years. The first set of studies will address the comparison of virtual and physical experimentation. A second and third set of studies will investigate the sequencing of physical and virtual experimentation under different conditions. The fourth set of studies will explore an integration of the physical and the virtual for different learners and materials. In each study, a range of data will be collected to understand how students learn, their learning outcomes, and the strategies that teachers use to facilitate learning from physical and virtual labs. Outcomes will include (1) comparisons of students' learning in physical, virtual, sequenced physical and virtual, and integrated physical and virtual labs; 2) knowledge about conditions that promote or hinder learning from physical and virtual labs individually and in various combinations; (3) an understanding of how learning is affected in physical, virtual, sequenced, and integrated labs by differing contexts, topics, student prior knowledge and ability; and (4) a clear and detailed qualitative picture of the differences and similarities in teacher strategies and student learning dynamics in physical, virtual, sequenced, and integrated labs.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
We conducted a series of studies to examine how students learned from physical and virtual labs. We found that i) overall students did significantly better on content knowledge tests after they conducted virtual labs; ii) different sequences of physical and virtual labs, doing one first and then the other, did not have an impact of learning; iii) students were better able to apply their learning to other contexts after conducting virtual labs; and iv) there were differences on students’ talk while conducting each lab. Our findings are important in adding to research establishing virtual experiments as viable instructional tools to help students learn. In line with prior research we found that students who performed a virtual versus physical lab learned significantly more science content. However, we also found that conducting virtual labs may also better support students' ability to apply their ideas to a new real-world scenario as well as to provide scientifically accurate reasons in their explanations, without negatively affecting their ability to set up and conduct a subsequent physical experiment. However, our findings also suggest that students focus on science practices and other important competencies when they conduct physical experiments. These practices are crucial to the practice science. Rather than viewing physical and virtual experiments as competing options, our results suggest that each might play a unique role in science learning.
Last Modified: 11/30/2020
Modified by: Sadhana Puntambekar
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