Topic: Design & Effectiveness of Laboratory Experiments in the Virtual World of Second Life.
A virtual world is a three-dimensional, immersive, online environment in which users interact with each other and virtual objects in real time. While they are most frequently used for entertainment, students also learn in virtual worlds. In a recently completed research study, General Chemistry 2 students at a large public university in the United States performed lab experiments in both the real world and the virtual world of Second Life. Results demonstrate that students learn just as much from the virtual experiments as they do in a real world laboratory including equivalent gains in pre-/post-experiment quizzes and kinesthetic skills. Students report that the virtual experiments are fun and less stressful than the real world experiments. They also have more favorable views of chemistry in general compared to students who only perform real world experiments. Women expressed a greater interest in the new experiments than men.
These results are relevant to chemical education in a variety of ways. For on-campus courses, activities in virtual worlds can provide a means to address shortages in budgets and laboratory space. Existing online chemistry courses often lack a high-quality laboratory experience. Virtual worlds enable students to conduct interesting, realistic experiments which may be impractical to perform in a real world setting. Students can work independently or with lab partners, under the supervision of an instructor or autonomously. Women have a more positive view of these experiments conducted in Second Life than men so this curriculum could help educators attract and retain more women in chemistry.
- Hosted by the Uknighted Chemistry Graduate Student Association
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