Using Virtual Labs to Teach Science Students

Majoring in Biology, I have taken a number of science related classes. Many of the science classes include time-consuming labs. In high school, labs were often performed with many materials over a course of a three to four days. Doing labs was a tedious process that did not guarantee a correct outcome. The point that the teacher was trying to prove with the lab was often simple and straightforward.

To save time and resources, high school science teachers should utilize websites that allow them to perform virtual labs. Virtual labs take the students into a virtual laboratory and teach them about lab procedures. The students are able to ignore the confusing lab instructions, as the virtual labs guide them in performing the lab step-by-step. The labs allow the students to perform experiments, collect data, and assess their hypothesis and predictions. They often include detailed illustrations and animations that demonstrate complex ideas to students. As a result, students are able to see “the big picture” of the lab and gain a higher understanding of the topic.

I am not suggesting for virtual labs to completely replace real labs, but I think more teachers should utilize them, as they can enhance a student’s learning experience while saving time.

References/ Website for Virtual Labs:

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/explore-virtual-labs