approaches to learning The Virtual Laboratorycollective.chem.cmu.edu/pdf/vlab brochure.pdf · lab,...
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The Virtual Laboratory Simulation-based learning environment for aqueous chemistry Flexible tool that allows college and high school students to approach chemistry more like practicing scientists Multiple representations to aid conceptual understanding Department of Chemistry Department of Chemistry Department of Chemistry Department of Chemistry Department of Chemistry Funded by the National Science Foundation CCLI Program The Virtual Laboratory provides a flexible and powerful workspace in which students can design and carry out chemical procedures and experiments on samples collected or created in other environments. It can therefore support a variety of new types of learning activities. For instance, we are using these tools to place core chemical concepts in interesting medical, environmental, and technological contexts. Our authoring tools allow instructors and others without programming expertise to create highly interactive student activities that utilize the Virtual Lab. Enabling technology for new approaches to learning Instructor Authoring Tool An initial release of the Virtual Lab’s authoring tool is available on CD and our website. Instructors now have a graphical means of configuring the Virtual Lab to suit their curriculum. The tool gives instructors control over the various aspects of the lab, making it easy to create all types of homework problems. Invitation to Instructors The Virtual Laboratory is being used in a diverse range of university settings. We are seeking college and high-school faculty to test the Virtual Lab software with their students during this academic year. Please contact us if you would like to use the software in your class. Pre-written curriculum and software are provided free at: http://www.chemcollective.org/ Contact Information Email us at [email protected] or call (412)268-7914 The
Transcript of approaches to learning The Virtual Laboratorycollective.chem.cmu.edu/pdf/vlab brochure.pdf · lab,...
The Virtual LaboratorySimulation-based learning
environment for aqueouschemistry
Flexible tool that allowscollege and high schoolstudents to approachchemistry more like
practicing scientists
Multiple representations toaid conceptual understanding
Department of ChemistryDepartment of ChemistryDepartment of ChemistryDepartment of ChemistryDepartment of Chemistry
Funded by theNational Science Foundation
CCLI Program
The Virtual Laboratory provides a flexible andpowerful workspace in which students candesign and carry out chemical proceduresand experiments on samples collected orcreated in other environments. It cantherefore support a variety of new typesof learning activities. For instance, weare using these tools to place corechemical concepts in interestingmedical, environmental, andtechnological contexts. Ourauthoring tools allow instructors andothers without programmingexpertise to create highly interactivestudent activities that utilize theVirtual Lab.
Enabling technology for newapproaches to learning
Instructor Authoring ToolAn initial release of the Virtual Lab’sauthoring tool is available on CD andour website. Instructors now have agraphical means of configuring the VirtualLab to suit their curriculum. The tool givesinstructors control over the various aspects ofthe lab, making it easy to create all types ofhomework problems.
Invitation to InstructorsThe Virtual Laboratory is being used in a diverse range of universitysettings. We are seeking college and high-school faculty to test theVirtual Lab software with their students during this academic year.Please contact us if you would like to use the software in your class.Pre-written curriculum and software are provided free at:http://www.chemcollective.org/
Contact InformationEmail us at [email protected] or call (412)268-7914
The
Multiple representations to aid conceptual understanding: The labbridges textbook equations and laboratory activities by showing mul-tiple representations of solution contents, including aspects that would
not be visible in the physical lab. Comparison with paper-and-pencil calculations provides realistic feedback.
When their answers are not correct, the intermedi-ate results provided by the learning environment
give the students a means to explore why.
Comprehensive coverage of aqueouschemistry: The Virtual Laboratory allowsstudents to select from hundreds of stan-dard reagents and manipulate themin a manner that resembles that ofa real lab. It allows students to de-sign and perform diverse experi-ments in acid-base chemistry,thermochemistry, solubility,and redox chemistry.
Easy integration into existingcourses: Our authoring tool allowsinstructors and others withoutprogramming expertise to createhighly interactive studentactivities that utilize the VirtualLab. Popular problem typesinclude:Calculation checking, wherestudents carry out the proceduredescribed in a textbook problemand verify their answers with thesimulationOnline experiments, where stu-
dents determine how to carry outcommon laboratory procedures to
answer chemical questionsDesign problems, where students use
chemical concepts in pursuit of mean-ingful goals
Crosscutting, contextualized problems thatrequire students to use knowledge from vari-
ous parts of an introductory course as well aspotentially provide exposure to concepts from other
disciplines such as biology and physicsPrelab activities that better prepare students for the physical
lab, and postlab activities that promote deeper understanding of theconcepts covered in the lab.
Easy to use: Transferring so-lutions in the Virtual Lab is aseasy as drag and drop. Userstudies on high school andcollege students indicatethat the user interface takesabout 5 minutes to learn.
The Virtual Lab allows currentpaper-and-pencil homework tobe supplemented with online ac-tivities that provide varied practice.Activities range from using the lab tocheck answers to conventional paper-and-pencil exercises, to designing experi-ments in pursuit of realistic goals.
The philosophy underlying our work stems from two challenges inscience education: (i) Students are too rarely engaged by their sci-ence courses and (ii) many valuable shifts in pedagogy are difficultto undertake in large introductory classes. Our goal is to make in-troductory chemistry more exciting and conceptually rich throughonline interactive assignments that integrate smoothly into existingcourses by enhancing current homework and prelab activities.
