including online labs in science education classrooms

© Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at School Co-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Including online labs in science education classrooms: theory, evidence, and the Go-Lab technological affordances

Ton de JongDepartment of Instructional TechnologyUniversity of Twente

Inquiry Learning

Go-Lab online laboratories

Occuring problems & solutions

Offers by Go-Lab

Contents

2 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

We need engaging (science and engineering) instruction

3 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

4 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Trends and technology

5 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Constructive (inquiry)

learning

Collaborative learning

Situated learning

Computer simulations/

games/online laboratories

Modeling (design) environments

Shared objects

Chatsm, video conferencing

Simulators/Online laboratories

Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves a process of exploration, that leads to asking

questions and making discoveries in the search for new understandings

Based on „Foundations“, Vol. 2, NSF, 2000

Inquiry learning

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Example projects

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ZAP

Example projects

8 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

SCY

Example projects

9 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

SimQuest

Example projects

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Co-Lab

Example projects

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Virtual laboratories Mimic physical equipment in software

Remote laboratories Physical equipment that can be operated on a distance

Data sets and their analysis tools Data gathered in real experiments

Go-Lab online laboratories

12 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Virtual laboratory - buoyancy

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Remote lab

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Remote laboratory – Methyl Orange

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Data-set/analysis tools - Hypatia

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They don‘t know how to state hypotheses

They create poor experiments

They do not monitor what they have done

There is poor planning

Etc. etc.

Do students know how to perform inquiry processes?

17 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Guidance

18 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

Process contraints

Prompts/ assignments

Heuristics

Scaffolds

Background info

Hypothesis scratchpad

Experiment design tool

Data interpreters

Monitoring tool

Etc. etc.

If well designed, guidance included, inquiry-based learning with online labs and simulations shows an advantage over expository instruction

Are simulations/online labs effective?

19 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

de Jong, T. (2006). Computer simulations - Technological advances in inquiry learning. Science, 312, 532-533.

Students in online labs gain the same level of knowledge or a more advanced level of knowledge than students who learn in a real laboratory

Are simulations/ online labs effective?

20 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

de Jong, T., Linn, M.C., & Zacharia, Z.C. (2013). Physical and virtual laboratories in science and engineering education. Science, 340, 305-308.

For students Go-Lab organizes the work according to an inquiry

cycle

Go-Lab offers guidance specific for each phase

For teachers A searchable database of online labs

Authoring facilities for teachers to adapt the guidance for their students

What Go-Lab offers

21 © Go-Lab Project - Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at SchoolCo-funded by EU (7th Framework Programme)

The Go-Lab Inquiry Cycle

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Experiment design scafforld

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Concept map

Hypothesis/question scratchpad

Experiment design tool

Data analysis tool

Conclusion tool

Reflection tool

Scaffolds in Go-Lab

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Example Go-Lab environment

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Go-Lab portal (www.golabz.eu)

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Go-Lab authoring

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Create Inquiry Space button

Go-Lab in one slide

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Federation of online labs Embedding into educational

resources and guidance Sharing with the community of

users

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Educational Science and Technology in Twente (click on the picture)

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Thank you

for your attention!

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