Design and Implementation of a Virtual Laboratory for Physics Subjects in Moroccan Universities

Abstract

Laboratory experimentation has a vital role in science education. With the potential offered by information and communication technologies for the educational domain, virtual laboratories have emerged as a valuable alternative to face-to-face, hands-on laboratories. Moreover, the possibility of virtual laboratories opens new perspectives for higher education sustainability. They are a perfect approach for training learners to understand scientific principles in many fields of science by offering them the possibility to illustrate the scientific phenomena through automated and virtual practical activities that employ computer simulation. In this work, we present the use of computer simulation combined with the JavaScript programming language for the development of a low-cost virtual laboratory integrated into an interactive learning environment based on the Moodle platform. The methodology was based on the instructional design model ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation), which structures the development planning of online teaching resources in different stages (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation). The virtual laboratory was developed by Moroccan universities, with the help of European partners, and it was implemented in the 12 science faculties in Morocco. It presents a great choice for supporting laboratory activities for learners in the first year of their bachelor’s degree program. This virtual laboratory includes 12 virtual practical activities mapped to the physics curriculum, and they can be operated via the Internet on computers. The proposed virtual learning environment was evaluated by teachers and learners from the science faculties. The obtained results, together with similar findings from other studies, indicate the positive impact of the use of a virtual laboratory on learning outcomes, and support the adoption of the proposed learning environment in laboratory educational procedures as an alternative to physical laboratories.

Enhancing the Reasoning Performance of STEM Students in Modern Physics Courses Using Virtual Simulation in the LMS Platform

“…Confirming the results of this analysis, it has been explicitly proven that the reasoning skills of STEM students who are treated with learning using virtual simulations in an LMS (e-learning) platform are better than face-to-face learning using the expository method. The results of this study are in accordance with what was found in previous studies, that virtual simulations can improve students' thinking skills [24]. In another study it was found that computer-based simulation had a positive impact on students' reasoning abilities [33].…”

“…However, we are optimistic about the current massive technological developments that can mediate the teaching of modern physics in more interactive ways and can visualize abstract concepts in physics. Previous studies have recommended the use of virtual simulations in teaching science concepts, and it has resulted in better concept mastery, a better preference for scientific theory, and an increase in students' thinking skills [24].…”

“…Teaching with an e-learning system brings students to a virtual environment, visualization of material in many aspects of teaching is found in many formats such as augmented reality, gamification, virtual and remote laboratory, virtual reality, interactive video, and virtual simulation [24], [25]. Focus in the current study is on virtual simulations, where the results of a study by Hassan and colleagues [26] show that student acceptance is very good in its application in the classroom, and has a positive impact on three areas of student learning (knowledge, skills, and attitudes), and conclusively impact on students' better academic performance [27].…”

Virtual Laboratories- A historical review and bibliometric analysis of the past three decades

“…Moroccan universities developed virtual laboratories and implemented them in the 12 science faculties in Morocco. The study further observed that virtual laboratories support adopting the proposed learning environment in laboratory educational procedures as an alternative to physical laboratories (El Kharki et al, 2021 ).…”

A virtual simulation experiment platform of subway emergency ventilation system and study on its teaching effect

“…Sun et al studied the differences in learning performance between learners in different environments by comparing the traditional learning environment with the learning environment combined with virtual reality, and found that the learning performance of learners in the virtual reality environment is better 24 . The University of Morocco has evaluated teachers and learners in a virtual learning environment, and the results show that the use of virtual laboratories has a positive impact on learning outcomes 25 . Badilla et al assessed how teaching and learning processes can be facilitated in a 3D virtual environment 26 .…”