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Norayati Binti Masilin @ Morsilin

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PS2402

VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION

Today, technology has influenced people lives in many aspects. Education is also not excluded from being influenced by it. In fact, the education system in Brunei also emphasizes the use of technology which is by integrating ICT in the syllabus which is known as SPN21 that will start in 2009.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

As we know, Science subject is very vital and all the facts are tentative. There is no specification method to teach Science to pupils. Teachers are encouraged to integrate technology in teaching Science. Such integration is very useful as it can stimulate and enhance the pupils’ mind and learning. In fact, Murphy as cited by Future Lab (2003) stated that ICT can support the investigation as well as the concept in primary Science. Hence, Science now can be taught and learnt in a more interesting manner by using ICT.

There are varieties of ways in which teachers can use and integrate ICT in the Science lesson. Another way, teachers can use ICT in primary school Science through the Virtual medium. Roschelle et al. (2000) said as cited by Research Center - Center for Implementing Technology in Education : Multimedia Technologies,

“There are many choices when it comes to multimedia technology for science instruction. It is important that teachers know how to evaluate technology and determine what the best fit is for their students, their classroom, their curriculum, and their teaching style”

VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS

Some Science facts need to be tested and demonstrated in order to understand it rather than only learning the theories behind it. This can be done by experimenting. Experiment is one of the typical techniques used to test something to find answer in science subject. In addition, experiments are used to prove hypothesis as well as gaining hands-on experience. In addition, through experiments pupils can learn actively and expose to the discovery learning which further stimulate their mind and thinking.

Now a day with the invention of internet and computer, there is another type of experiments which is widely used like mushroom after the rain which is called ‘Virtual Experiments’. Virtual experiments are new and alternative way of doing experiments. It is like a simulation. It helps teachers to demo or even allow their pupils to practice experiments using software that specifically build to do the activity of experimenting topics concerned just by clicking few buttons on the keyboard rather than handling any apparatus.

BENEFITS OF USING VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS

Teachers can use virtual experiments with the pupils due to the benefits they give. There are several benefits of using them that teachers can take into account.

Teachers can save time as they need not to worry about the preparation of materials needed for experiments. The preparation of materials used for experiments usually consumes time as teachers need to locate and make certain that the numbers items are sufficient for every pupil or at least enough to carry it out. Not only that, teachers also need to ensure that the materials are also available and can be used for the experiments.

On the contrary, there is no need for teachers to bother all such tasks if using virtual experiments. In fact, the result from using virtual experiments also can be obtained immediately compared to some real life experiments which require some time to show the results. Baker said as cited by Guardian.Co.Uk,

"If you want pupils to draw results, interpret what they've seen and draw conclusions, virtual experiments are the best thing to use as they speed things up. You can repeat tests and change variables, which you can't do in a normal class, to consolidate learning."

Furthermore, the risk of dangerous impact also can be reduced or even prevented by using virtual experiments as there is no apparatus, substances or materials being used except for the hardware to handle the program. As we know, some children do not take some precautions seriously and tend to fool around with the materials. All these are absent in the virtual experiments. Hence, teachers no longer are anxious with pupils’ safety during the practical activity and are able to concentrate on the lesson during experiment activity.

The use of virtual experiments also allows the teacher to teach science in a more interesting manner as well as more effective. According to Bell (n.d.), instead of only to reduce the risk the expense, danger and consuming time of real life experiments, virtual experiments also help the students to learn better how science works.

Moreover, virtual experiments allow teachers and pupils to carry out experiments which are dangerous to be carried out in real life situation like handling poisonous substances or those that are not easily accessible to do.

LIMITATION OF USING VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS

Although virtual experiments can be used by teachers as an alternative to the real life experiments, there are some limitations that teachers need to take concern about.

The most obvious drawback of using virtual experiments is that it eliminates the traditional way of doing experiments in school. Hence, virtual experiments discourage the pupils to obtain the hands’ on experience which can promote discovery learning in children. Bell (n.d.) said,

“Many instructors are concerned about the use of computer-based simulations of laboratories because, although they may retain the active learning component, the actual hands-on experience is lost. Thus, the physical skills of manipulating laboratory equipment, reagents, and material, along with the actual experience of setting up an experiment and collecting data in real time, are all absent. Even for non–science major students who don’t need the practical lab skills, the experience of being a scientist, even for a little while, is considered very important.”

Although for virtual experiments there is no need for teachers to find materials for experiments but still, teachers require the hardware like computer end even projector as well as interactive white board if the experiment is to be carried out with the whole class. Worse, if teachers want the pupils to do the practical individually, there must be enough units of working computers. Then, teachers also cannot carry out the experiment if there is a blackout in the school as all the equipments needed to carry out virtual experiments require electricity to run.

EXAMPLE OF VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS

There are many virtual experiments that teachers can use to teach primary science. The virtual experiments can be attained from any computer shop via CD-ROM, or the easiest and mostly used is via internet, either download it or do it online. One example of virtual experiments that can be obtained from internet Coolins Freedom To Teach which available at this URL address,

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Actually, to obtain the virtual experiments via this website, teachers need to subscribe and pay for it. There are many different types of virtual experiments available.

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However, they also provide a complete demo which can also be used for teachers to do online virtual experiments in class. They provide three demos of virtual experiments for every year or appropriate level for upper primary science syllabus.

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In order to use the virtual experiments, teachers first need to get the software as well as the hardware ready in order to carry out such experiments. However, teachers need to ensure that the pupils already learn the basic theory before doing any experiments so that they can learn more from it.

As mentioned earlier, there are three demos available for three levels which are Year 1 and 2, Year 3 and 4 as well as Year 5 and 6 that teachers can use in the Virtual Experiments Online Demo provided by Collin. In this context, Collin Demo Virtual Experiments Online Year 1 and 2 will be used as an example to explain how teachers can use virtual experiment in science lesson.

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This virtual experiment is the virtual practical activity on the topic of Force and Movement which actually covers the Unit 7 Theme 2 in Primary 5 Science. Teachers can use this virtual experiment if teachers want to make the lesson to be more interesting for the pupils. In addition, teachers also can integrate ICT in the lesson which can stimulate the pupils’ mind.

If teachers wish to use such virtual experiments, teachers can carry the lesson as usual. After the induction set or ‘The Hook’ session, teachers can tell the pupils that they are going to do practical work or experiments on that topic. Like any other real life experiments activity, teachers first need to remind the pupils the procedure as well as the instructions on how to carry out the activity. It will be recommended for the teachers to do the demo first on how to carry out the practical activity.

Teachers no need to worry to prepare the materials but teachers need computers as well as other equipments like projector or interactive white board especially to do the demonstration on how to handle the virtual experiments. Moreover, teachers are recommended to carry out this kind of experiments in computer lab as teachers also need sufficient units of computer for the pupils and internet connection for online virtual experiments.

First clicking on the demo button of Year 1 and 2 demos, it will display a loading image.

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After the loading is done, teachers can choose what they want to do first. In the virtual experiment below, there are four buttons on the right hand side that allow the users to choose what activity to be done. If teachers click on ‘Introduction’, the program will explain in brief about Force and Movements facts.

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It is also designed to be interactive as it allows the users to interact such as answering any questions asked and response is immediately provided to any answers given. If the answer given is correct it will tick the answers while for the wrong answer, it will ask the pupils to try again. In addition, it also allows the pupils to listen to the audio or turn the audio off by clicking the ‘ON and OFF’ with speaker icon on the left hand side. The audio both explains in brief some facts or contents of the topic and pose few questions concerning it.

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There are also keywords provided if the users click on the Keywords icon. The keywords for that topic will immediately appear if the icon is clicked. If the Keywords icon is clicked again, the keywords will be closed.

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Then there is also an activity in which the pupils are required to answer few questions after the video is played. Pupils first need to click the play icon to see the video that displays the action. Pupils can repeat the video if they wish to. Then pupils can answer the following questions by clicking the right answer under ‘Action’.

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Just like in the Introduction part, if pupils get the right answer, they will be given a green tick. If not, they will be asked to try again. There is also an extra activity if pupils click the ‘?’ icon.

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Such extra questions will make it easy for teachers as there is no need for them to set up questions as there are already assessment questions available in the virtual experiment.

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The pupils can click on the Extension icon to do more virtual experiments. At first it will give demonstration and explain in brief about the concept related to the virtual experiments of that topic. Then, the pupils will do the experiments according to the instruction given. Before dragging the materials into the Prediction space, pupils will be told to click on the Picture of three children icon to fill in their prediction of the experiments.

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After clicking the icon, a page which requires the pupils to give their prediction will pop out. After filling in their prediction click the bar graph icon to see the graph of their prediction.

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The graph of pupils’ prediction will be shown automatically after clicking the Bar Graph icon. After that, pupils can click to back button to Extension page to carry out the activity of dragging the materials in the prediction space.

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Pupils can drag and put the materials in the prediction space to synchronize to what they have predicted previously.

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After completing it, pupils can click the ‘Check’ icon to see the results of their experiment.

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The result will be displayed one by one and if the answer is correct, a green tick will be given. On the contrary, if the answer is wrong, correction will be given and will be put in the correct spaces. With this virtual experiment, pupils can obtain their results immediately.

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After that, pupils can click again the Picture of children icon as well as the graph icon to see the new graph showing the result for that experiment when it is done.

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If the pupils are done with the experiments, teachers can give a more challenging task by asking the pupils to answer the questions if they click the ‘?’ icon.

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Questions related to the previous experiments are available immediately if ‘?’ icon is clicked. Hence, there is no need for teachers to prepare the questions on the experiments done for remedial intention.

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If teachers and pupils are done with the experiments, they can click on the Quit icon and it will immediately close the virtual experiments and display the acknowledgement on the products.

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CONCLUSION

Teachers can use any medium in their teaching to facilitate the pupils’ learning. In the technology era, teachers are also encouraged to use ICT in their lesson. In fact, there are many ways in which teachers can manipulate technology and ICT in their teaching and this includes the use of Virtual Experiment. Virtual experiments are like simulations and serve as alternatives to the real life experiments. It can be used to add more to the teachers’ variety of teaching methods. Furthermore, teachers also can use virtual experiments to expose the pupils to ICT.

There are varieties of virtual experiments that are available either from the internet or shop. One example given in this text is one simple online virtual experiments demo that also can be used in science class.

However, teachers should not be too dependent on the virtual experiments as it can prevent the pupils from experiencing the real situation. In fact, teachers can use both types of experiments according to their own needs. If the experiment is not too harmful and is easy to set up using the real life experiments, teachers should give opportunity for the pupils to do it. Then teachers can use virtual experiments if the activity is harmful and is difficult to set up using real life experiments. Hence, teachers should use both experiments to help stimulate their pupils mind and to achieve effective teaching as well as learning. Bell (n.d.) said,

“Probably the ideal educational method would be to use a mixture or real experiments with simulations, so that the benefits of both approaches could be realized.”

REFERENCES

Bell, J (n.d.) Web-Enabled Learning Environments 173.

Virtual Laboratories as a Tool for Teaching the Scientific Method. Retrieved April 11 2008 from

Collins Freedom To Teach (n.d.) Retrieved April 11 2008 from

Collins (n.d.) Virtual Experiment Online, Year 1 and 2 Demo. Retrieved April 11 2008 from

GUARDIAN.Co.Uk (2006) In real life, science doesn't work as well. Retrieved April 11 2008 from

Murphy, C (2003) Report 5. Literature Review in Primary Science and ICT. Retrieved April 11 2008 from

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Figure 1: Screenshot on Introduction to Collin Virtual Experiments Online Homepage

Figure 2: Screenshot on Introduction to Collin Virtual Experiments

Different types of online virtual experiments available that can be subscribed

Figure 3: Screenshot on Collin Demos Virtual Experiments

Figure 4: Screenshot of Collin 3 Online Virtual Experiments Demos

Year 3 and 4 Demo

Year 1 and 2 Demo (

Year 5 and 6 Demo

Figure 5: Screenshot of the homepage of Year 1 and 2 online virtual experiments demos

Figure 6: Screenshot on Introduction of Forces and Movement

4 main icons

Green tick for correct response

Introduction icon

ON and OFF Audio Icon

Figure 7: Screenshot on Introduction of Forces and Movement-Brief explanations on the contents of the topic and questions asked concern with the action shown.

Keywords

Figure 8: Screenshot showing keywords appear if the Keywords icon is clicked

Keywords icon

Figure 9: Screenshot on one of situations of the activity

Play icon to see the action

Activity icon

Correct answer

Figure 10: Screenshot on showing the response of one of activity

Figure 11: Screenshot on the extra question available in the activity session

Figure 12: Screenshot on the introduction in the Extension session

Picture of children icon

Figure 13: Screenshot on the question asking for the users to make prediction

Bar Graph icon

Figure 14: Screenshot on bar graph of the pupils’ prediction

Back button to return to the Extension page to carry out experiment

Figure 15: Extension: Screenshot on the Extension activity

Drag the materials into the correct spaces

Figure 16: Screenshot on further Extension activity

Check icon

Figure 17: Screenshot on the result of the experiment

The results are display immediately

Figure 18: Screenshot on the results of bar graph after the experiments is done

Graph of the results of the experiment

Figure 19: Screenshot on the result of Extension activity

? icon for further exercises (questions) related to the previous experiment.

Figure 20: Screenshot on questions on the experiments

Figure 21: Screenshot on the acknowledgement of the product

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