Virtual Laboratorys at Charles Sturt University PROFESSOR BARNEY

Virtual Laboratory’s at Charles Sturt University PROFESSOR BARNEY DALGARNO CO-DIRECTOR UIMAGINE DIGITAL LEARNING INNOVATION LABORATORY CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY

Overview • The Virtual Chemistry Laboratory (2000 -2005) • Demo • Evaluation of use by Distance Education students • Technology platform • Enhancements explored • Proposal for an open and extensible virtual laboratory platform

The Virtual Chemistry Laboratory • Focus on preparation for laboratory sessions • Modelled on the undergraduate laboratory on Wagga campus • Ability to collect, assemble and manipulate apparatus • Information about apparatus and safety procedures embedded

Demo

Evaluation by Distance Students • Students sent the Virtual Laboratory on CD • Undertook exploratory activities using the Virtual Laboratory ahead of their residential school • Questionnaire on its effectiveness in preparing for residential school • Interviews to discuss the issues in more depth • Experimental design to compare preparation in the real lab with the virtual lab with another cohort

Evaluation Results • No significant difference between virtual laboratory and real laboratory in apparatus identification, location or overall lab familiarity • Students using the Virtual Lab found it to be a valuable preparatory tool (57%) and indicated they would recommend it to other students (68%) • A minority said it improved their confidence (41%) or reduced anxiety (32%) in the laboratory Dalgarno, B. , Bishop, A. G. , Adlong, W. , & Bedgood Jr, D. R. (2009). Effectiveness of a virtual laboratory as a preparatory resource for distance education chemistry students. Computers and Education, 53(3), 853 -865.

Technology platform • • Virtual Reality Modelling Language • Dalgarno, B. (2005). A VRML Virtual Chemistry Laboratory Incorporating Reusable Prototypes for Object Manipulation. Sim. Tect 2005, the annual conference of the Simulation Industry Association of Australia. Available: http: //www. siaa. asn. au/get/2411855836. pdf. VRML Script User Interface Blaxxun Contact Extensions Java Script Menu System

Enhancements Explored - Virtual Experiments - Student Avatars - Personified Agents

Enhancements Explored – Virtual PDA for communication with peers, video demonstrations, and access to tools Lee, M. J. W. , & Dalgarno, B. (2011). Scaffolding discovery learning in 3 D virtual environments: Challenges and considerations for instructional design. In S. Hai-Jew (Ed. ), Virtual immersive and 3 D learning spaces: Emerging technologies and trends (pp. 138– 169). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.

Next steps: An open and extensible platform for virtual bioscience laboratories – Australian Office for Learning and Teaching grant application • A navigable 3 D interface; • Multi-user capabilities supporting collaboration and in-environment demonstrations; • Formative and summative feedback on activity while undertaking experiments and on conceptual understanding using learning analytics techniques; • An open platform enabling free adoption by the sector and ongoing extension and expansion; and • A user-extensible and user-configurable architecture.