Conduct and discuss physics experiments in CoSci Virtual Lab
All physics virtual labs on CoSci are developed based on HTML5 that can be run on all mobile and computer operating systems including iOS, Android, and windows. Teachers and students can conduct physics experiments with these virtual labs (see Figure 1). In addition, the real time datasheet and chart are displayed next to the virtual lab. Students can record the experimental results, for example, the observed numbers, in their worksheets or workbooks (see Figure 2). Noticeably, students can collaboratively conduct an experiment in the same virtual lab by manipulating different variables. This is a remarkable feature of CoSci that made it distinct from other online platforms with virtual labs such as PhET. Moreover, while using the virtual labs on CoSci, students can discuss with peers via an embedded instant messaging and video conferencing software.
Figure 1. The home page of the CoSci Virtual Lab (left). The examples of featured virtual labs (right).
Figure 2. The simulation view, real-time datasheets and charts of the “How wet do you get when running in the rain?” virtual lab.
Self-designed NEW virtual labs with friendly interface
In addition to conducting experiments in existing virtual labs, teachers and students can customize or design virtual labs by themselves. CoSci has a simple and intuitive user interface. Using block-based visual programing language, teachers and students can create a complex scientific model by simply defining the variables and determining its program paths (see Figure 3). When programming is needed, two programming languages: Java Script and Blockly library are provided to construct virtual lab models.
Figure 3. The simulation view (left) and the user interface for defining variables (middle) and program path (right).
Support Inquiry-based Science Learning
The third feature of CoSci is to support students’ inquiry-based science learning. The platform provides students with structured inquiry guidance: understanding the task, generating hypotheses, designing experiment, making trials to collect data, analyzing data and drawing conclusions. A guided inquiry map is created based on students’ inquiry activities (see Figure 4). Our research team has conducted several studies on students’ learning with CoSci virtual labs. Specifically, we incorporated CoSci virtual labs into different inquiry pedagogical models (e.g., light-weight inquiry and guided inquiry). The research findings show that using CoSci virtual labs can effectively enhance students’ scientific literacy (Chang et al., 2020; Wen et al., 2020).
Figure 4. The guided inquiry map and the interface of “design experiments” and “collect data”.
Future Prospects of CoSci Virtual Lab
Under the policy of “Leaning Never Stops” during the outbreak of COVID-19, CoSci Virtual Lab has become as an important online platform to assist teachers’ and students’ online teaching and learning. Since 2021, the research team has engaged experienced teachers to develop model lessons with the teaching model: APOEC (Attention – Prediction – Observation – Explanation – Consolidation), to enhance students’ scientific literacy. In the future, our research team will continue developing physics virtual labs to support science teaching. We will also seek for international research collaborations on the development of CoSci to contribute to the field of science education.
References
Chang, C. J., Liu, C. C., Wen, C. T., Tseng, L. W., Chang, H. Y., Chang, M. H., … & Yang, C. W. (2020). The impact of light-weight inquiry with computer simulations on science learning in classrooms. Computers & Education, 146, 103770.
Wen, C. T., Liu, C. C., Chang, H. Y., Chang, C. J., Chang, M. H., Chiang, S. H. F., … & Hwang, F. K. (2020). Students’ guided inquiry with simulation and its relation to school science achievement and scientific literacy. Computers & Education, 103830.