Mitigating Factors of Student Learning Using Online Virtual Chemistry Lab Activities

• In Event: Learning Environments Inside and Outside the Science Classroom

Abstract

Simulation-based learning environments show great promise for improving student outcomes in science. Online chemistry activities of ChemVLab+ allow students to explore a flexible, multimedia virtual lab environment. Though students using the ChemVLab+ activities make significant learning gains from pre to posttest, the gains vary across teachers. In the current paper, we carryout exploratory data analysis to explore whether and how classroom-level features including the use of the activities (to replace, supplement or review instruction) and classroom environment (percent of students on-task) influence student outcomes from the activities. The results find the highest learning gains are made when activities are used as review, and learning gains are significantly higher when a majority of students are on-task while using the activities.

Authors

• Jodi Davenport, WestEd

• Jacklyn Powers, WestEd

• Anna Rafferty, University of California - Berkeley

• Michael Timms, Australian Council for Educational Research

• Michael Karabinos, Carnegie Mellon University

• David Yaron, Carnegie Mellon University