The Research On The Role And The Effects Of Virtual Laboratory In Chemistry Education

Virtual laboratory is an atmosphere created by virtual technology、emulation、computer photographtechnology and so forth on computer,people handle necessary instruments to interact with the objects in theatmosphere and the effects are equal to those of real experiment,sometimes even better.In2003ourministry of education implements the new chemistry curriculum for senior middle school.The newcurriculum lay emphasis on students’ overall capabilities and learning by themselves.Chemistry is a subjectwhich bases on experiment much,so experiment teaching is crucial in chemistry education.However,attimes teachers lack a fine tool for experiment teaching,for example they can’t show micro phenomenons ina proper way.which prevents the improvement of students’ operation ability.Virtual laboratory could showmicro phenomenons in a macro way and show abstract problems in a clear way.It is a good tool forexperiment education.It is already in use and achieves some good results.However,at the present theapplication is just at the beginning.Teachers don’t understand it fully and they lack proper teachingmethods.Correspondingly we choose the role and the effects of virtual laboratory in chemistry education asour topic and do three jobs as follows.Firstly we partially investigate the case of virtual laboratory teaching in Henan Province and drawconclusions about hardware equipments、software application and teachers’ remarks on virtual laboratoryteaching as follows: most senior middle schools have yet equipped necessary hardware facilitations,97.4percent schools have their own computer classrooms,21.1percent schools have established their schoolwebs; Teachers have grasped the software-using ability,93percent of them use Powerpoint、Flash andAuthorware;Teachers have already applied virtual laboratory in education activity,61percent teachers usevideo experiments,44percent of them use Flash video or3D video which are higher-level;Virtuallaboratory’s role in teaching is important,86percent teachers consider it crucial in teaching,52.8percent ofthem agree that virtual laboratory is valuable especially when explosion or fire will occur in experiments,aswell as some materials or products are poisonous.Virtual laboratory enhances education results,78.9percentteachers consider it achieves better results,37percent of them decide high-level virtual experiment is ofimmersion and its effect is better than that of real experiment. We secondly analyse the role of virtual laboratory in education.Virtual laboratory has the characters ofsimulation、immersion、safe when using and so on, it could show micro phenomenons in the way ofmacro,can go detail into abstract problems and simulate conditions that real experiments can’t supply.Alsoit is an access to explorative learning for students.Overall it is crucial in education activity and can not bereplaced.Take 《Chemistry Compulsory One》for example,there are twenty-seven experiments,of which5are worth virtual laboratory teaching as the materials or products are poisonous.By virtual laboratoryteachers and students can operate them safely and achieve better effects than the real ones.Thephenomenons of six experiments in 《Chemistry Compulsory One》 are too fast for students towatch.Virtual laboratory allow students to watch experiments more clearly,thus it helps understanding thereal experiments.Thirdly by comparable experiments we explore the role and the effects of virtual laboratory.Virtuallaboratory could enhance students’ understanding of knowledge,after class more percentage studentsunderstand the contents in experimental group than in the controll one;Virtual laboratory teaching couldimprove the grasp of contents,after class more percentage students grasp the contents in experiment groupthan in controll group;Virtual laboratory could enhance students’ interests in chemistry,activate students’attitudes toward learning and adjust students’ intentions for learning chemistry.Questionnaire tests showthat the experimental group is higher in learning interest and inclination.And virtual laboratory makes theformer group’s intention for study more right.