Abstract: The main purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of virtual laboratories on students’ conceptual understanding of biology with an emphasis on the foetal developmental process. Quasi-experimental design under a quantitative method was employed. A biology achievement test (BAT) via pre -posttest was used for data collection. Four secondary schools from Rwamagana district, with 162 students, were purposively selected based on the availability of smart classrooms, computers, projectors, and internet connectivity. From these schools, the experimental and control groups were selected randomly with 81 students in each group. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests using a statistical package for social science (SPSS). The results reveal that the students in the experimental group who were administered virtual laboratory instructions achieved higher mean scores than the students in the control group who taught using the traditional lecturing method (chalk-talk method) at [t (160) = -.540, p = 0.000; p<.05]. This indicates that virtual laboratories in teaching biology concepts have a greater impact on students’ conceptual understanding. The study recommends biology teachers to strive to use virtual laboratories in teaching biology as an alternative way of improving students’ conceptual understanding of abstract concepts. Further study should explore the contribution of virtual laboratories on the student’s conceptual understanding of other difficult and abstract biology topics towards students’ conceptual understanding.

Received June 2, 2020; Revised June 20, 2020; Accepted June 22, 2020

Abstract: The study investigated the influence of virtual Physics laboratory on speed and accuracy of connection of electric circuits by trainees from Craft Certificate in Science Laboratory Technology (CCSLT) in tertiary institutions in Kenya. The target population was all the trainees in the CCSLT course and their trainers. The sample consisted of 53 Second Year Physics trainees and four trainers from The Kisii National Polytechnic. A quasi-experimental design with the experimental (virtual-lab) (N= 27) and control (no-virtual-lab) (N=26) groups, was used. The virtual lab group practiced in a virtual lab while the no-virtual-lab group used the Conventional Laboratory. Both groups were subjected to a pretest and a post-test lab test using a Practical test observation checklist. Experts approved the experiment before use. A Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient, r = 0.94 was obtained. A t-test, means and standard deviations to test two null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. The tcal= 0.056, df = 50, p = 0.956; Cohen’s d = 0.02; implies the mean scores in connection accuracy between the virtual lab and the non-virtual lab trainees in the post-test were not significantly different. The tcal = – 4.391, df = 50, p = 0.000; with Cohen’s d = -1.22; the virtual lab trainees recorded significantly shorter mean time of circuit connection than the non-virtual lab trainees. The study recommends that trainees should be granted an opportunity to engage in virtual hands-on Physics to supplement physical laboratories.