Can Virtual Experiments Succeed Where Hands-On Investigations Have Failed?

Can virtual experiments succeed where hands-on investigations have failed? Students can explore the effect of population, vary the levels of greenhouse gases, and investigate the impact of government policies using powerful simulations. They can study genetic drift, model evolutionary theories, and explore airbag safety with online tools. Virtual experiments extend opportunities for students to engage in scientific inquiry and allow students to gain new reasoning skills but require careful design. This research conducted by the Technology-Enhanced Learning in Science NSF Center for Learning and Teaching has analyzed the impact of varied designs of virtual experiments on student learning. Students need guidance to learn effective experimentation strategies for complex problems. The default approach of varying one factor at a time can interfere with exploration of complex relationships such as . determining the threshold values for airbag safety.