Ventajas y desventajas de usar laboratorios virtuales en educación a distancia: la opinión del estudiantado en un proyecto de seis años de duración

Abstract

In order to evaluate the virtual laboratories used by Science Teaching students at UNED, the Costa Rican distance education university, we surveyed students who used a total of 12 virtual laboratories for six years. We wanted to analyze a longer time-span than most studies have accomplished, which usually refer to briefer periods. Results are analyzed in two contexts: the opinion of a second source (teachers and tutors who used the laboratories) and international standards for a virtual laboratory. The approval rate for contents, the informatics aspects, the graphic design, the interactivity, and the efficacy of the virtual laboratories was rated positively by 75% or more of the students. There was no difference in student success in course groups that used real laboratories and those that used virtual laboratories, so we conclude that virtual laboratories are a good option for those who cannot (or do not want to) use real laboratory experiments. Furthermore, virtual laboratories provide a creative, modern, and economical option for both traditional and distance universities and institutes of technology. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]