September 2001 — Features
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The Viability of Distance Education Science Laboratories
There is clearly a place for computer simulations in science education with many excellent programs available, which are useful in exploring real and hypothetical scenarios. They can also provide exposure where reality is too dangerous, expensive, complex, fast or slow, such as exploring human anatomy, controlling a nuclear reactor or examining the supersonic crack of a whip. Although in watching a video the student is often only a passive observer, videos can offer a way to actively participate in an experiment.
Both delivery technologies can enhance the science educational experience and readily lend themselves to the distance education environment. However, they are ill-suited for delivering a realistic environment to conduct experiments, measure results and determine error. Simulations tend to restrict students to a narrow investigative path, are physically unconvincing and never provide ambiguous results as occurs with real instruments. Similarly, by providing the student with limited examples in unambiguous conditions, a pre-packaged video often affords few opportunities to practice, explore, fail and subsequently learn. For these reasons, the laboratory experience cannot be entirely replaced by simulations or videos of real experiments. Sending equipment kits to students is aimed at duplicating traditional lab experiments at home, but this raises cost and safety concerns. Typical equipment for a college introductory physics course might include lasers, radioactive elements, high-voltage power supplies and costly optical apparatus such as spectral tubes. A college chemistry course might also require a Bunsen burner and at least small amounts of somewhat dangerous chemicals.
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In many ways, distance labs can provide a superior educational experience to a purely in-residence laboratory. Distance labs are not restricted to synchronized attendance by instructors and students; they have the potential to provide constant access whenever needed by students. Safety issues that would otherwise limit the kinds of laboratory experiences available to undergraduate science students are diminished in distance labs. They can also transcend the restrictions of time and space, allowing experiments that monitor geographically distant phenomena such as weather and seismographic data. And because students have greater access to experimental equipment, fewer lab stations are needed, thereby mitigating the costs associated with purchasing and maintaining lab equipment.
Conducting experiments aided by a computer has a long and venerable history in many scientific areas, particularly physics and astronomy. Most high school and college physics labs already control experiments, and collect and analyze data using laboratory computers. Given this history and the ability of the Internet to connect the experimenter to the experiment, it seems logical to ask whether viable laboratory experience is possible by conducting real experiments through distance labs.
From past experience, the authors have identified three key requirements for a distance laboratory to compare favorably with an in-residence laboratory:
