Abstract:

In experimental disciplines of Biological degrees, learning is centered on practical face-to-face classes in the laboratory to actively acquire concepts and methods explained in lectures, to learn how to work collaboratively and independently, and it is an essential part of mandatory curriculum requirement for academic accreditation. However, the COVID 19 pandemic and associated total/partial confinement imposed distance learning caused a failed attempt in teaching these practical classes. As experimental laboratory competencies are fundamentals to fulfill understanding of disciplines, we converted this inconvenience into an opportunity. To this end, we transformed our usual practical class of Chloroplasts Isolation and Photosynthetic Electron Transport determination into a simulation practical class in the context of a virtual laboratory for Plant Physiology, a discipline of Biology, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry degrees, at the University of the Basque Country.

With this approach, we were able to achieve the competencies under COVID restrictions and encourage students' cooperation and active learning. We developed audiovisual material and resources that allow hypothesis formulation, experiment and methodology visualization, calculations quizzes, and procedural questions. To enhance the level of interaction the experience was enriched with feedback given back to the students. In this work, we further examined the results of the mentioned virtual laboratory of Plant Physiology and we compared and discussed, the grades obtained of the students following the traditional practical face-to-face classes in the laboratory from previous years with the grades obtained in the context of the virtual laboratory.

The results showed a good acceptance by students, promotion of autonomous and collaborative work into virtual groups, increased feedback to the teacher, and good evaluation grades. Overall, this approach permitted the development of new curricular materials for experimental disciplines teaching as an effective tool to complement other traditional experimental approaches for the acquisition of experimental skills, which enriches the quality of e-learning courses by the implementation of virtual laboratories when necessary (eg. under total/partial confinements, a student with special needs, temporal absence due to illness, remote learning, others).

Keywords:

Online, laboratory, feedback, active learning.