Abstract:

When designing this innovative teaching method, we considered several aspects to achieving a positive training experience. We created a virtual laboratory to improve food science students' learning activities. The main objective was to develop a fully online practice to avoid the risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To this end, we designed a virtual toxicology laboratory. The experience included a first guided explanation by the professor, through which the students began the virtual and interactive experience, where they had to solve a clinical case of intoxication. They had to analyze the samples and answer the questions. In this virtual laboratory, they visualized several interactive videos where they had to make decisions to continue the toxicology analysis. The professor was continuously available online for troubleshooting.

This virtual and interactive environment was created in the virtual campus available in our University, which greatly simplifies the technical issues. Videos were filmed at the University laboratories complying with the health requirements.

At the end of the experience, each student obtained punctuation in the virtual laboratory. They also completed a test to evaluate the acquired knowledge in this virtual experience.

The obtained results were very positive. All the students completed the experience with high degrees. Furthermore, students compared this experience with presential laboratories. Despite they found a lot of positive issues, the presential laboratories was still their preferred method.

Keywords:

Toxicology, e-learning, virtual experience.