A Virtual Reality Laboratory for Distance Education in Chemistry
Simulations play a major role in education not only because they provide realistic models with which students can interact to acquire real world experiences, but also because they constitute safe environments in which students can repeat processes without any risk in order to perceive easier concepts and theories. Virtual reality is widely recognized as a significant technological advance that can facilitate learning process through the development of highly realistic 3D simulations supporting immersive and interactive features. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of virtual reality-s use in chemistry instruction as well as to present an integrated web-based learning environment for the simulation of chemical experiments. The proposed application constitutes a cost-effective solution for both schools and universities without appropriate infrastructure and a valuable tool for distance learning and life-long education in chemistry. Its educational objectives are the familiarization of students with the equipment of a real chemical laboratory and the execution of virtual volumetric analysis experiments with the active participation of students.
[1] D. Sokoutis, "Simulation of thermo chemistry experiments",
Proceedings of 2nd Conference Information and Communication
Technologies in Education, 2003, Syros.
[2] A. Papas, Student-Centric Instruction, 1998, 4th Edition, Gutengerg,
Athens.
[3] E. Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching, 3rd Edition", Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1969.
[4] N. Kalogeropoulos, and X. Karatzas, "Real or virtual laboratory ? The
case of volumetric analysis in chemistry", 2nd Meeting in Intra-School
Education on Information and Communication Technologies, 2002,
Thessaloniki.
[5] CSU Chemlab, (Online), Available:
http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/chemistry/release/
[6] VRLUP, (Online), Available: http://www.vrupl.evl.uic.edu/
[7] Lab 3D, (Online), 2002 Available:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/virtual_chemistry_lab.html
[8] D. Schofield, E. Lester, and J.A. Wilson, "Virtual reality interactive
learning environments", International Engineering Education
Conference, 2004, Wolverhampton.
[9] VR-Assisted Chemistry Education, (Online), 2003 Available:
http://www.vrmedialab.dk/pr/studerende/projekter/rapport
9sem1022.pdf
[10] High school chemistry educational and virtual reality, (Online), 1996
Available:http://www.hitl.washington edu/projects/learning_center/
[11] Oxford Virtual Chemistry, (Online), 1996 Available:
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry
[12] Model Science Software (Online), 1997 Available:
http://modelscience.com/
[13] The Irydium project virtual lab (Online), 2000, Available:
http://ir.chem.cmu.edu/ irproject/
[14] Crocodile Chemistry (Online), 2006 Available: http://www.crocodileclips.
com/chem.htm
[15] L. Harasim, Shift Happens Online Education as a New Paradigm in
Learning, Internet and Higher Education, No. 3, 2000, pp.41-61,
[16] K. Papanikolaou, M. Grigoriadou and E. Gouli "The contribution of
Web in the renewal of educational practices in education", Issues in
Education, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005, pp. 23-57
[17] V. Steiner, "What is distance education?", Far West Laboratory for
Educational Research and Development", (Online), 1996 Available:
http://www.fwl.org/edtech /distance.html
[18] F. Modritscher, "eLearning theories in practice: A comparison of three
methods", Journal of Universal Science and Technology of Learning,
2006, pp.3-18.
[19] O. Conlan, "The multi-model, metadata driven approach to personalized
eLearning services", Phd Thesis, Department of Computer Science,
University of Dublin.
[20] A. Kokkos, A. Liontarakis, X. Matralis and X. Panagiotakopoulos, "The
educational material and the new technologies", Hellenic Open
University, Open and distance learning, Vol. 3, Patra, 1999.
[21] J.E. Rudin, "Using virtual reality in education", In Proceedings of STC,
Education, Training and Research, 1995, pp. 55-58.
[22] A. Manitsaris, T. Kargidis and K. Barbatsis, "Design and development
of a dynamic hypermedia educational system", Journal of Information
Technology Impact, Vol 2, Issue 3, 2001, pp.105-116
[23] C. Bouras, and T. Tsiatsos, T., "Building educational virtual
environments". In Proceedings of the Second IEEE International
Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, 2002, pp.547-548
[24] S. Liodakis, Analytical Chemistry: Issues and Problems, Papasotiriou,
Athens, 2001.
[25] P. Tzimou-Tsitouridou, Laboratorial Exercises for Qualitative
Analytical Chemistry, AUTH, Thessaloniki, 2000.
[1] D. Sokoutis, "Simulation of thermo chemistry experiments",
Proceedings of 2nd Conference Information and Communication
Technologies in Education, 2003, Syros.
[2] A. Papas, Student-Centric Instruction, 1998, 4th Edition, Gutengerg,
Athens.
[3] E. Dale, Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching, 3rd Edition", Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1969.
[4] N. Kalogeropoulos, and X. Karatzas, "Real or virtual laboratory ? The
case of volumetric analysis in chemistry", 2nd Meeting in Intra-School
Education on Information and Communication Technologies, 2002,
Thessaloniki.
[5] CSU Chemlab, (Online), Available:
http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/chemistry/release/
[6] VRLUP, (Online), Available: http://www.vrupl.evl.uic.edu/
[7] Lab 3D, (Online), 2002 Available:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~imaging/virtual_chemistry_lab.html
[8] D. Schofield, E. Lester, and J.A. Wilson, "Virtual reality interactive
learning environments", International Engineering Education
Conference, 2004, Wolverhampton.
[9] VR-Assisted Chemistry Education, (Online), 2003 Available:
http://www.vrmedialab.dk/pr/studerende/projekter/rapport
9sem1022.pdf
[10] High school chemistry educational and virtual reality, (Online), 1996
Available:http://www.hitl.washington edu/projects/learning_center/
[11] Oxford Virtual Chemistry, (Online), 1996 Available:
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry
[12] Model Science Software (Online), 1997 Available:
http://modelscience.com/
[13] The Irydium project virtual lab (Online), 2000, Available:
http://ir.chem.cmu.edu/ irproject/
[14] Crocodile Chemistry (Online), 2006 Available: http://www.crocodileclips.
com/chem.htm
[15] L. Harasim, Shift Happens Online Education as a New Paradigm in
Learning, Internet and Higher Education, No. 3, 2000, pp.41-61,
[16] K. Papanikolaou, M. Grigoriadou and E. Gouli "The contribution of
Web in the renewal of educational practices in education", Issues in
Education, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2005, pp. 23-57
[17] V. Steiner, "What is distance education?", Far West Laboratory for
Educational Research and Development", (Online), 1996 Available:
http://www.fwl.org/edtech /distance.html
[18] F. Modritscher, "eLearning theories in practice: A comparison of three
methods", Journal of Universal Science and Technology of Learning,
2006, pp.3-18.
[19] O. Conlan, "The multi-model, metadata driven approach to personalized
eLearning services", Phd Thesis, Department of Computer Science,
University of Dublin.
[20] A. Kokkos, A. Liontarakis, X. Matralis and X. Panagiotakopoulos, "The
educational material and the new technologies", Hellenic Open
University, Open and distance learning, Vol. 3, Patra, 1999.
[21] J.E. Rudin, "Using virtual reality in education", In Proceedings of STC,
Education, Training and Research, 1995, pp. 55-58.
[22] A. Manitsaris, T. Kargidis and K. Barbatsis, "Design and development
of a dynamic hypermedia educational system", Journal of Information
Technology Impact, Vol 2, Issue 3, 2001, pp.105-116
[23] C. Bouras, and T. Tsiatsos, T., "Building educational virtual
environments". In Proceedings of the Second IEEE International
Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, 2002, pp.547-548
[24] S. Liodakis, Analytical Chemistry: Issues and Problems, Papasotiriou,
Athens, 2001.
[25] P. Tzimou-Tsitouridou, Laboratorial Exercises for Qualitative
Analytical Chemistry, AUTH, Thessaloniki, 2000.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:63206", author = "J. Georgiou and K. Dimitropoulos and A. Manitsaris", title = "A Virtual Reality Laboratory for Distance Education in Chemistry", abstract = "Simulations play a major role in education not only because they provide realistic models with which students can interact to acquire real world experiences, but also because they constitute safe environments in which students can repeat processes without any risk in order to perceive easier concepts and theories. Virtual reality is widely recognized as a significant technological advance that can facilitate learning process through the development of highly realistic 3D simulations supporting immersive and interactive features. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of virtual reality-s use in chemistry instruction as well as to present an integrated web-based learning environment for the simulation of chemical experiments. The proposed application constitutes a cost-effective solution for both schools and universities without appropriate infrastructure and a valuable tool for distance learning and life-long education in chemistry. Its educational objectives are the familiarization of students with the equipment of a real chemical laboratory and the execution of virtual volumetric analysis experiments with the active participation of students.
", keywords = "Chemistry, simulations, experiments, virtual reality.", volume = "1", number = "11", pages = "743-8", }
