Implementation of a Virtual Laboratory Practical Class (VLPC) module in pharmacology education

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Author(s)
Cheesman, Matthew J.
Chen, Steven
Manchadi, Mary-Louise
Jacob, Teague
Minchin, Rodney F.
Tregloan, Peter A.
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2014
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Abstract: The Virtual Laboratory Practical Class (VLPC) computer program is a resource aimed at improving practical
laboratory performance and understanding in a second-year pharmacology student cohort. In our evaluation of the
program, half of the 233 students were provided access to the VLPC before their laboratory session and half after
the completion of their experiment. Surveys were conducted to gauge student perception and understanding of the
laboratory experiment. In addition, data measuring student completion times for the laboratory task were collected.
Students who used the VLPC before the class reported an increase ...
View more >Abstract: The Virtual Laboratory Practical Class (VLPC) computer program is a resource aimed at improving practical laboratory performance and understanding in a second-year pharmacology student cohort. In our evaluation of the program, half of the 233 students were provided access to the VLPC before their laboratory session and half after the completion of their experiment. Surveys were conducted to gauge student perception and understanding of the laboratory experiment. In addition, data measuring student completion times for the laboratory task were collected. Students who used the VLPC before the class reported an increase in their confidence in successfully completing the live practical experiment. They also showed a significant decrease in the mean completion time for the real laboratory session. No effect of the VLPC on assignment scores was observed, however this is likely due to the content of the program, which comprised only a very minor portion of these assessable laboratory reports. While some operational issues affected students’ use and engagement in the early stages of the project, students reported benefits to their practical skills and understanding, and perceived the VLPC as a realistic and useful depiction of the laboratory environment.
View less >
View more >Abstract: The Virtual Laboratory Practical Class (VLPC) computer program is a resource aimed at improving practical laboratory performance and understanding in a second-year pharmacology student cohort. In our evaluation of the program, half of the 233 students were provided access to the VLPC before their laboratory session and half after the completion of their experiment. Surveys were conducted to gauge student perception and understanding of the laboratory experiment. In addition, data measuring student completion times for the laboratory task were collected. Students who used the VLPC before the class reported an increase in their confidence in successfully completing the live practical experiment. They also showed a significant decrease in the mean completion time for the real laboratory session. No effect of the VLPC on assignment scores was observed, however this is likely due to the content of the program, which comprised only a very minor portion of these assessable laboratory reports. While some operational issues affected students’ use and engagement in the early stages of the project, students reported benefits to their practical skills and understanding, and perceived the VLPC as a realistic and useful depiction of the laboratory environment.
View less >
Journal Title
Pharmacognosy Communications
Volume
4
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2014. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Subject
Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences not elsewhere classified
Plant Biology
Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences