Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools

Mbalenhle Ngema; Abraham Motlhabane

doi:10.29333/ejmste/15925

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Mbalenhle Ngema ¹ , Abraham Motlhabane ¹ ^*

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¹ University of South Africa, Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of virtual reality lab activities in enhancing grade 10 learners’ understanding of life sciences concepts and science process skills. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with a control group using traditional teaching methods and an experimental group using virtual reality lab activities. The results showed significant improvements in the experimental group’s understanding of life sciences concepts and science process skills, including making observations, interpretation, measurement, recording data, and planning an investigation. The virtual reality lab activities were found to be effective in enhancing learners’ understanding and skills, with significant differences observed between the control and experimental groups. The study’s findings suggest that virtual reality lab activities can be a valuable tool for teaching life sciences and promoting science process skills and have implications for the integration of technology in science education.

Keywords

virtual reality
virtual labs
life sciences
science process skills
technology integration
life sciences concepts

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 21, Issue 2, February 2025, Article No: em2579

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

Publication date: 04 Feb 2025

Article Views: 59

Article Downloads: 25

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How to cite this article

APA

Ngema, M., & Motlhabane, A. (2025). Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(2), em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

Vancouver

Ngema M, Motlhabane A. Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(2):em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

AMA

Ngema M, Motlhabane A. Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2025;21(2), em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

Chicago

Ngema, Mbalenhle, and Abraham Motlhabane. "Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2025 21 no. 2 (2025): em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

Harvard

Ngema, M., and Motlhabane, A. (2025). Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(2), em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925

MLA

Ngema, Mbalenhle et al. "Virtual labs in life sciences education: A case study of grade 10 learners in selected South African rural schools". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 21, no. 2, 2025, em2579. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15925