Virtual learning objects and a virtual chemistry laboratory in the teaching of the law of the conservation of mass

Abstract

This exploratory and descriptive study evaluates the use of a programmed guide of activities that include OVA’s and the virtual chemical lab VLabQ, for teaching the Law of Conservation of Mass to 10th graders in the Eduardo Rosero Institute (I.E.M) in the municipality of Pasto. A Likert Test was applied to determine changes in attitudes toward the study of Chemistry, another test was developed to determine previous ideas, and another test of thirteen questions to assess knowledge of the Law of Conservation of Mass. The pedagogical use of OVA’s improved interest and motivation in classes, while the Virtual Chemical Laboratory of the VLabQ program actively guided students in an experimental approach to Chemistry. The Likert post-test, assessed attitudes were classified between moderately positive and very positive. The pre-test to observe previous ideas about the Law of Conservation of Mass indicates that students choose a response based on their previous ideas and the initial and final state of the system; the post-test is designed for students to choose answers with these same criteria, supplemented by ideas of what they had learned, showing how previous ideas persist after education, or how a significant level of learning had not been reached. The post-test evaluation of knowledge of the Law of Conservation of Mass increased the percentage of correct answers from an average of 32% to 72,85%.