Did you really understand the concept in that Virtual Lab?
In Kathy Peng's 8th Grade Biology class, students get a rich experience in data analysis.
Students conducted virtual experiments online manipulating enzyme activity by changing variables in their simulation. Online simulations such as this allow students to test multiple hypotheses and experiment with variables rapidly that would otherwise be too costly or time consuming to perform in a traditional classroom. In addition, students recorded their data in a lab notebook just as they would in a real lab setting. In this lab, students were encouraged to keep a paper lab notebook and to create graphs of their collected data.
One of the criteria for creating their own graphs was that they would need to present their completed graphs to the class with an explanation of the analysis they performed. Students used a document camera to display their notebooks with their graphs and made brief presentations of their analysis as well as answered questions posed by students and Ms. Peng.
Graphical representation of data is a big challenge for students. Many students have difficulty connecting the skill of graphing they learn in mathematics to then represent scientific processes from real data. This activity made students really dig deep in their understanding of enzyme activity coupled with graphical representation of what they observed. By having the students present to the class and answer questions, it solidified their understanding of the data they collected.
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