Online appendix to:

Dry laboratories in science education:
Computer-based practical work.

Paul Kirschner & Willibrord Huisman,
Educational Technology Expertise Centre
Open University of the Netherlands

International Journal of Science Education, 1998, 20:6, 665-682, DOI: 10.1080/0950069980200605

Also published as an 'Otec report', ISBN 90 358 1792 3

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0950069980200605
Contents

This page does not contain the paper. It does contain:

Jump down to a position in this page. The documentation of the seven computer-based learning programs that are mentioned in the paper.

Jump down to a position in this page. The screen images of these programs.

Jump down to a position in this page. The summary of the paper.

Documentation
Authors
Year

References to computer-aided learning programs.

The links give access to the documentation and by that, to a number of screen images. Most documentation is in Dutch, however summaries and image captions are in English.

Weegbree
Dijk, H. van, Huisman, W., & Smekens, J. Open University of the Netherlands, 1988.

LAVI-leed
Huisman, W., Martens, H., Mulleneers, E., & van Dijk, J. Open University of the Netherlands, 1993.

Wasmeer
Huisman, W. & Brunsting, A. Open University of the Netherlands. (1986).

Oosterschelde
Huisman, W., Frambach, E., Scholten, H. . Open University of the Netherlands.(1991).

Bodem en milieu in Brabant (Soils and Environment in the Brabant Province)
Lansu, A., Ivens, W., Westera, W., Hummel, H., Huisman, W., Slootmaker, A., Martens, H., Berkhout, J., Vos, M, Wagemans, L. and others. Open University of the Netherlands, 1994, 1998.

Behavioral Toxicological Research
Niesink, R., Westera, W., Hoefakker, Kornet, L., Jaspers, R., van Wilgenburg, H., Gubbels, I., Vos, M., Delsing, R., Berkhout, J., and others. CDROM, Open University of the Netherlands, 1997.

Practical Toxicological Histopathology
Vries, F. de, Niesink, R., Slootmaker, A., and Berkhout, J. . Open University of the Netherlands, 1991.

Screen images

Illustrations

Please click on the thumbnails to see the 100% view.

LAVI-leed, screen image 7

Figure 1. LAVI-leed

A screen from the "multimedial" text-only practical LAVI-leed in which students choose between a number of actions in an interactive case on environmental policy. Although this screen is quite straightforward, there are two types of hotwords which initiate hypertext links to resource texts and a dedicated dictionary.

Bodem en milieu in Brabant, screen image 2

Figure 2. Bodem en milieu in Brabant

A map from a Geographical Information System is one of the numerous sources in the practical Soils and Environment. Although no GIS itself is available in the program, a large number of processed GIS maps can be accessed easily.

Behav. Tox. Research, screen image 2

Figure 3. Behavioral Toxicological Research

Formulating a hypothesis is an important step in the research process. The student should enter a hypothesis in free text. It is commented on by th eelectronic tutor until the student has produced an acceptable hypothesis.

Oosterschelde, screen image 15

Figure 4. Oosterschelde

A screen from the practical Oosterschelde. The main processes that determine the ecosystem (and therefore the model) are carbon fluxes and transports. Students are encouraged to study this diagram thoroughly. The effect of time on the system can be seen 'animated' by sliding the blue horizontal bar along the time scale.

Wasmeer, screen image 1

Figure 5. Wasmeer

A screen from the practical Wasmeer showing the drop in groundwater-level as a result of pumping. Despite the old fashioned look-and-feel of this practical, dating back to 1984, it is still in use.

Practical Histopathology, screen image 1

Figure 6. Practical Toxicological Histopathology

Screen photograph of a program section in which the student is invited to indicate toxicological phenomena by pointing with the mouse pointer. The program will check whether the correct spots are indicated.

Practical GIS, image 1

Figure 7. Practical Geographic Information Systems

Preliminary view of a 'lesson' part that gives the first introduction into the program.

Summary

Summary

Practical (laboratory) work in science education has traditionally been used to allow students to rediscover already known concepts and ideas, to demonstrate concepts taught in the classroom or, in the case of inquiry-based science curricula, to teach concepts. Often, these laboratory practicals do not achieve their goals and may even confuse or demotivate students. It is not that using 'wet' practicals is intrinsically wrong; rather, it is that they are often used for the wrong reasons. They do have a place in science curricula - for the conveyance of tacit knowledge that can only be achieved in the laboratory setting. In our view, their use should be restricted to that.

Non-laboratory practicals ('dry labs'), and especially multimedia practicals, tend to be used for completely different reasons. They are best used to help students achieve specific cognitive skills (such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation) needed to practise science and to carry out scientific inquiry. This article sketches the problems associated with the use of dry laboratories in science education, presents design considerations for the use of such practicals in science education and presents examples of innovative non-traditional practicals.

This page now has permanent address:
www.willibrordhuisman.nl/onderwijsadvies/dry_labs
at
www.willibrordhuisman.nl/onderwijsadvies
since December 2014