A Study of Problems and Needs in Teaching in a Virtual Science Lab to Develop Middle School Students’ Analytical Thinking Skills

Abstract

This research examined problems and needs of Thai teachers teaching in a virtual Science lab to develop middle school students’ analytical thinking skills. Data was collected from 400 teachers under the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Ministry of Education, through a set of questionnaire. The sampling group was selected through multi-stage randomization and simple random sampling. The survey questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions with a checklist and rating scale and open-ended questions. The findings from the study indicated that the major problem for teaching Science is the lack of multimedia and teaching equipment in a Science lab. Limited budget in setting up a Science lab is also an issue. In order to teach in a virtual Science lab to develop middle school students’ analytical thinking skills, Blended Learning, which includes conventional classroom and online learning, was chosen to be the most appropriate model. A virtual Science lab should resemble an actual Science lab as much as possible, which includes having tables, a scene, Science equipment, and should accommodate both online and offline learning. Hardware and software should be adequate for the number of students, so they can learn and interact effectively. The program should be interactive and designed for group learning, with a ‘Help’ function to allow students to learn and solve problems by themselves. The recommended duration for each lesson should be 1–2 h.