Open AccessASPERLABS: OPEN SOURCE VIRTUAL LABORATORIES FOR STEM EDUCATION
Author(s) -
Muhammad Alif Mohammad Latif,
Mohd Ezad Hafidz Hafidzuddin,
Norihan Md Arifin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of modern education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2637-0905
DOI - 10.35631/ijmoe.25004
Subject(s) - virtual laboratory , space (punctuation) , open source , quality (philosophy) , work (physics) , interface (matter) , engineering , computer science , engineering management , engineering ethics , mathematics education , multimedia , psychology , mechanical engineering , physics , software , pulmonary surfactant , gibbs isotherm , quantum mechanics , chemical engineering , programming language , operating system
The main challenge in the development of scientific education in Malaysia is the lack of interest in science among students. One of the reasons for this discrepancy lies in the fact that these fields often require laboratory exercises to provide effective skill acquisition and hands-on experience. Physical experiments increase the costs due to their required equipment, space, and maintenance staff. A virtual laboratory can provide a cost-efficient way to organize high-quality laboratory work for many students. It is a damage resistance laboratory, thus opening the possibility to learn from mistakes. In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, virtual laboratories can offer effective scientific exploration at a low cost. The objective of this research is to develop a platform for open-source virtual laboratories for STEM education inside and outside of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The virtual laboratory initiative is known as “AsperLabs”. This web-based interface offers several open-source virtual experiments for three subjects including physics, chemistry, and biology. Asperlabs have been utilized at Foundation level in UPM and STEM programs at local secondary schools. It has received positive feedback from students on both levels and will be included in the course materials for Foundation Program at UPM in the near future.