Perceptions of Virtual Laboratories and Attitudes Towards Chemistry Among Jamaican Grade 10 Students

Virtual laboratories have been proposed as an alternative approach to support student learning and foster positive attitudes towards science. This sequential multimethod study aimed to investigate students’ perceptions of virtual laboratories and their attitudes towards chemistry. In Phase 1 of the study, 153 Grade 10 chemistry students completed the Perceptions of Virtual Laboratories (PVL) and Attitudes Towards Chemistry (ATC) surveys. The results indicated that students held moderate perceptions of virtual laboratories and moderate attitudes towards chemistry. Spearman’s rho test revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between these two variables (r = .18, p = -.024). In Phase 2, a subgroup of 20 students from the main sample conducted virtual chemistry laboratory exercises and completed the two surveys again. Students’ perceptions of virtual laboratories and attitudes towards chemistry remained moderate. Overall, the sustained moderate perceptions and attitudes following students’ use of the virtual laboratories indicate their potential for supplementing chemistry teaching.