In an attempt to break away from the tedium of a digital class format where a teacher talks online while students take notes, several city schools and colleges are conducting practical classes by making use of ‘virtual labs’ and also organising virtual field trips of museums and zoos.
Virtual labs allow students to conduct experiments by testing formulae, clicking on icons and test tubes, etc. While it is a far cry from the actual experience of conducting experiments in laboratories, teachers say it’s the best option available given that the government is not allowing schools to open this month.
Manila Carvalho, principal, Delhi Public School (Bengaluru East), said that science teachers in the school use these labs to help students visualise and understand concepts. “Many of our teachers, besides using these virtual labs which are available online, also come to school and record the experiments they conduct. They then share the videos with students,” she said.
Many virtual labs conduct experiments that are aligned to the NCERT/CBSE and State board syllabi.
Dakshayini Kanna, principal of Harvest International School, said that they have been conducting virtual field trips as well. “We can book virtual tours of museums and zoos. We cannot continuously only conduct online classes. We are trying to do everything to make sure that online learning is attractive for the students,” she said.
Several enterprising teachers in government schools and colleges too are making use of these labs.
Visvesvaraya Technological University has tied up with National Institute of Technology Karnataka Surathkal to implement technology enabled learning through virtual labs for all institutions affiliated to the university. The university said that these labs can be used to provide remote experiential learning of courses in engineering and applied sciences.
The move has received a mixed response from students. Karthik S., who studies in a government PU College, started using these virtual labs after his teacher recommended them. “Our college does not have a lab and I am glad that I found these tools to understand concepts better,” he said.
However, Tanya S., a class twelve student of a CBSE-based school says that the virtual labs do not provide them hands-on experience like the regular practical classes. “We understand that our schools have no option but to conduct virtual practical sessions. But if we do not get any practical exposure this academic year, we want CBSE to cancel our practical examination,” she said.
