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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article 17 (Dec., 2017) |
A technological acceptance of remote laboratory in chemistry education
Wendy Sing Yii LING, Tien Tien LEE and Siew Wei THO
Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Sultan Idris Education University
35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, MALAYSIAE-mail: lee.tt@fsmt.upsi.edu.my
Received 6 Jul., 2017
Revised 31 Dec., 2017
Contents
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methodology
- Results and Discussion
- Students’ Technological Acceptance of Remote Laboratory
- Technological Acceptance of Remote Laboratory among Chemistry Lecturers and Laboratory Assistants
- Advantages of Remote Laboratory
- Disadvantages of Remote Laboratory
- Conclusion and Educational Implication of Study
- References
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the technological acceptance of Chemistry students, and the opinions of Chemistry lecturers and laboratory assistants towards the use of remote laboratory in Chemistry education. The convergent parallel design mixed method was carried out in this study. The instruments involved were questionnaire and interview protocol. A total of 81 Chemistry students, five Chemistry lecturers and two Chemistry laboratory assistants from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) were chosen as respondents in this study. For the quantitative approach, the data from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics to evaluate students’ technological acceptance of remote laboratory. For the qualitative approach, the responses from the interviews were analysed to evaluate the lecturers and laboratory assistants’ opinions towards the use of remote laboratory by using coding and grouping methods. Quantitatively, the student respondents had given the mean scores ranging from 2.97 to 3.30 for the attitude towards use (ATU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), behavioural intention (BI), and perceived usefulness (PU). Qualitatively, the respondents accepted the implementation of remote laboratory in Chemistry education based on its several advantages such as flexibility, cost efficiency, and risk-free environment. However, some disadvantages of remote laboratory such as lack of skills and experience and Internet connection problem were also voiced out by the respondents. Overall, the results from this study showed that the students, lecturers and laboratory assistants had positive responses towards the technological acceptance of remote laboratory in Chemistry education. Thus, remote laboratory could be developed and introduced to Chemistry education in UPSI.
Keywords: Technological acceptance, Remote laboratory, Chemistry education
