Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?

Veronika Havlíčková; Andrej Šorgo; Martin Bílek

doi:10.29333/ejmste/83679

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Veronika Havlíčková ¹, Andrej Šorgo ², Martin Bílek ³ ^*

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¹ University of Hradec Kralove, Faculty of Education, Hradec Kralove, CZECH REPUBLIC² University of Maribor, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Maribor, SLOVENIA³ Charles University, Faculty of Education, Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

With the advent of computers virtual dissection was recognized as a plausible option for the replacement of hands-on dissection. Based on survey data collected from 489 Czech Biology teachers it was revealed that teachers value positively both variants of dissection, even more, differences are small or even negligible. Differences on motivation scale toward both variants are small or negligible too. From the answers based on motivation scale, we can construct a ghost teacher as someone who recognizes both alternatives of dissections as interesting, and even pleasant and fun activities. However, dissection should be performed as mostly as self-regulated activities with perceived benefits for the students as the dominant incentive, while not recognizing activity as important. The differences exist both between the acceptability of different kind of organisms for hands-on and virtual dissection, and in the actual school practice. In the long term perspective is cohabitation of both variants most probable.

Keywords

attitudes to hands-on and virtual dissection
biology teachers
general biology education
prospective biology teachers
school experimental activity

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2018, Volume 14, Issue 4, 1415-1429

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

Publication date: 21 Jan 2018

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How to cite this article

APA

Havlíčková, V., Šorgo, A., & Bílek, M. (2018). Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(4), 1415-1429. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

Vancouver

Havlíčková V, Šorgo A, Bílek M. Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(4):1415-29. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

AMA

Havlíčková V, Šorgo A, Bílek M. Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(4), 1415-1429. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

Chicago

Havlíčková, Veronika, Andrej Šorgo, and Martin Bílek. "Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2018 14 no. 4 (2018): 1415-1429. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

Harvard

Havlíčková, V., Šorgo, A., and Bílek, M. (2018). Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(4), pp. 1415-1429. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679

MLA

Havlíčková, Veronika et al. "Can Virtual Dissection Replace Traditional Hands-on Dissection in School Biology Laboratory Work?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 14, no. 4, 2018, pp. 1415-1429. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/83679