Abstract
This study investigated the comparative effects of virtual chemistry laboratories (VCLs) and the conventional teaching approach (CTA) on science learning among grade 12 learners in rural secondary schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Using a quasi-experimental design, learners were divided into an experimental group (VCLs) and a control group (CTA). Achievement in acid-base concepts (ABC) was measured through pre- and post-tests, and data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to determine the influence of instructional strategy and gender on performance. The quantitative study involved 115 purposively selected learners (50 males and 65 females) from two schools. A validated 30-item chemistry achievement test, derived from national senior certificate examinations (Department of Basic Education, 2014-2024) with a reliability coefficient of α = 0.81, was administered. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to address research questions, while ANCOVA tested hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed that learners exposed to VCLs achieved higher post-test mean scores (13.49) than those taught through CTA (9.63). Female learners showed greater mean gains than males across both instructional strategies. The study recommends integrating VCLs into the physical sciences curriculum to enhance academic achievement and promote gender equity in STEM education. It also emphasizes the need for teacher training on VCL implementation and the broader adoption of VCLs in under-resourced schools to strengthen conceptual understanding in ABC.
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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, Volume 22, Issue 5, May 2026, Article No: em2824
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18355
Publication date: 01 May 2026
Online publication date: 13 Apr 2026
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