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Lived Experiences of Science Education: A Preliminary Exploration of Students' Experiences in Virtual and Traditional Science Laboratories in Further Education

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Title: Lived Experiences of Science Education: A Preliminary Exploration of Students' Experiences in Virtual and Traditional Science Laboratories in Further Education
Language: English
Authors: Neil Francis Peirson (ORCID 0000-0002-2518-9810)
Source: Education & Training. 2026 68(7):1076-1091.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Science Education, Laboratory Experiments, Continuing Education, Postsecondary Education, Student Experience, Electronic Learning, Foreign Countries, Chemistry, Science Instruction, Science Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Methods, Computer Simulation
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1108/ET-08-2025-0692
ISSN: 0040-0912
1758-6127
Abstract: Purpose: This study investigates students' perspectives of the quality of their experiences learning in both traditional and virtual laboratories (VL); this is important as many settings are moving toward an expanded digital delivery. Design/methodology/approach: This paper describes part of a small-scale study of level 3 science students in a large Further Education college. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews of students and staff were used to investigate learning in both traditional and VL. A thematic analysis was carried out, gaining insights into users' views and experiences. Findings: Differences in experience between traditional and VL were identified through themes of reality, control, skills, theory, truth and risk. The paper focuses on students' experience, in terms of presence and agency (related to reality and control): these two parameters can be expressed using a matrix representation, providing an analytical tool for comparing experience in traditional and VL. The results of the study suggest that students have a richer and more fulfilling experience in a traditional laboratory, compared to the VL. Research limitations/implications: This is a limited study which would benefit from being repeated with a larger sample of participants and a range of VL types. The more extensive use of mixed methods may also help to widen the range of participants and generalisability of the findings. Additionally, the work could be extended to test the orthogonality assumption for presence and agency through a series of experiments. These would test users' responses to comparisons of real, remote, virtual reality and screen VL configurations, together with applications providing various levels of agency. Originality/value: This work records science students' and teachers' views of learning in traditional and VL. This is an under-reported topic; in particular, there is a lack of qualitative research. Moreover, there is limited research on the experiences of Further Education students. This report provides an insight into the experiences of teachers and learners by focusing on their responses related to their reported feelings of presence and agency. A novel analysis, based on these parameters, is proposed, which could provide a framework for improving learner experience in VLs.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: EJ1517614
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Lived Experiences of Science Education: A Preliminary Exploration of Students' Experiences in Virtual and Traditional Science Laboratories in Further Education
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neil+Francis+Peirson%22">Neil Francis Peirson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2518-9810">0000-0002-2518-9810</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Education+%26+Training%22"><i>Education & Training</i></searchLink>. 2026 68(7):1076-1091.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratory+Experiments%22">Laboratory Experiments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Continuing+Education%22">Continuing Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Teachers%22">Science Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Simulation%22">Computer Simulation</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1108/ET-08-2025-0692
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0040-0912<br />1758-6127
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This study investigates students' perspectives of the quality of their experiences learning in both traditional and virtual laboratories (VL); this is important as many settings are moving toward an expanded digital delivery. Design/methodology/approach: This paper describes part of a small-scale study of level 3 science students in a large Further Education college. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews of students and staff were used to investigate learning in both traditional and VL. A thematic analysis was carried out, gaining insights into users' views and experiences. Findings: Differences in experience between traditional and VL were identified through themes of reality, control, skills, theory, truth and risk. The paper focuses on students' experience, in terms of presence and agency (related to reality and control): these two parameters can be expressed using a matrix representation, providing an analytical tool for comparing experience in traditional and VL. The results of the study suggest that students have a richer and more fulfilling experience in a traditional laboratory, compared to the VL. Research limitations/implications: This is a limited study which would benefit from being repeated with a larger sample of participants and a range of VL types. The more extensive use of mixed methods may also help to widen the range of participants and generalisability of the findings. Additionally, the work could be extended to test the orthogonality assumption for presence and agency through a series of experiments. These would test users' responses to comparisons of real, remote, virtual reality and screen VL configurations, together with applications providing various levels of agency. Originality/value: This work records science students' and teachers' views of learning in traditional and VL. This is an under-reported topic; in particular, there is a lack of qualitative research. Moreover, there is limited research on the experiences of Further Education students. This report provides an insight into the experiences of teachers and learners by focusing on their responses related to their reported feelings of presence and agency. A novel analysis, based on these parameters, is proposed, which could provide a framework for improving learner experience in VLs.
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        Value: 10.1108/ET-08-2025-0692
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Laboratory Experiments
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      – SubjectFull: Continuing Education
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      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
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      – TitleFull: Lived Experiences of Science Education: A Preliminary Exploration of Students' Experiences in Virtual and Traditional Science Laboratories in Further Education
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