EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL
SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
ACTIVIDADES EXPERIMENTALES UTILIZANDO
SIMULADORES VIRTUALES PARA EL APRENDIZAJE DE
QUÍMICA EN TIEMPOS DE PANDEMIA POR COVID-19
DOI:
Artículo de Investigación
https://doi.org/10.37135/chk.002.17.08
Received: (05/11/2021)
Accepted: (10/02/2022)
Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Facultad de
Ciencias de la Educación Humanas y Tecnologías,
Riobamba, Ecuador.
eurquizo@unach.edu.ec
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz
Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Facultad de
Ciencias de la Educación Humanas y Tecnologías,
Riobamba, Ecuador.
morrego@unach.edu.ec
Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Facultad de
Ciencias de la Educación Humanas y Tecnologías,
Riobamba, Ecuador.
nsanchez@unach.edu.ec
Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán
Número 17 / AGOSTO, 2022 (122-137)
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 123
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL
SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
ACTIVIDADES EXPERIMENTALES UTILIZANDO
SIMULADORES VIRTUALES PARA EL APRENDIZAJE DE
QUÍMICA EN TIEMPOS DE PANDEMIA POR COVID-19
Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the education system moved to virtual mode, causing
teachers to change methodologies, strategies, and teaching resources in order to be used
for teaching-learning processes. The impediment of entering to Chemistry laboratories
motivated the use of simulators and virtual laboratories as resources linked to learning.
Present study determines the ecacy of these resources, the research is quantitative
with a correlational level and a quasi-experimental design with post-test. The applied
method was the heuristic and assumes Ausubel’s theory of signicant learning. The study
population comprises 188 students enrolled during the period November 2020- April
2021 in the career of Pedagogy of Experimental Sciences, Chemistry and Biology. The
sampling technique was intentional non-probabilistic and corresponds to the second, third
and fth semester students of the subjects of General Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry
and Chemical Physics respectively. At the end of the investigation, it was determined
that the PhET simulator and the virtual laboratories: Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka
allowed feedback and motivation in each guided virtual experimental activity; not existing
a signicant dierence in the academic performance of the students, who in their majority
reached the learning results.
KEYWORDS: Experimental activity, covid-19, chemistry, simulator, virtual laboratory
Ante la pandemia por COVID-19 el sistema educativo se trasladó a la modalidad
virtual, provocando en los maestros un cambio de metodologías, estrategias y recursos
a emplearse para los procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje. El impedimento de ingreso
a laboratorios de Química motivó el uso de simuladores y laboratorios virtuales
como recursos vinculados al aprendizaje. El presente estudio determina la ecacia de
estos recursos, la investigación es cuantitativa con un nivel correlacional y un diseño
cuasiexperimental con posprueba. El método aplicado fue el heurístico y asume la
teoría del aprendizaje signicativo de Ausubel. La población de estudio comprende 188
estudiantes matriculados durante el periodo noviembre 2020- abril 2021 en la Carrera de
Pedagogía de las Ciencias Experimentales Química y Biología. La técnica de muestreo fue
no probabilístico intencional y corresponde a los estudiantes de segundo, tercero y quinto
semestre de las asignaturas de Química General, Química Inorgánica y Física Química,
respectivamente. Al nalizar la investigación se determinó que el simulador PhET y los
laboratorios virtuales: Crocodile Chemistry605 y Yenka permitieron retroalimentación y
motivación en cada actividad experimental virtual guiada; no existiendo una diferencia
signicativa en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes quienes, en su mayoría,
alcanzaron los resultados de aprendizaje.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Actividad experimental, covid-19, química, simulador, laboratorio
virtual
ABSTRACT
RESUMEN
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Número 17 / AGOSTO, 2022 (122-137) 124
INTRODUCTION
Learning Experimental Sciences, and especially
Chemistry, imply “a set of systematic
transformations in individuals after a series
of experimental activities to link theory with
practice, the stages of which occur in ascending
order” (Hernández & Benítez 2018:8), being a
progressive, dynamic, and transformative process
that generates successive and uninterrupted
changes in the student’s cognitive activity.
Generally, experimental activities are educational
actions, that promote experiences in a certain
context, which are carried out by the student and
/ or the teacher in a cooperative manner; using
materials, laboratory reagents and materials
from their environment aimed at articulating
theory and practice in the teaching-learning
process, where the verication of its theoretical
foundations, the observation and interpretation
of chemical principles, are vital for the logical
and interpretive reasoning of this science.
The implementation of experimentation
practices have contributed to deepening
knowledge by identifying various study
options, causing the students of the National
University of Chimborazo to strengthen
their skills through a motivational process,
generated by meaningful, individual and
learning strategies of social interaction,
which allows the reconstruction of
scientic phenomena, which comes from
the practical process that determines
integral learning in the classroom and in the
laboratory. (Urquizo & Varguillas 2020:67)
Nevertheless, due to the global connement
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all levels
of education in the world adopted the virtual
modality, and given the impossibility of going to
the laboratory, the Chemistry teaching-learning
process had to take relevant turns around the
use of digital resources in order to promote a
cognitive structure in students. Teachers were
forced to develop new teaching strategies “based
on ubiquitous, instantaneous, and sustained
communication and collaboration in real time,
which was unthinkable in ancient times” (Crespo
& Palaguachi 2020:295).
Before the pandemic, the use of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT)
in academic processes showed serious
shortcomings due to the scarce use of
technological resources, according to the
needs of generation Z students, who use
digital environments to communicate , has
had to break the paradigm of traditional 1.0
education to make the qualitative leap to
constructivist education 2.0 until reaching
education 3.0 or connectivist, which is the
digital age that allows facing the challenges
of modern educational society. (Camacho
2018:23)
ICTs therefore contribute to a new understanding
and vision of contemporary Education
incorporating these technologies into new
ways of conceiving teaching and learning. The
National University of Chimborazo, especially
the Career of Pedagogy of Experimental
Sciences, Chemistry and Biology, in the
face of world problems, sought new learning
environments proposing the use of simulators
and virtual laboratories in the educational
teaching process to strengthen the pedagogical
action of the teacher in the area of Chemistry and
apply new teaching methods that allow meeting
the proposed objectives despite the limitations
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the web, there is a great variety of digital
resources, being the selection of simulators and
appropriate virtual laboratories, that illustrate
concepts and principles that facilitate the
understanding of students, “where manipulation,
interaction with people build knowledge, activate
their cognitive schemes through the process
of assimilation and accommodation; where
successive accommodation experiences give rise
to novel assimilation schemes, thereby reaching
a new state of equilibrium” (Raynaudo & Peralta
2017:142). All this aimed at developing a
dynamic, progressive and transformative process
for the meaningful learning of Chemistry.
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 125
LEARNING WITH THE USE OF
SIMULATORS AND VIRTUAL
LABORATORIES
Laboratory practice constitutes a powerful
pedagogical strategy for the construction of
conceptual, procedural, and even attitudinal
competencies. In times of pandemic, the tools
available on the web such as simulators and
virtual laboratories with their theoretical models
have been considered as computer tools that
allow the development of numerical calculations
and generate visual representations of dierent
phenomena or situations that ICTs provide and
simulate laboratories of chemical testing from a
virtual environment.
Of course, they are limited in the teaching of
certain aspects related to the “experimental
practice of chemistry, but at the same time they
have virtues that oer more plasticity than a
real laboratory in the teaching of this science”
(Torres 2017:9).
Virtual Laboratories are also dened as
experiential learning spaces that simulate
conditions close to reality since they allow
developing “laboratory practices through a menu
located on the toolbar, such as a text editor, where
equipment is available according to the needs of
the practices and instructions executed by the
operator through a computer” (Acosta 2019:29).
The implementation of interactive simulations
“used in education are virtual environments
that allow the visualization and exploration
of phenomena, where students manipulate
variables using dierent controls, and receive
feedback on the eect of that manipulation
immediately through an animation” (López
2020:2), “becoming catalysts that transform and
modify current learning scenarios, promoting
motivation and dynamizing the teaching-learning
processes that are linked to the requirements
of the knowledge society” (Flores & Garrido
2019:46).
For the educational system to obtain
successful results when implementing all
kinds of technological tools, in particular
virtual simulators, it is a fundamental task
of teachers to appropriate and use these
new strategies in the classroom, which
help to promote cognitive development,
interaction between students, and the
predisposition for them to learn and
optimize their learning through the
advantages that the world of virtual
simulation presents. (Carrión, García &
Erazo 2020:212)
The teaching-learning process of Chemistry is
not easy, so it is necessary for teachers to apply
a variety of teaching strategies, as well as the
use of various didactic resources appropriate to
any teaching modality, which allow achieving
the planned learning results. The use of
simulators in times of the pandemic caused by
COVID-19, applying the methodology of the
Three Pedagogical Moments, is presented as
a “possible alternative for the experimental
activity in Chemistry, which approaches the
reality of the students and the appropriation of
knowledge scientist in a critical and reective
way” (Delgado, Kiausowa & Escobar 2021:20).
METHODOLOGY
The research was developed at the National
University of Chimborazo, Faculty of Human
Education Sciences and Technology, in the
Career the Pedagogy of Experimental Sciences,
Chemistry and Biology. This work is part of the
research project: Educational Technologies and
their impact on the inter-learning of Experimental
Sciences in times of pandemic (COVID-19) in
educational institutions of the Riobamba canton.
The study population was 188 students enrolled
in the period November 2020-April 2021;
an intentional non-probabilistic sampling
was applied and corresponds to the students
enrolled in the second, third and fth semester
in the subject of General Chemistry, Inorganic
Chemistry and Chemical Physics respectively
and it is made up of 102 students.
The study was mainly quantitative in nature,
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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with a correlational level. The investigation
was carried out in two phases; the rst phase
consisted of an online survey designed to obtain
an assessment of the students’ perception in
relation to the cognitive and procedural aspects
of the execution of the experimental activities
achieved with the application of the virtual
simulator Phet, as well as the virtual laboratories
Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka.
In a second phase, based on the qualications
obtained, it was determined which virtual
simulator is more eective in the Chemistry
teaching-learning process. In each phase, the
consent and authorization of the students was
counted on, so that the obtained information
contributes to the development of this
investigation.
As instruments for data collection, a
questionnaire, laboratory reports, and tests
received online were used. The questionnaire
was applied through the Google Forms tool,
made up of 10 selection questions using the
Likert Scale with 5 levels (Totally agree, agree,
indierent, disagree and totally disagree) to the
study population related to aspects cognitive and
procedural acquired in the process.
The data analysis was carried out with the
academic performance of the students once
the virtual experimental practices had been
applied in the PhET simulator and the Crocodile
Chemistry605 and Yenka virtual laboratories,
the rating scale is described in Table 1.
Likewise, the data obtained were subjected to a
statistical analysis process with the IBM SPSS
Statistics 20 software package, the free access
software Python, Rstudio and the free statistical
analysis package Statdisk. The method applied
to obtain the results was the heuristic one that
allows obtaining knowledge, both propositional
and procedural; try an alternative and see if it
works (Coello, Blanco & Reyes 2012).
This research assumes Ausubel’s theory of
meaningful learning, which allows reinforcing
the importance of using virtual simulators in the
teaching of Chemistry and guiding the teacher
to develop a more ecient teaching process,
“based on the student’s interest, such as this
theorist believes, the student does not learn by
chance, but consciously during the teaching-
learning process” (Delgado, Kiausowa &
Escobar 2021:6).
The construction of the didactic sequence with
the use of simulators helped to understand
the teaching-learning processes that involve
three pedagogical moments, and was based
on the proposal of Muenchen and Delizoicov,
who with the objective of facilitating the
transposition of Paulo Freire’s conception of
problematic education indicates the paths of this
methodology, “structured in three pedagogical
moments: initial problematic; Organization of
knowledge, and Application of knowledge”
(Muenchen & Delizoicov 2014:620).
- Initial problematization: Real questions or
situations are presented that the students
know, witness and are involved in the topics,
matters that are not limited to guiding
questions, which require that the students
only memorize and reproduce the knowledge.
At this pedagogical moment, students are
challenged to explain what they know about
situations, so that the teacher can know what
Table 1: Variable rating scale academic performance
Source: own elaboration
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 127
they think.
- Knowledge organization: At this time,
under the teacher’s guidance, the scientic
knowledge necessary to understand the
issues and the initial problematization
is studied. The teacher will use various
activities and methodological instruments,
such as exposition, formulation of questions,
texts for discussions, extra-class work, and
experiences, among others.
- Knowledge application: Moment destined
to systematically approach the knowledge
incorporated by the student, to analyze
and interpret both the initial situations that
determined their study and others that,
although not directly linked to the initial
moment, can be understood by the same
knowledge.
The understanding of natural phenomena
articulated with each other and with
technology “gives the area of Natural Sciences
an interdisciplinary perspective, since it
encompasses biological, physical, chemical,
social, cultural and technological knowledge”
(Delizoicov, Angotti & Pernambuco 2011:69).
The PhET simulator and the virtual laboratories
Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka were used
as an alternative didactic resource to teach
students to learn the chemistry topics described
below: Second semester worked with the topics
of Physical properties of substances based on the
type of chemical bonds and obtaining binary and
ternary compounds.
With the third semester, chemical reactions for
the formation of salts and limiting and excess
reagent. With the fth semester, were reviewed the
properties of gases and their laws (Boyle, Charles
and Gay Lussac). The link below contains the
experimental activities that used the methodology
described above: https://unachedu-my.
sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/eurquizo_unach_
edu_ec/EkG4CQTCj41CjSVJParT55YBlbyb-
4qLPc3A8TsMoyfyfg?e=bSlyvx where you
can see the process developed in each virtual
experimental work guide.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To measure the degree of acceptance of the
planned experimental activities using the
aforementioned virtual simulator and laboratory,
an online questionnaire was applied using the
Google Forms tool, the results of which were
subjected to a statistical analysis process with
the IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software package as
shown in Table 2.
As can be seen in Table 2, the survey was carried
out based on both conceptual and procedural
indicators. Regarding the conceptual indicator,
71.75% of the students fully agree that the use
of simulators motivated the development of
their skills, 67.6% encouraged the development
of strategies to solve theoretical and practical
problems, 68.2% became an active agent in
the educational process, with individualized
learning experiences, and 72.8% fostered a
learning environment with meaningful, relevant
experiences and constant feedback. Finally,
66.5% totally agree that the use of simulators
allowed to achieve the learning results proposed
in the syllabus of the subject.
According to the procedural indicator, 68.8%
of total agree that through the simulation, the
resources, means and conditions raised in the
experimental activities are visualized. The 66.5%
of the respondents process the information
obtained in the simulation, contrasting the
results with the theory. The 63.6% interpret the
results obtained in each activity. Likewise, 74%
of the students interpret the results obtained in
each activity using the simulator.
Most fth and third semester students show a
relevant interest in PhET, because it is available
for free on Web 2.0, easy to access, is in
Spanish and can be used without a permanent
internet connection after downloading. “The
simulations are very striking; they even propose
real-life cases to demonstrate the applicability
of the content discussed” (Villa 2020:25). The
results of the simulation allow observing the
phenomena at the micro and macro level in the
experimentation; therefore, instant feedback is
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Número 17 / AGOSTO, 2022 (122-137) 128
Table 2: Cognitive and procedural indicators
Source: Own elaboration from the collected data of the survey
Table 3: Acceptance of simulators in the virtual guided experimental guides
Source: Own elaboration from the registered data of the corresponding survey
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 129
possible in a group and / or individual way if the
case is required.
ANALYSIS OF THE ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS
BY SEMESTERS
The qualications of 102 students are available,
the same that were obtained after having applied
the experimental activities through three virtual
resources: PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605
and Yenka, we are interested in evaluating the
eectiveness of these three virtual simulators in
the learning process of Chemistry.
For this, three virtual laboratory practices were
applied using the aforementioned software in
the second, third and fth semester, as shown in
table 4, the average obtained in the fth semester
was 6.97, likewise in the third semester the
average corresponds to a value 7.07 and nally
in the second semester the mean corresponds
to 7.06, which indicates that there is no
signicant dierence between the means; this is
corroborated with the hypothesis test described
in subsequent paragraphs.
ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE BY SIMULATOR
The Figure 1 shows the academic performance
of the students that were obtained after the
application of virtual practices with the
three virtual simulators: PhET, Crocodile
Chemistry605 and Yenka, the scores were
grouped according to the scale of qualications
described in table 1.
Source: own elaboration in SPSS software
Figure 1: Academic performance prepared in
SPSS software
Table 4: Academic performance of students by semester
Source: Own elaboration obtained from laboratory reports
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It is observed that students achieve the required
learning using the three virtual simulators: PhET
(52%), Crocodile Chemistry605 (60%) and
Yenka (47%). And only 14% master the required
learning using the virtual PhET simulator.
Next, a descriptive analysis of the academic
performance variable against virtual simulators
is presented: PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605
and Yenka, the same ones that were generated in
the free access software Python.
Figure 2a represents the box plot and the
distribution of the scores for the academic
performance variable using the PHET simulator,
the values of the mean (7.45), median (7.70) and
mode (5.12) do not coincide, so the distribution
of the data is skewed and skewed to the left, this
shows that the data do not come from a normal
distribution. The lowest score corresponds to a
value of 5.12 and the highest score corresponds
to a value of 9.83. The concentration of the data
is between scores 7.8 and 8.5. The 50% of the
students have obtained scores between 6.2 and
8.2.
Figure 2b provides a quick view of the data
distribution of the academic performance variable
using the Crocodile Chemistry simulator; it is
asymmetric and skewed to the left, in the box
plot it is observed that the median is not in
the center of the box. The mean values (7.13),
median (7.27) and mode (3.83) do not coincide
so it is concluded that the data do not come from
a normal distribution, this information will be
very useful for the selection of the hypothesis
test.
The lowest score is 3.8 and the highest score
corresponds to a value of 8.5, with typical
values. The whisker on the right (Xmax, Q4) is
shorter than the one on the left; therefore 25%
of the scores are more concentrated between
7.9 and 8.5. Likewise, 50% of the students have
obtained scores between 6.7 and 8.
Figure 2c, corresponds to the box diagram about
the Yenka simulator, provides a quick view of
the distribution of the data, in this case, it is
asymmetric and skewed to the left, the median
is not in the center of the box. In addition, the
values of the mean (6.53), median (6.87), and
Source: own elaboration carried out in Python software.
Figure 2: Box Plots and Distribution of Academic Performance Scores
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 131
mode (6.15) do not coincide, so it is concluded
that the data do not come from a normal
distribution. The lowest score is 2.4 and the
highest score corresponds to a value of 7.9, with
typical values. The concentration of the data is
within the 7.2 and 7.9 scores. Likewise, 50% of
the students have obtained scores between 6 and
7.4
As we know, statistical studies allow us to make
inferences about a characteristic of a population
from the information contained in a sample.
Next, the hypothesis test is carried out, the
objective in the hypothesis testing process is
to contrast the null hypothesis that the medians
are equal, against the alternative hypothesis, for
this, the following hypotheses are proposed:
: There are no learning dierences between
the PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka
simulators ()
: Exists learning dierences between PhET,
Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka simulators
()
To check whether there are statistically
signicant dierences between the scores of
the three simulators, it was important to the
rst establish whether the scores were normally
distributed. Because of this assumption, the
scores obtained were passed through the R
studio to check whether the data were normally
distributed.
With a signicance level of 5% or α = 0.05, and
under the following criteria, the normality of
the data is previously carried out both visually
and the normality test of the residuals using the
Shapiro Wilk test as it is applicable to smaller
samples. of 50,
P-value ≤ α: The dierences between some of
the medians are statistically signicant.
P-value > α: The dierences between the
medians are not statistically signicant.
Figure 3 was prepared in the free access
statistical software R studio, and corresponds
to the assumption of normality, being one of the
most common for many statistical procedures,
which allows us to verify if these assumptions
are met and thus increase the reliability of the
conclusions.
Source: Own elaboration carried out in the R-studio software
Figure 3: Normality test, elaborated in the statistical software R studio
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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From gure 3a) the histogram does not form a
bell curve, which indicates that the residuals do
not follow a normal distribution. 3b) the points
in the QQ graphs do not follow the straight
line and some data are outside the condence
bands, indicating that the residuals do not
follow a normal distribution. 3c) Likewise, in
the descriptive statistics, it indicates that there
is an asymmetric distribution, which is visually
veried that the data do not come from a normal
distribution.
On the other hand, the normality of the data
is demonstrated using the Shapiro-Wilk test
because the sample is less than 50. The null and
alternative hypothesis is:
Ho: the data come from a normal distribution
H1: the data do not come from a normal
distribution
Next, the normality of the residuals is
demonstrated with the Shapiro-Wilk test using
the R studio software.
Source: own elaboration carried
out in the free software R-studio
Figure 4: Shapiro Wilk test obtained in R
studio
The p-value = 5.957e-06 of the Shapiro-Wilk test
in the residuals is less than the usual signicance
level of α = 0.05, so the null hypothesis is rejected,
and the alternative hypothesis is accepted, that is,
the residuals do not follow a normal distribution.
This result is in line with the visual approach.
In our case, the assumption of normality is not
fullled both visually and formally.
In the same way, with the help of the statistical
software Rstudio, a comparison is made between
the three simulators, thus the hypothesis test
with Kruskall Wallis is also visually veried.
From gure 5, the gray points represent the
sample data, the black point represents the
Source: Own elaboration carried out in the free software R-studio
Figure 5: Comparison of the three simulators, prepared in the R studio software
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 133
outlier, the blue point represents the mean, and
the red point represents the 95% condence
interval.
In the PhET simulator, there is a greater
dispersion of the data, which means that the data
is further away from the mean; this is observed
through the gray points.
The hypothesis is checked visually, the
condence intervals (red color) in the box plots
overlap each other, which means that there is
no strong statistical evidence that the medians
are dierent. ExistsOutliers (black dot), in the
Yenka and Crocodile Chemistry605 box plot
these aect the values of the mean, median and
other percentiles.
For this study and to answer the research question:
Is there a signicant dierence in the academic
performance of the students between the three
simulators: PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605 and
Yenka? The results of the Kruskall Wallis test
revealed that there is no statistically signicant
dierence between the scores obtained in the
three simulators, indicating that any of the
simulators could be used and an improvement in
chemistry learning would be achieved.
The academic performance of 102 students was
analyzed, 29 students used the PhET simulator,
35 students used the Crocodile Chemistry605
simulator, and 38 students used the Yenka
simulator.
In gure 6, the Kruskall Wallis test is graphically
observed, it was made by using the free
statistical analysis package Statdisk, the value of
the H statistic is 3.57504, the theoretical value
5.99147 and nally the p-value is 0.16737.
As the p-value is greater than the level of
signicance 0.05, the dierences between the
medians are not statistically signicant, so the
data do not provide enough evidence to indicate
that there is a learning dierence between the
three simulators PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605
and Yenka.
Source: Own elaboration carried out in the free
software R-studio
Figure 6: Kruskal-Wallis hypothesis test
As seen in the Figure 6, the test statistic H =
3.57504 is not in the critical region limited by
5.991, so the null hypothesis that the population
medians are equal is not rejected. In conclusion,
there are no learning dierences between the
PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka
simulators. As can be seen in the results, the
use of experimental guides using simulators
It allowed the student to provide frequent
and interactive feedback on their learning.
Becoming an important pedagogical resource
that encourages collaborative work with close
and distant colleagues; giving the opportunity to
learn inside the classroom in synchronous time
as well as outside of it in asynchronous time.
Among the digital tools designed for educational
purposes, their visual impact and animation
characteristics stand out, which can simulate
the environment of real laboratories. The survey
data verify that a large percentage of students
fully agree and agree on considering the use of
virtual simulators necessary, especially in times
of a COVID-19 pandemic. “Currently, virtual
learning environments can be used for e-learning,
for distance learning, software applications
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Número 17 / AGOSTO, 2022 (122-137) 134
or online games, through which constructive
environments are created in Experimental
Sciences” (Reyes, Reyes & Pérez 2016:22).
Students fully agree and agree to use the
experimental guides making use of simulators
and / or virtual laboratories to achieve learning
results that allow the linking of theory with
practice that contribute to meaningful learning.
The results show that the activities carried out
motivate students to inquire about the contents
covered in class, stimulate their participation
in the development of activities, but above all
contribute to the interpretation of conceptual and
procedural contents of the subjects developed in
the area of Chemistry.
Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka are
programs that must be previously installed and
are in the English language, which for some
students made their use dicult. But they
are virtual laboratories that give the student
freedom to carry out experimental activities
both those planned and also those that need to be
carried out considering the universal chemical
language. “There is a large amount of laboratory
material and equipment, allowing the design
and combination of simulation kits and even
obtaining graphics in real time” (Villa 2020:25).
From the constructivist conception of learning,
and in contrast to mechanical or rote learning,
it is assumed that meaningful learning is, in
itself, motivating because the student enjoys
doing the task or working, with these new
contents; understands what has been done and
gives meaning and application to what has been
learned, giving rise to an intrinsic motivation,
emerging a variety of satisfactory positive
emotions, that favor learning, for this reason,
“the use of interactive technological tools as a
support for teaching has generated demands for
strategies that facilitate and guide their use in
interactive distance education” (Arias, Sandia &
Mora 2012:22).
On the other hand, some researchers in
science teaching recognize and counteract
the eectiveness of virtual learning in the
sense that students do not always connect
with the authenticity of virtual laboratory
spaces (Hsu, Lin, & Yang 2017; Wu et
al., 2013). Payne (2005) also reported that
53% of students participating in a high
school study did not pass eLearning at all.
Other recorded disadvantages of virtual
learning included lack of technological
knowledge, loss of realism, and more
immersion in a virtual environment.
(Penn & Ramnarain 2019:90)
Learning with a specialized guide is “more
eective than that obtained by discovery with
a minimal guide” (Kirschner, Sweller & Clark
2006:75) where each activity leads to “promote
a more active, participatory and individualized
teaching, where the scientic method and critical
spirit are promoted, developing elementary skills
and techniques in the students” (Chasi 2017:11).
Before starting a laboratory practice with
simulators, it is necessary to plan the pedagogical
strategy; keep in mind a schedule with the
sequence of topics prior to using the simulator,
and establish objectives, abilities, skills and
capabilities that was wanted to develop in the
student. These recommendations have been
proposed by various authors (Reyes, Reyes &
Pérez 2016).
As it has been shown that the data do not come
from a normal distribution, the non-parametric
Kruskall Wallis test is selected; this test is used
to understand if academic performance diers
between the three types of virtual simulators,
(that is, its dependent variable “academic
performance” and its independent variable
“virtual simulators for learning chemistry in
times of pandemic”, with three independent
groups: PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605 and
Yenka simulators).
In this new era in education it is important, that
as teachers, we use innovative and dierent
didactic strategies in the classroom, a good option
is the use of ICTs, which allow us to “capture
the interest of students in topics they consider
dicult, boring and without practical cases in
media that they know and master perfectly, such
as the use of computer and technological tools”
(Rodríguez, Obaya & Vargas 2021:63).
The application of experimental guides using
Elena Patricia Urquizo Cruz / Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán / Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
CHAKIÑAN. Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades / ISSN 2550 - 6722 135
simulators and virtual laboratories “produce
positive eects on students, with favorable
consequences for the teaching of Chemistry
contents that are considered problematic topics
by students due to their level of abstraction”
(Ayón & Victores 2020:15), which makes them
stay motivated during the application process
leading to signicant learning.
The results showed that the simulation works
in a similar way to the experimental method,
“despite operating at dierent cognitive levels.
Simulation work is considered particularly
important to promote self-directed learning”
(Zendler & Greiner 2020:10).
CONCLUSIONS
Regarding the perceptions of the students of
the Pedagogy in Biology and Chemistry career
about the usefulness of the PhET, Crocodile
Chemistry605 and Yenka simulations for learning
chemistry, it was carried out, on the basis of two
aspects: cognitive and procedural, evidencing
that more than 50% fully agree that the virtual
simulators described above, are useful both for
a better understanding of chemical phenomena,
and a better connection between mathematical
knowledge and an understanding of chemistry,
contributing to their academic training in times
of Pandemic caused by COVID-19.
Likewise, the construction of the didactic
sequence with the use of simulators was based
on Ausubel’s theory of signicant learning and
helped to understand the teaching-learning
processes involving three pedagogical moments:
initial problematization, organization of
knowledge, and application of knowledge.
In response to the research question, is there
any signicant dierence in the academic
performance of the students using the three
virtual simulators: Phet, Crocodile Chemistry605
and Yenka? It is shown that there is no dierence
in the academic performance of the students
when using the three virtual simulators such as:
PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605 and Yenka, this
was corroborated by the Kruskall Wallis test, as
demonstrated in previous paragraphs.
The use of the PhET simulator and virtual
laboratories: Crocodile Chemistry605 and
Yenka allowed feedback and motivation during
the development of each experimental activity.
In conclusion, the simulators and virtual
laboratories PhET, Crocodile Chemistry605
and Yenka generated interest in the second,
third and fth semester students, because
they consider a versatile tool that allows the
content to be feedback both synchronously
and asynchronously. In addition, the use of the
PhET simulator, due to the facilities that the tool
provides, such as access to it without an internet
connection once downloaded, facilitates its
use by virtue of the fact that the language is in
Spanish.
DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST: The authors declare no conicts of
interest.
AUTHORS STATEMENT OF
CONTRIBUTION: Elena Patricia Urquizo
Cruz (35%), Narcisa de Jesús Sánchez Salcán
(35%) and Monserrat Catalina Orrego Riofrío
(30%).
DECLARACIÓN DE APROBACIÓN DEL
COMITÉ DE ÉTICA: Las autoras declaran
que la investigación fue aprobada por el Comité
de Ética de la institución responsable, en tanto la
misma implicó a seres humanos.
EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES USING VIRTUAL SIMULATORS TO LEARN CHEMISTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Número 17 / AGOSTO, 2022 (122-137) 136
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