Enhancing Science Process Skills Through AI-Based Virtual Laboratory in High School Physics Learning

Abstract

The advancement of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), has significantly impacted various fields, including education. One of the AI-based applications that can be utilized in high school physics learning is the virtual laboratory. The use of virtual laboratories in physics education enables students to conduct interactive experiments without the limitations of physical tools and materials. This study aimed to analyze the effect of using virtual laboratories on students’ science process skills in the topic of the kinetic theory of gases. The research method employed is an experimental approach with a one-shot case study with pretest-posttest design. The research instrument consists of a multiple-choice science process skills test with 15 questions, administered before (pretest) and after (posttest) the use of the virtual laboratory. The study results show the N-gain percentage of 40% suggests that the use of a virtual laboratory was less effective in enhancing students’ scientific process skills. While the result of Wilcoxon signed-rank test 8,5 which can be concluded as there is a significant difference between the students’ pre-test and post-test averages. These findings demonstrate that a virtual laboratory is less effective to enhance students’ science process skills. Thus, the integration of AI technology in the form of a virtual laboratory should be combined with the right learning methods.