Teachers' Perceptions of the Usage of Digital Contents on Intelligent Science Lab Platform for Science Class

The rapid advancements in digital technologies and their integration into education have reshaped teaching and learning practices, particularly in science education. Despite the increasing emphasis on digital tools like simulation content for inquiry-based learning, effectively utilizing these tools in schools remains challenging. This study aims to explore the current usage and perceptions of the intelligent science lab platform and its simulation content among science teachers, identify key factors affecting its application, and suggest strategies for improvement. The survey was conducted with 74 science teachers across elementary, middle, and high schools in South Korea, focusing on their experiences with the platform and content characteristics to investigate teachers' perceptions of intelligent science lab platform content. The collected data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods to assess usage frequency, identify perceived advantages and disadvantages, and explore improvement needs. The results revealed that many teachers do not use the platform due to low usability and difficulties in lesson integration. Also, while the simulation content was recognized for its potential to support virtual science inquiry and save time, it was criticized for insufficient implementation of inquiry activities and limited realistic experiences. However, teachers emphasized the need for simulation content that is closely aligned with scientific inquiry, user-friendly, and has diverse themes and topics in this survey. Also, it can be revealed that the balance of effectiveness and efficiency for scientific activity using simulation content is the most essential factor in the development of digital content. Consequently, providing assistance with scientific inquiry, enhancing usability, and improving learning motivation is essential to increasing the digital content's effectiveness in supporting science education. Future research should further investigate the impact of digital simulation tools on student engagement and learning outcomes to refine their development and application in educational settings.