Fostering Scientific Attitudes Through Virtual Practicum: Exploring the Impact of PhET Interactive Simulations in Elementary Science Education

This study investigates the effectiveness of online practicum activities utilizing PhET interactive virtual simulations in fostering scientific attitudes among 5th-grade elementary school students. Conducted using a quantitative descriptive approach, the research involved 100 students from a private elementary school in Bandung, Indonesia. Data collection instruments included a questionnaire to gauge students’ perceptions of scientific attitudes in virtual practicums and an observation rubric based on video recordings to evaluate scientific attitudes displayed by students individually and in groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 25, while video recordings were qualitatively analyzed to identify emerging aspects of scientific attitudes. The findings revealed that the highest perception scores for individual activities were observed in the aspects of curiosity (79.7), and honesty (80.25). Qualitative analysis of the practicum recordings indicated that the most prominent scientific attitude aspects exhibited by students working individually were accuracy, curiosity, responsibility, discipline, and honesty. These results suggest that online practicum activities supported by interactive PhET simulations effectively promote the development of scientific attitudes, making them a viable alternative for science learning in online education settings.