Prelab Simulation of Microscope Building Activity in Upper Division Laboratory Improves Student Confidence

Recent studies of high school and freshman chemistry laboratories show that online activities reduce the number of errors made in the lab and improve scores on postlab questions. However, their impact on upper division chemistry laboratories has not been investigated. In this three-year study, we measured the impact of interacting with a computer simulation before an in-lab activity constructing a brightfield microscope in an upper-division physical chemistry laboratory. Students recorded their completion times for activities performed during the laboratory and took the Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) survey before and after building the microscope. The MLLI measured the students’ affective and cognitive experiences before and after the activity. Analysis of completion times showed that students performed the lab activities slightly faster on average with a narrower distribution of completion times when they had interacted with the simulation beforehand. Analysis of specific survey questions from the MLLI revealed that the students who completed the computer simulation before building the microscope were less worried about making mistakes and finishing on time. This study shows that a simulation of in-lab activities can improve student confidence in the laboratory.