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Unit-24: E-Pedagogy, Web 2.0 Technology and Virtual Laboratories

Self-Assessment Notes

1. Fill in the blanks:
(i) Teaching practice has ........................... during the last century.
(ii) During last ........................... years, a dramatic change has occurred in the equipments of teaching
and learning.
(iii) ........................... Website is different from others websites.

24.6 Virtual Laboratories

Computer is an important contribution of modern era. The current era is the era of computer. It is more
widespread. The use of computers has made human life more intense and pure. The world has become
smaller. Computer is a more economical invention in terms of time, power and wealth. It has increased
human capability. Computer assisted instruction is given special importance in education. As a result,
many computer media are currently being used in education such as Internet, Intranet, networking and
e-learning. These main services of computer have also been used in education class. Today, the meaning
of class is not only to the mutual class teaching but also teaching-learning can be provided to students
by a teacher at remote located through electronic media.

In modern ages, virtual laboratries is that class teaching in which students and teacher
can feel the class without being seated in front of each other.

24.6.1 Meaning and Definitions of Virtual Laboratories
Virtual Laboratories System refers to such class in which educational circumstances are organized by
using modern computer and communication or other resources such as internet, online chatting, world
wide web, cd rom and dvd, mobile etc. It is that web based media or teaching learning environment
which capables a student to participate in the activities of teaching learning without going to his teacher.
Students feels that he is a part of teaching learning process because like traditional class, he listens
explanation, asks questions, gets feedback and participates in the laboratory related tasks.

24.6.2 Characterstics of Virtual Laboratories

Based on the meaning and definition of virtual laboratories, its main characteristcs are –
1. Virtual Laboratory is an example of modern teaching and learning management of electronic era.
2. In virtaul laboratories, students are completely free of time, place and pace of learning. They can
learn when, where and how they want to according their comfort.
3. In virtual laboratories, students and teachers use modern computer and multimedia rather that
teching learning in front of each other.
4. In virtual laboratories, more skilled and experienced teachers are required for the teaching learning
of any subject or episode.
5. In virtual laboratories, students’ problems related to administration and evaluation are resolved online.
6. Virtual Laboratory System is being proved to be more effective that formal education system and
instruction management.

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