Study Overview

VIPER 1 (official NSF title "Developing Simulations for Introductory Physics based on Feedback from Learning Assistants") ran from 2017-21

Involved A/B testing of a five-section first-semester algebra-based intro physics course at Boston University

E.g., some students did a hands-on lab while the others did a simulation-based experiment

Overall, we found no statistically significant differences between learning gains in the two groups, indicating that simulation-based labs can be just as effective as hands-on labs. For the last two years of the study we investigated hybrid labs, mixing simulations and hands-on investigations in the same lab.

VIPER 2 (official NSF title "Education Research on Simulations and Visualization in Introductory Physics") is a project running from 2022-2025

The focus shifts to second-semester physics, particularly waves, image formation with lenses, and interference and diffraction

As of August 2023 we have completed year 1 of the project. We used a sub-set of the LOCE (Light and Optics Conceptual Evaluation) as part of our assessment. In the first year, we again did A/B testing comparing outcomes for students who did a simulation-based lab with students who did a hands-on lab (for two different labs) and the LOCE results were the same aside from two questions.

In years 2 and 3 we will have the students do hybrid versions of both labs and assess the outcome