School leaders
Measuring the impact of virtual labs in your school
Boards, parents and funders will ask: is it working? Plan how you will answer from the start.
Four kinds of evidence
- Results: scores on practical and application questions in tests and exams.
- Skills: teacher assessments of planning, measuring, recording and analysing.
- Engagement: attendance in science lessons, participation in clubs, and learner surveys.
- Choices: how many learners choose science subjects or STEM pathways.
Set a baseline
Before you start, record last year's results and this year's starting point. Without a baseline you cannot show change.
Simple tools
- a short learner survey at the start and end of term;
- a skills rubric used by all science teachers;
- a spreadsheet tracking test scores by class.
Be honest about limits
Many things affect results. Compare similar classes, look at trends over time, and do not claim more than the data shows.
Report regularly
Share a one-page report each term: what you did, what changed, and what you will do next.
Research partnerships
Schools that want deeper evaluation can partner with universities. VR Labs Africa welcomes research partners who want to study how students learn with virtual and real labs.