This mixed method study investigated changes in 3rd year Bachelor of Education students’ attitudes towards chemistry after learning interventions with virtual chemistry simulations. After participant students identified certain concepts from their 3rd year chemistry module as being abstract and not easily comprehensible, these concepts were facilitated during a 5 week learning intervention using PhET simulations as an alternative to traditional laboratory experimentation. In the first quantitative phase of the study, a 30-item pre-attitude test was administered to assess students’ attitudes towards chemistry, followed by PhET chemistry simulation learning interventions. Thereafter, students wrote a post-attitude test. Findings of this phase revealed a significantly higher mean post-attitude test score, with students showing a positive attitude towards chemistry learning, post-intervention. The quantitative phase was followed by a qualitative phase which examined students’ experiences on the use of simulations through semi-structured interviews. Findings from the qualitative phase revealed that students experienced autonomy and enjoyment during engagement with the simulations. They also perceived that their experiences in the virtually simulated environment improved their visualisation of chemistry concepts, thereby improving conceptual understanding. However, the students acknowledged that simulations cannot replicate the realism and authenticity associated with practical work in an actual laboratory. The implications of these findings are that virtual simulations provide a complementary learning tool capable of improving students’ attitudes towards chemistry, and perceived by students to support their visualisation of abstract chemistry concepts. The findings of this study are particularly significant for chemistry learning at schools and universities in economically challenged countries such as South Africa where there is a shortage of well-equipped laboratories.

中文翻译：

---

南非大学生在虚拟模拟学习环境中对化学学习的态度†

这项混合方法研究调查了三年级教育学士学生在学习了虚拟化学模拟干预后对化学态度的变化。在参加的学生从他们的三年级化学模块中识别出某些概念是抽象的并且不容易理解之后，这些概念在为期5周的学习干预中得到了促进，使用PhET模拟作为传统实验室实验的替代方法。在研究的第一个定量阶段，进行了3​​0个项目的态度前测验，以评估学生对化学的态度，然后进行PhET化学模拟学习干预。此后，学生写了一个态度后测验。该阶段的发现表明，态度测试后的平均得分明显更高，干预后，学生对化学学习表现出积极的态度。在定量阶段之后是定性阶段，该阶段通过半结构化面试检查学生使用模拟的经验。从定性阶段的发现表明，学生在参与模拟过程中经历了自主和享受。他们还认为，他们在虚拟环境中的体验改善了化学概念的可视化，从而提高了对概念的理解。但是，学生们承认模拟不能复制与实际实验室中的实际工作相关的真实性和真实性。这些发现的含义是，虚拟模拟提供了一种补充性学习工具，能够改善学生对化学的态度，并且被学生感知以支持他们对抽象化学概念的可视化。这项研究的发现对于在经济困难的国家（如南非）缺乏设备完善的实验室的学校和大学中的化学学习特别重要。