Peer Review

Go-Lab Ecosystem

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Reviewed:: Jan 29, 2022 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

The Go-Lab Ecosystem supports and enriches the teaching of different scientific school subjects, using the inquiry-based learning approach. It is designed to meet the needs of primary and secondary school teachers, and students aged from 6 to 18 years old. The Go-Lab Ecosystem consists of two main components. The Go-Lab Sharing Platform providing hundreds of remote and virtual laboratories (labs), as well as inquiry learning software tools or applications (apps). The Go-Lab Authoring Platform (Graasp) enables teachers to create their own Inquiry Learning Spaces (ILS) by combining labs, apps and other resources to share with their students. A wide variety of online labs for physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, math, and other subject domains are available. You can select online labs suitable for your class and combine them with other learning resources of your choice in the so-called Inquiry Learning Spaces (ILS). You can structure your ILS according to the phases of the inquiry learning process, add online labs, supportive inquiry learning apps, videos, documents, and other media, and share the ILS with your students. Each student can login to the ILS and use personalized infrastructure to conduct online experiments and complete the planned inquiry learning scenario. Learning Analytics apps support you to follow-up on your students’ progress and performance, and provide the students with self-reflection and assessment tools.

Type of Material:

This is a web-based collection of online labs, multimedia learning artifacts, and enrichment activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Recommended Uses:

Online labs provide pupils with the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments in an online environment.
Multimedia learning objects could serve as a supplement to textbook and lecture.
Learners could work in teams or as independent investigators in self-paced learning experiences in distance education classrooms or homework settings.

In-class, homework, individual, team, self-paced, professional development

Technical Requirements:

The Golabz platform is built using Drupal 8 CMS, is compatible and fully functional in allmodern browsers that support CSS and JavaScript. If JavaScript is disabled in the browser’s settings, the content or the functionality of the Golabz platform can be either limited or unavailable. It is highly recommended to have a stable internet connection,starting with Good 2G and faster.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Students will increase their motivation and performance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Students will engage in 21st-century competencies and skills.
Students will engage in pedagogically tested digital educational resources in STEM.
Students will develop deeper conceptual knowledge and increase their interest in STEM subjects and careers.

The aim of the Go-Lab Initiative is to facilitate the use of innovative learning technologies in STEM education, with a particular focus on online laboratories (Labs) and inquiry learning applications (Apps).

Target Student Population:

Primary level science, technology, engineering and math pupils
Secondary level science, technology, engineering and math pupils
Learners aged 6 - 18
College, General Ed

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

ability to navigate a webpage, hyperlinks, and digital content
proficiency in the language presented on the screen

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

There are over 600 online interactive labs to choose from and they have been created by educators from around the world. There are several inquiry apps that provide support for users. Educators can develop lessons featuring the labs and apps in just minutes by using the built-in sequenced tasks: Orientation, Conceptulization, Investigation, Conclusion, and Discussion and placing the lesson in an ILS (inquiry learning space). Educators can also use ILSs that have been created by other educators. The labs and apps present a multitude of significant concepts, models, and skills.

The content is engaging, learner-centered, and relevant.
Promotes deep learning
The labs are appropriate for a variety of student levels and interests.
The content is complete with instruction, practice and feedback for learners.
Select labs allow for students to problem-solve as teams, which promotes collaboration.
The models and concepts are clearly represented, making it easy to manipulate, configure and understand.

Concerns:

None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The virtual lab exercises are appropriate for beginners and advanced learners.
The multi-media objects are customizable, specifically the Inquiry Learning Spaces (ILSs).
The manipulatives and demonstrations promote critical thinking and can be easily integrated within the curriculum.
Content is presented in a variety of languages to adapt to diverse learning environments.
Manuals and guidebooks are available for instructors to explain how the platform works, tips for the labs, and how to publish original content.
The activities could serve as a complement to the instructional set.

Users create a free account. There is so much so see, investigate, and do on this site. Users teaching and developing STEM content will find the largest collection of online labs and try-out interactive inquiry apps. They can combine labs and apps into Inquiry Learning Spaces, and share these with their students and colleagues. The platform and all tools are available free of charge. There are some premium labs and apps that typically cost a bit, but due to COVID-19 are currently available to educators for free at this link.

Concerns:

None.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

The layout of the extensive website is clearly labeled across the top for quickly finding Labs, Apps, Spaces, Authoring, Support, Premium, About, and News. There is a search slot at the top right. The site can be viewed in English, French, and Swahili. There is a Quick Start page for G0-Lab Ecosystem that includes a five-minute introductory video that gets users involved almost immediately. Other supporting materials include a video on how to compile a manual and detailed sections with specific links on How to use Go-Lab, Pedagogical Support, and Teacher Training.

Each lab offers an overview/orientation with a detailed description.
The workspaces are in working order, provide attractive and colorful graphics, along with succinct content.
Teachers and students can easily navigate the site and labs.
Students can check their work, replay the activities, and review the concepts before concluding each lab.
Information is presented in familiar ways for students (i.e., pizza slices for fractions).
Supportive guides are available.

Concerns:

We could not locate an accessibility statement or suggestions for students with disabilities or learning differences.

Other Issues and Comments:: This web collection is a free web resource for schools and teachers of STEM. Teachers can also create their own content to exchange, collaborate and learn from peers around the globe. Select content is downloadable.
Creative Commons: