Application of virtual experiments as a learning tool for undergraduate and postgraduate students of the National University of Engineering

Abstract

Virtual experiments are environments available in Internet that allow to the student to interact with a phenomenon, modify parameters and explain the events that are triggered as a result of these modifications. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to determine the perception of the students about the virtual experiments in subjects taught in Agroindustrial Engineering and in Master in food processing of the National University of Engineering in the period 2017 -2018. The selection of the website and types of virtual experiments were carried out taking into account learning objectives and quality of the information and simulations available on the website. With this, the "Explore Food Engineering" website was selected and some of the virtual experiments provided on that website were used as a complement to the theory studied in the face-to-face classes. The implementation of experiments was conducted through laboratory guides. The students, after carrying out the experiment, delivered laboratory reports with presentation and discussion of results and conclusions. In the questionnaire for the assessment of virtual experiments, students mentioned conducting research and practices is a way to learn better, at the same time, most of them are agree that virtual experiments are a suitable tool for learning, which is attractive and useful. However, to achieve meaningful learning, it must be accompanied by other forms of learning.