A meta-analysis of the impact of virtual experiments on students’ development

At present, the academic community has yet to reach a consensus on whether virtual experiments can effectively promote student development. To achieve this goal, this study employs a meta-analysis approach to quantitatively examine the impact of virtual experimental teaching on student development. The analysis includes 54 experimental and quasi-experimental studies published in international English-language journals between 2010 and 2023. The research results showed that: 1) Virtual experiments had a medium degree of positive effect on student development, and there was no significant difference in cognitive development, emotional development, and behavioral development. 2) Virtual experiments could better promote student development applied to procedural knowledge teaching. 3) The use of the virtual experiment combined with mixed learning (including observational and operational learning) was more effective in promoting student development. 4) Inquiry-based and task-driven approaches had a greater impact on student development. 5) There was a positive linear relationship between student development supported by virtual experiments and the experiment cycle. 6) Virtual experiments with high embodied learning degrees such as whole-body interaction and body-involved interaction had a more obvious promotion effect on student development. These analyses provided valuable insights and guidance for the design, development, and instructional application of future virtual experiments.