THE EFFECT OF VIRTUAL LABORATORY WORK IN GEOMETRICAL OPTICS CLASSES ON THE INTEREST AND ATTITUDES OF ACADEMIC LYCEUM STUDENTS

Abstract

The lack of optical equipment in many academic lyceums, limited laboratory infrastructure, stringent safety requirements, and the inability to conduct real experiments under distance learning conditions create a need to integrate virtual laboratories into the educational process. This article examines the interest of academic lyceum students in virtual laboratory activities developed for geometric optics lessons. During the study, experimental and control groups were formed, and students’ level of interest was assessed using a questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed using statistical methods. The results demonstrated that students in the experimental group who used virtual laboratory activities showed a higher level of interest (mean score – 4.54), whereas the control group displayed a relatively moderate level of interest (mean score – 3.54). The findings indicate that integrating virtual laboratories into optics education is an effective pedagogical approach for improving students’ understanding of the subject, enhancing their practical skills, and increasing their motivation toward learning physics.