A New Virtual and Remote Experimental Environment for Teaching and Learning Science

This paper describes how a scientifically exact and problemsolving-oriented remote and virtual science experimental environment might help to build a new strategy for science education. The main features are: the remote observations and control of real world phenomena, their processing and evaluation, verification of hypotheses combined with the development of critical thinking, supported by sophisticated relevant information search, classification and storing tools and collaborative environment, supporting argumentative writing and teamwork, public presentations and defense of achieved results, all either in real presence, in telepresence or in combination of both. Only then real understanding of generalized science laws and their consequences can be developed. This science learning and teaching environment (called ROL Remote and Open Laboratory), has been developed and used by Charles University in Prague since 1996, offered to science students in both formal and informal learning, and also to science teachers within their professional development studies, since 2003.