Factors affecting the effective adoption of virtual laboratories in rural public secondary schools for science experiments

Background: Virtual laboratories have emerged as a potential solution to the lack of physical laboratories for resource-constrained schools. Aim: This study investigates the factors affecting effective adoption of virtual laboratories for conducting science experiments in rural public secondary schools in the Vhembe District, South Africa. Setting: This study took place in rural public secondary schools in the Vhembe District, Limpopo province, South Africa, that lack physical laboratories for conducting experiments in science subjects. Methods: To achieve the objective of this study, a quantitative approach was used. Therefore, data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics. Furthermore, the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical tool was used to analyse data, and Microsoft (MS) Excel was also used to generate graphs. Results: This study has identified a lack of awareness, a lack of digital devices, maintenance costs and training as factors that could affect the effective adoption of virtual laboratories in rural public secondary schools. Conclusion: The Department of Basic Education and its stakeholders must prioritise awareness workshops to equip rural public-school teachers and learners with knowledge of virtual laboratories and their significance for conducting online science experiments, thereby enhancing their understanding. Contribution: This study contributes to the body of knowledge by highlighting key factors likely to affect the adoption of virtual laboratories by teachers and learners from rural public secondary schools for conducting science subjects’ experiments.