{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T02:31:03Z","timestamp":1773887463793,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,25]],"date-time":"2024-10-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1729814400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Information"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hands-on and virtual laboratory-based learning has been integrated into science education due to its potential positive impact on students\u2019 knowledge and skills development. In this study, we explore the effect of the hands-on and virtual laboratories on 152 undergraduate students\u2019 conceptual knowledge, inquiry, and measurement skills acquisition in the domain of operational amplifiers (op-amps) circuit learning. Students were divided into two groups and performed individually three experimental exercises involving basic op-amps electronic circuits: students in the Hands-On group performed the exercises in a physical laboratory environment, while students in the Virtual group performed the exercises in a virtual environment with TINA-TI (v9) software. Pre-post tests were used to quantify student performance progress stemming from their laboratory-type activities. Based on our findings, knowledge was developed the most, followed by inquiry skills, and finally, skills related to measuring electronic current quantities in a circuit, F(2,456) = 44.183, p = 0.000. Additionally, an ANCOVA analysis comparing the means of the three exercises revealed that the group participating in hands-on activities outperformed the group engaged in virtual activities, F(1,152) = 9.039, p = 0.003. Finally, we recommend designing a curriculum that focuses on both cognitive growth and skills development in the domain of op-amps.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/info15110672","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,25]],"date-time":"2024-10-25T08:42:13Z","timestamp":1729845733000},"page":"672","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Hands-On and Virtual Laboratories in Electronic Circuits Learning\u2014Knowledge and Skills Acquisition"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-0748-6703","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christos","family":"Tokatlidis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information and Electronic Engineering, International Hellenic University (I.H.U.), Alexander Campus, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0825-0787","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sokratis","family":"Tselegkaridis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Philosophy and Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-4741-6572","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sophia","family":"Rapti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Philosophy and Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0763-2516","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Theodosios","family":"Sapounidis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Philosophy and Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4842-6070","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitrios","family":"Papakostas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information and Electronic Engineering, International Hellenic University (I.H.U.), Alexander Campus, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rapti, S., Sapounidis, T., and Tselegkaridis, S. 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