Multiple bodies of research demonstrate the effectiveness of ExploreLearning Gizmos virtual simulations on student achievement, but teachers’ feedback paints an even clearer picture of just how impactful Gizmos are for visual learning in STEM.
In a recent survey, 98% of teachers said they would recommend Gizmos to their colleagues. Why? Keep reading to discover what particular Gizmos features they found to be the most impactful on teaching and learning.
Overview of the latest Gizmos research findings
In May 2024, 120 middle and high school teachers completed a survey reflecting on their experiences with Gizmos during the 2023-2024 school year. Teachers responded to various questions to help the ExploreLearning research team better understand the impact of Gizmos on teaching and learning.
Teachers answered questions about:
- Goals and reasons for using Gizmos in the classroom
- Areas of student improvement with Gizmos
- Gizmos features and their impact on student learning
Survey results revealed teachers were highly satisfied with Gizmos, reporting increased engagement, curiosity, and confidence in their students as a result of the virtual simulations.
We asked, they answered: Teacher goals and Gizmos usage
What were the main reasons teachers used Gizmos in the classroom? Responses revealed several prominent themes regarding why educators chose Gizmos online simulations for students. Teachers incorporated Gizmos interactive learning tools into their curriculum to:
- Help students visualize and understand complex topics
- Make abstract ideas concrete through STEM education technology
- Facilitate inquiry-based learning and develop students’ critical thinking skills
- Boost student engagement in science and math
- Maintain student interest and participation
- Allow students to explore and learn at their own pace
- Differentiate instruction to meet diverse learning needs
- Enhance existing curriculum to introduce, reinforce, or review topics
- Build necessary skills and knowledge in alignment with standards
Teachers also used Gizmos to give students lab experiences that were otherwise impractical or impossible to conduct in the classroom due to a lack of resources, time, or equipment.
Key survey findings
After using Gizmos, nearly all teachers observed significant learning gains. 92% of teachers reported moderate to large learning gains, and 97% agreed that Gizmos aligned with learning outcomes in their state standards and curriculum. Overall, teachers noted increased student engagement, curiosity, and confidence.
“I've been teaching my subject matter for five years now. After starting to use Gizmos, my students scored the highest in the entire county on the end-of-year exam in Biology.” -Teacher
Agree that Gizmos supports student engagement
Agree that Gizmos supports student curiosity
Agree that Gizmos improves student confidence
What features of Gizmos support positive student outcomes?
Teachers noted what Gizmos elements were the most helpful in supporting students’ learning experiences. The top reasons included:
- Interactivity and manipulation: Teachers enjoyed how Gizmos provided data analysis tools for classrooms within the simulations, including the ability to manipulate variables, see results, and perform the same experiment multiple times.
- Visual and graphical representations: Teachers appreciated the visual effects, animations, and dynamic content presentations within Gizmos. They found the virtual representations helped students draw meaningful conclusions between concepts.
- Content and curriculum alignment: Teachers found Gizmos to be useful middle and high school science tools thanks to the pre-made student and teacher materials, customizable resources, and alignment to standards and curricula.
- Student engagement and motivation: Teachers amplified their classroom engagement strategies with Gizmos, noting that simulations’ interactive features kept students engaged. Teachers also found that students were more motivated and engaged thanks to the independent learning resources and differentiated instruction tools available within Gizmos. Students progressed at their own pace, received feedback, and understood straightforward instructions to empower their independent learning without constant teacher assistance.
Agree that Gizmos is an easy tool for teachers to use
Agree that Gizmos is an easy tool for students to use
Agree that Gizmos made lesson planning easier
Agree that Gizmos helped them meet teaching goals
Would recommend Gizmos to their colleagues
“When teaching students about convection cells, I had multiple students able to grasp the concept through the Gizmo because they could see the temperature changes and density changes. This was difficult to do without simulating it, and it helped students succeed!” -Teacher
The Convection Cells Gizmo lets students explore the causes of convection by heating liquid and observing the resulting motion.
Ignite science curiosity, knowledge, and confidence with Gizmos
The results speak for themselves! Teachers rely on Gizmos simulations and virtual science labs to increase student engagement, enhance science curriculum and math learning, and make the complex more digestible through inquiry and exploration.
Are you looking for science teaching aids or math resources to help your students understand concepts in new ways? Try Gizmos in your classroom today!
