Synergizing Virtual Laboratory Application in Science and Guided Inquiry Activities in Leveraging Basic Science Process Skills of Grade 7 Students

Science Education in the Philippines raises many concerns, the inadequate science laboratory in public schools is one of these problems. The researcher conducted a study about virtual simulation, one of the newly created virtual simulations of the Department of Science and Technology is the Virtual Science Laboratory Application in Science (VLAS) with the integration of Guided Inquiry Activities (GIA). This study explored the synergistic effects of VLAS and (GIA) on enhancing the basic science process skills (BSPS) of Grade 7 students. This study focuses on the significant difference between the level of BSPS (observation, communication, classification, measurement, inference, and prediction) of students before and after using the VLAS. This study utilized explanatory sequential mixed methods. This design was suitable for answering the research questions of the study, as it incorporated elements of both quantitative and qualitative research. The respondents of the study were divided into 2 groups, 36 learners for the experimental group who were subjected to the use of Virtual Laboratory Application (VLA) and Guided Inquiry Activities (GIA). Meanwhile 36 students were the control group, they were only subjected to the use of Laboratory Application (VLA). Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, Thematic Analysis, and triangulation of data were utilized to ensure that the accuracy of the results is obtained. Findings from the study revealed that there is a statistically significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores of students in the basic science process skills before and after using VLAS. These findings imply that the VLAS and GIA make the learners understand complex concepts into simple concepts by showing procedural activity so that the students can easily learn it. It indicates that integrating VLAS into science education can effectively improve learners' BSPS which is essential in the development of scientific literacy. The study concludes that VLAS helps improve the BSPS of the learners. And VLAS combined with GIA offers a more intense approach to enhancing BSPS. This present study thereby recommends; Development of Guided Inquiry Activity modules specifically designed to complement VLAS activities, Provide professional development for science teachers, Future researchers should investigate the long-term effects of VLAS and GIA on BSPS, and Developers of VLAS should consider adding more interactive and gamified activities.