How Does Pre-Lab Virtual Laboratory Affect Students' Self-Efficacy and Understanding Mendel's Law?

Introduction: Genetics learning presents challenges, requiring a strong understanding of theoretical concepts and practical skills. Mendel's Laws are key concepts that are difficult to grasp without practical experience. Objective: This study investigated how virtual laboratories influence students' learning readiness, self-efficacy, and conceptual understanding of Mendel's Laws using D. melanogaster as a model.Methods: The study used a quantitative, quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control groups. One hundred twenty-two undergraduate biology education students participated. The study employed three instruments: a pre-lab readiness test, a self-efficacy questionnaire, and a Mendelian concept comprehension test. The experimental group (n = 57) received Project-Based Learning (PBL) combined with virtual lab simulations, while the control group (n = 65) received conventional PBL.Results: Analysis revealed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group on all measures (p < 0,05). The virtual laboratory improved students' conceptual and procedural readiness, boosted their confidence in experiments, and reinforced their understanding of Mendel's segregation and independent assortment principles.Conclusions: The virtual laboratory enhanced genetics learning, especially in preparing students for accurate experimental tasks. The results suggest that virtual simulations are valuable in genetics education, offering practical insights for educators to adopt in laboratory courses.