Biosfer: Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Analyzing students’ science process skills through mobile learning using virtual laboratory

Science process skills have to be taught during learning process in order students are able to develop their skills in examining and solving science problems by leading such investigation process in which are beneficial for their future life. This study aims at analyzi ng students’ science process skills in the concepts of biodiversity through mobile leaning using virtual laboratory. The research included in a descriptive quantitative study. The mobile learning was conducted on November 2021 toward 24 students from 7 th grade in a junior high school. Students learned the concepts of biodiversity through virtual laboratory in which the virtual laboratory has been already stated as valid and appropriate to be implemented in the learning process. In addition, the students’ science process skills were evaluated and measured using a test. Findings indicated that the students’ science process skills is 60.42±8.59. Therefore, it can be concluded that students’ science process skills reached moderate through mobile learning using virtual laboratory.

INTRODUCTION E-ISSN: 2614-3984 216 mobile devices for studying (Elfeky et al., 2020;Irwanto et al., 2019). In addition, mobile learning allows students to learn at any time and place. Moreover, mobie learning is correlated to the principles of the socio-constructivist learning theory in which states that learners acquire active roles in a social collective learning environment by using their own mobile devices (Ekawati et al., 2018;Sholahuddin, Yuanita, Supardi, & Prahani, 2020). Furthermore, the implementation of mobile learning is also linked to the pedagogical approach in which mobile learning consisted of authenticity, collaboration, and personalization (Mulyeni, Jamaris, & Supriyati, 2019;Rani, Wiyatmo, & Kustanto, 2017). By conducting mobile learning in the aspect of authenticity, students can learn the science knowledge easily through mobile devices. In the aspect of collaboration, students can interact with lectures and their friends through the online learning community. In addition, in the aspect of personalization, students can adapt on new technology on the learning process (Ahied, Muharrami, Fikriyah, & Rosidi, 2020;Ratnasari et al., 2018).
Outstandingly, mobile learning is suitable provided by implementing virtual laboratory in the current learning process. Since it has been proved that students gain much more motivation by conducting mobile learning, and it also impacts on their comprehension (Taufiq et al., 2016). However, mobile learning is not enough if there is no learning media applied during the learning process. During this study, mobile learning and virtual laboratory is provided for students in order they are able to learn and have a science practice. As it is already reported that recently about 80% of teenagers have own mobile phones, though most of them use mobile phones for social networking, taking pictures, and playing games, in which only a few who uses them for studying (Ekici & Erdem, 2020;Ngabekti, Prasetyo, Hardianti, & Teampanpong, 2019). Therefore, it is very possible to apply virtual laboratory in mobile phones, since this learning media is able to offer students to have a new experience in learning science.
Virtual laboratory is defined as an online laboratory that can be used by students to learn and practice science easily since this virtual laboratory can be accessed through mobile phone. It also offers a flexibility of use and learn, since students do not need to come to the conventional laboratory to conduct experiment or observation (Estriegana, Medina-Merodio, & Barchino, 2019;Mayer, 2020). Students can learn and conduct investigations directly by operating the virtual laboratory. Several studies also found that virtual laboratories provide more advantages rather than traditional laboratories (Estriegana et al., 2019;Seifan, Robertson, & Berenjian, 2020). Virtual laboratory offers science classes with technology and active learning as key elements to improve students' learning achievements. It also can make students easy to interpret the science phenomenon, perform investigation process, and collect more information during shorter time in which different if students learn in traditional laboratories (Adlim et al., 2020;Subali, Rusdiana, Firman, Kaniawati, & Ellianawati, 2017). Unfortunately, science educators are not often engaging students to learn science by using virtual laboratories because they prefer to choose traditional laboratory (Estriegana et al., 2019;Subali et al., 2017;Tanti et al., 2020). The traditional laboratories are more often chosen in science classes since teachers do not have to prepare more (Mayer, 2020).
Furthermore, the virtual laboratory used in this study offered several benefits which are different with other virtual laboratories. Mostly virtual laboratories only can be accessed in PC, meanwhile the virtual laboratory in this study can be applied in mobile phones, and so it is more suitable for students. Students can operate and access the virtual laboratory everytime and everywhere. In addition, students can understand the science concepts deeper by recalling the concepts through accessing the virtual laboratory. This virtual science laboratory also consisted of several contents that can engage students to enhance their science process skills. It also provides science content that is integrated with biodiversity in Madura. As we know, science process skills are easily observed and measured when students carry out practical (Adlim et al., 2020;Rizal, Rusdiana, Setiawan, & Siahaan, 2020). During this study, students can learn science concept while improve their science process skills by using the virtual science laboratory.
Therefore, this study focused on the implementation of mobile learning using virtual laboratory which offers a solution toward the problem related to the innovation of learning process. In addition, this study is also benefecial since it provides an interactive learning process that can help students not only to carry out science practice but also to enhance students' science process skills. According to the previous views, this study aims at analyzing students' science process skills in the concepts of biodiversity through mobile leaning using virtual laboratory.

Research Design
This study included in a descriptive quantitative research that was conducted on November, 2021. This research included in a descriptive quantitative study since it discussed about current conditions that happens related to the education during pandemic, and also used certain instrument to measure the skill. In addition, this study also used big samples, focused on some information about processes, and applied statistical analysis of several numerical findings in which are the features of descriptive quantitative study (Taherdoost, 2018).
In addition, this study also used ex post facto research design, since there was no controlled and manipulated variables. This design was chosen to know the description of fact related to certain objects. In this study, the objects were about students' science process skills that were analyzed based on the results and facts of mobile learning using virtual laboratory, so that it can be manipulated. Furthermore, this learning process was implemented referring to ASSURE instructional design (Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino, 2012). ASSURE instructional design consists of systematical stages. It is also correlated to the objective of this study since ASSURE design purposes at creating an effective learning process.

Population and Samples
The population in this research was about all students of the seventh grade in a junior high school in Sampang. The demography of population in this study is represented in Table 1 below. Furthermore, the samples taken from its population were 24 students in one class. The research subject was decided and chosen using a non-probability sampling technique, in the type of purposive sampling. The students were chosen according to the aim of this study and were also selected according to the certain criteria and considerations, such as development of knowledge, learning styles, and learning background. The demography of samples in this study are represented in the Table 2 below. According to the observation result during the learning process, students also preferred to learn by having audio-visual learning styles, therefore it is proper to conduct a learning process which apply a technology-based learning media.

Instrument
The test instrument questioned about the concept of biodiversity with ten questions of multiple choice in which every question represented five indicators of science process skill, i.e, predicting, designing investigation, observing, analyzing data, and making conclusion. The outline of science process skill test instrument is represented in the Table 3.

Table 3
Outline of Science Process Skill Test Instrument

Number
Indicator of Science Process Skills Questions 1 Observing According to the figure below, which one is the correct one related to the structure of the leaves?
2 Predicting Based on the figure and the description below, can you predict what type of the plant is included in? 3 Designing investigation Several tools are provided, i.e., pencil and ruler., the materials are also given, consisted of plants in which are provided in virtual lab. Which flow chart is the correct one to present about investigation to know the structure of plants? 4 Analyzing data According to data in table below. Which description of data analysis is the most correct one? 5 Making conclusion According to data in table above. Which conclusion is the correct one?
6 Observing According to the figure below, which one is the correct one related to the structure of the stem? Analyzing data According to data in table below. Which description of data analysis is the most correct one?

10
Making conclusion According to data in table above. Which conclusion is the correct one?
In addition, the test instrument of science process skills which was shared to students to evaluate their science process skills is shown in the Table 4 below. The leaf edge is integer The tips of the leaves are split The base of the leaf is flat Green leaf color a. Leaf structure in coconut plants has a morphology in the form of uneven or integer leaf edges, split leaf tips, flat leaf base, and green leaf color. b. The leaf structure in coconut plants has a morphology in the form of a flat or integer leaf edge, the leaf tip is not split, the leaf base is flat, and the leaf color is green. c. Leaf structure in coconut plants has a morphology in the form of flat or integer leaf edges, split leaf tips, uneven leaf base, and green leaf color. d. Leaf structure in coconut plants has a morphology in the form of flat or integer leaf edges, split leaf tips, flat leaf base, and green leaf color.
Making a conclusion 5. Look at the following

Indicator of Science Process Skills Questions
Dark brown root color a. The root structure in these plants is a fibrous root system, with a neck, tip, and root fibers, and the color of the roots is dark brown b. The root structure in these plants is a fibrous root system, with tips and root fibers, and the color of the roots is dark brown c. The root structure in these plants is a fibrous root system, with a neck and root fibers, and the color of the roots is dark brown d. The root structure in these plants is a fibrous root system, with a neck and root fibers, and the color of the roots is dark brown Making a conclusion 10. Based on the data in the

Procedure
This study has been conducted in the science class of junior high school by referring to ASSURE instructional design, in which consisted of six stages. The first stage was conducted by analyzing students in the aspects of age, learning styles, and cognitive development. The students are in the age of around 13 years old who have already reached high levels of abstract thinking and problem solving based on the cognitive development. They also have already studied science so that they have already reached prior knowledge related to the concept of biodiversity. In addition, mostly students also have audio-visual learning styles, so it is assumed that the learning process with technology-based multimedia can be conducted respectively.
The second stage was conducted by stating learning aims. The learning aims that was measured in this study were about students are able to understand concept of biodiversity and analyze students' science process skills through the learning process using virtual laboratory. The science process skills that were measured in this study was about i.e, predicting, designing investigation, observing, analyzing data, and making conclusion.
In addition, the third stage was about selecting instructional methods, media, and materials. The method applied in this study was mobile learning using a virtual laboratory in which this selection is caused by the current learning situation, and the materials were about the concepts in biodiversity. Furthermore, the fourth stage was utilizing method, media, and materials. The virtual laboratory was developed in the form of .apk program that can be installed in smartphone. The virtual laboratory has been evaluated and validated by experts in the aspect of content and construction, before used in the learning process. Outstandingly, the virtual laboratory was concluded as valid and feasible media with 3.5 on total score. Therefore, the virtual laboratory was appropriate to apply in the mobile learning process to engage students' science process skill. Furthermore, the view of virtual laboratory in this research is presented in the Figure 1 as follows. The fifth stage in this study was conducted by requiring learner participation in which the learners were engaged actively during the mobile learning process. The learning process was implemented in the mobile situation. The virtual laboratory was shared to students during the learning process in order they are able to be easily understand and practice the concepts of biodiversirty. By using this virtual laboratory in the learning process, students also can enhance their science process skills since this learning media consisted of concept related to biodiversity, knowledge about science process skills, and also practice about biodiversity.
To sum up, the last stage was conducted by evaluating and revising according to the findings of the learning process, i.e. students' science process skills. Data of students' science process skills were measured using a test instrument. In the last meeting of the learning process, students were asked to answer all the questions in the test instrument for 60 minutes individually without any discussions with friends. All in all, the procedure in this study is shown in Figure 2.

Data Analysis Techniques
Virtual laboratory was evaluated and validated by using formula below: x ̅ = Σ xi Note: ̅ : mean of validation score Σ : total score N : maximal score Furthermore, the validation score is concluded by referring to the criteria in Table 5 below. Table 5.

Criteria of Validation
Score Criteria Note 3,6 ≤ P ≤ 4,00 Very valid Can be used without any revisions 2,6 ≤ P ≤ 3,50 Valid Can be used with minor revisions 1,6 ≤ P ≤ 2,50 Less valid Can be used with major revisions 1,0 ≤ P ≤ 1,50 Not valid Cannot be used In addition, data of students' science process skills were analyzed descriptively to measure its average and standard deviation. In addition, students' answers from science process skills test were  Table 6 below.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
By using mobile learning in a virtual laboratory in this research, students were guided to understand biodiversity concepts. Besides, students were also asked to have a virtual practice related to biodiversity through the virtual laboratory. Students could also enhance their science process skills by operating the virtual laboratory, consisting of several aspects of science process skills, i.e., predicting,  designing an investigation, observing, analyzing data, and making a conclusion. The students' science process skills can be measured and analyzed, conferring to the results of the test of science process skills that students have answered. Data on students' science process skills are represented in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Score of students' science process skills
Findings in Figure 3 above indicated that the average score of students' science process skill is 60.42±8.59. According to the data, it can be assumed that students reached moderate score of science process skills. Students in this research have ever conducted several experiment activities in schools, however the science process skills were not often to be taught and increased during the activities. This situation influences the students' science process skills; therefore, they reached moderate score of science process skills. Therefore, it can be supposed that the mobile learning using virtual laboratory in this research is able to engage students' science process skills. However, the score is still moderate, so it can be assumed that the science process skills must be taught continually toward student during the learning process. According to the findings related to the students' answers of the science process skills test instrument showed in Figure 4, percentage of correct students' answers in question item 1 is 13.1%; item 2 is 4.1%; item 3 is 9%; item 4 is 11%; item 5 is 12.4%; item 6 is 11%; item 7 is 3.4%; item 8 is 8.3%; item 9 is 13.8%; and item 10 is 13.8%. It is found that mostly students answered correctly in the question number 9 which asked about the indicator of analyzing data, and number 10 which asked about the indicator of making conclusion. Meanwhile, mostly students answered incorrectly in the question number 2 and 7, related to the indicator of predicting. It is assumed that mostly students could not understand and apply the skill of prediction. It is caused that students do not often learn science by having prediction. In addition, the students' answer toward the science process skills is showed in the Figure 5. By learning science, students are able to analyze and think scientific methods by applying science process skills. Science process skills are capabilities that refer to scientific processes, i.e., observing, communicating, predicting, classifying, measuring, and concluding. During this study, students are taught biodiversity concepts through virtual laboratory in which the science process skills are provided in the virtual laboratory. Therefore, students are engaged to develop their science process skills during the science learning process. Science process skill is such transferable intellectual skil referring to a scientific inquiry (Setiawan & Sugiyanto, 2020). This skill engages students to focus on thinking and solving problems, learn science actively by themselves, and value science more meaningful. Students need to apply science process skills in order that they are able to interact in society through a scientific way, by easily observing, analyzing, asking why something in the world could happen, and then predicting how it could occur, doing investigations to find the solutions, and concluding what the best solutions are (Sari et al., 2020;Savitri, Wusqo, Ardhi, & Putra, 2017;Setiawan & Sugiyanto, 2020). In addition, the percentage of science process skills in every indicator is shown in Figure 6.
Findings in this study indicated that indicator of science process skills that reached the highest percentage is making conclusion in which it is proved that students answered correctly in this indicator. Meanwhile, the lowest percentage is reached by the indicator of predicting since mostly students' answers were incorrect in this indicator. To sum up, the learning process that has been conducted could be received well by students. As it is already stated, mobile learning is a learning environment that can ensure students to understand and build the knowledge using mobile devices. By conducting mobile learning, students can learn whenever and wherever they want, as long as the mobile device is connected to the Internet. Students are also able to repeat the activities and recall the comprehension more than once since the virtual laboratory can be installed in smartphone and operated every time and everywhere. It has been proved that the virtual laboratory was able to engage students to comprehend the concepts easier. Nevertheless, the science process skills reached by students were still on moderate criteria. It is suggested that students must be taught and engaged to develop their science process skills. Science process skills are capabilities that have to be developed in students since these skills refer to the processes of scientific thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making (Ekici & Erdem, 2020;Irwanto et al., 2019;Tanti et al., 2020). However, if these skills are not taught continually during learning process, these skills cannot be developed very well. It is found that students are easily to forget the explanation from teachers if the explanation are not repeated and recalled more than once. Therefore, students need to be taught continually in order that students can understand the concepts and enhance the science process skills much better than before.
As it is already stated that science process skills are the complex abilities that are used to conduct scientific investigation through the series of learning activities (Bano, Zowghi, Kearney, Schuck, & Aubusson, 2018;Ekawati et al., 2018). Students can apply scientific methods to understand, analyze, and discover science phenomena easily if the science process skills are developed well (Mulyeni et al., 2019;Rani et al., 2017). Furthermore, students have to be engaged actively during the learning process and guided to learn the science concepts. Additionally, they are also asked to improve the science process skills in order students are able to construct their knowledge and enhance their abilities in examining, identifying, and classifying concepts and principles related to science phenomenon, and assuming conclusions by conducting experiment process in which are beneficial for their future life (Anitha Kumari, Hemalatha, Subhani Ali, & Naresh, 2020;Jeno, Dettweiler, & Grytnes, 2020;Ratnasari et al., 2018).
Mobile learning was implemented in this study since mobile learning is the learning process by using mobile devices in which students are able to learn at any time and place. Mobile learning offers students a new learning environment where students can access and have a science experiment activity without being limited by place and time (Bernacki et al., 2020;Ekici & Erdem, 2020). In addition, the implementation of mobile learning leads the opportunities for student to learn by using mobile technology, and also can reduce the use of paperless learning media. Students also was able to learn science easily, participate actively, solve problems, and cooperate in a simulated learning environment. Outstandingly, it is showed that virtual laboratory ensures students to learn science in a meaningful context where learners can relate with the content more effectively in a safe environment in which this learning situation is very suitable for the current learning challenges. Moreover, the virtual laboratory also provides three-dimension learning environments that can gain students' learning motivation. These features can change the learning focus from a passive learning environment to one of active situation. Therefore, learners were able to understand, analyze, explore, interact, and solve problems more effectively, showing that the moderate enhancement of science process skills (Crompton & Burke, 2020;Ngabekti et al., 2019). Based on this study, it is found that by employing the virtual laboratory, students gained a deeper understanding about biodiversity, since they were able to conduct science experiments in which it is correlated as the findings of some studies. Learners acquired an experiment easily without limitations of space, time, and cost, since the software is available every time without being limited to a specific time or place. Students also showed many interests during the learning process since this learning process delivered a comfortable and enjoyable learning in which learners also can strengthen the concepts by repeatedly listing to the contents. Nevertheless, there were several weaknesses found in this study. Several students did not have mobile phone which is compatible with the application of virtual laboratory, therefore they could not learn science easily by accessing the virtual laboratory. However, this problem was solved by providing mobile phone that is compatible with the virtual laboratory.
All in all, the implementation of mobile learning using a virtual laboratory in this study is proved that can help students to carry out science experiments. As it is already explained that this learning process could be correlated to the principles of the socio-constructivist learning theory where learners could acquire active roles in a social collective learning environment by using their own mobile devices. It is also assumed that the learning process could be a solution for science learning activities. However, the learning process should be conducted continually in order that students can develop the science process skills much better than before.

CONCLUSION
This study aims at analyzing students' science process skills in the concepts of biodiversity through mobile leaning using virtual laboratory. Findings in this study indicated that the average score of students' science process skill is 60.42±8.59. According to the data, it can be assumed that students reached moderate score of science process skills. Therefore, it can be supposed that the mobile learning using virtual laboratory in this research is able to engage students' science process skills. However, the score is still moderate, so it can be assumed that the science process skills must be taught continually toward student during the learning process.