Skip to Content
Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Science Lab programs

Overview

  • Influence: Science Lab programs
  • Domain: Curricula
  • Sub-Domain: Math and sciences
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Programs taught via science laboratories with hands-on learning experiments and experiences to enhance science understanding.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 5
  • Number of studies: 153
  • Number of students: 7,731
  • Number of effects: 501
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.34
  • Robustness index: 3

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Science Education Bredderman Laboratory Programs for Elementary School Science: A Meta-Analysis of Effects on Learning 1985 Laboratory in science 52 NA 400 0.35
Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health Caglak Does Hands-on Science Practices Make an Impact on Achievement in Science? A Meta-Analysis.   2017 Hands on science practices 15 NA 15 1.55
Dissertation Rubin Evaluation and Meta-Analysis of Selected Research Related to the Laboratory Component of Beginning College Level Science Instruction 1996 Laboratory component in college science 39 NA 39 0.22
Dissertation Zhou Meta-analysis of effects of the laboratory component of secondary school science instruction of student learning 1994 Laboratory in science 20 NA 20 0.17
Clinical Anatomy Wilson, Miller, Klein, Taylor, Goodwin, Boyle, Brown, Hoppe, & Lazarus A meta-analysis of anatomy laboratory pedagogies.  2018 Lab in anatomy 27 7,731 27 -0.03
TOTAL/AVERAGE 153 7,731 501 0.45
Back to top