Can we use online technology to rejig the traditional laboratory experience to improve student engagement?

ABSTRACT

This experimental-mixed methods investigates the impact of shifting from a traditional laboratory model to a hybrid laboratory model. The hybrid model consisted of (1) online instructions and pre-laboratory test, (2) compressed face-to-face laboratory time, and (3) post-laboratory data analysis. This study analyses whether student perceptions of a targeted intervention were correlated to a range of student performance indicators. Only a fractional improvement in student performance was observed, but evidence suggests that the use of online content led to more frequent student interaction with the learning material. The pre-laboratory tests encouraged a better preparation for the laboratory. Splitting the laboratory intervention into different phases was generally better perceived by students than the traditional style. The findings are expected to encourage course coordinators and developers to adopt concepts used in the delivery of hybrid solutions which is important due to the current emphasis on the use of online models of instruction.

KEYWORDS:

• Online learning environment
• laboratories
• engineering education

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a Teaching and Learning Grant from the Faculty of EAIT at the University of Queensland. We would like to thank all students of CIVL2131 who participated in the surveys. Discussions with Badin Gibbes, Liza O’Moore, and the ITaLI Team at UQ were also greatly appreciated. A special thanks goes to the laboratory technicians Mathew Stewart and Jason van der Gevel for support during the laboratory sessions. We also thank the EAIT Helpdesk for discussions around the student-id card reader, which is used to check completion of the pre-laboratory quiz prior to the laboratory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics

This work has received ethics approval from the Human Ethics and the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee under the Ethics Application - 2021/2021/HE002337 at the University of Queensland.