Blended Laboratories for Joining Technology

Paper in proceeding, 2023

Laboratory training is an essential part of most Engineering Education programs and amplified by the Covid-19 crisis, educational institutions are increasingly exploring blended and online laboratories as an alternative or complement to pure on-side learning environments. In this paper, we report on the (re-) design, implementation and evaluation of a blended laboratory concept in joining technology. The laboratory consists of three interlinked pillars and builds conceptually on the flipped classroom approach. We evaluate student learning and satisfaction as well as teacher experiences in the new learning design based on student evaluations and performance data as well as teacher reflections. The results show that the new laboratory improved the average grade of students by 12% compared to the traditional set-up, which we attribute to the increase in active learning. Students also report high satisfaction with the new format and appreciate the flexibility and accessibility of the online learning materials. Qualitative analysis indicates, however, that successful participation in the flipped format is coupled to high degree of self-regulated learning skills. Further, teachers partly had difficulties to ensure active participation in the synchronous online sessions. Despite these issues, we conclude that the presented flipped laboratory concept is an excellent format to combine the advantages of online learning with the hands-on experience of physical laboratory work. By utilizing the benefits of online learning, this format reduces the time students spend passively listening to lectures and more than doubles the time spent on active learning and practice.