Lab in a box: Redesigning an electrical circuits course by utilizing pedagogies of engagement

• Autores: Chad Davis, Rabih Younes, Diana Bairaktarova
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 35, no. 2, 2019, págs. 436-445
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • A lecture-based theoretical approach is frequently utilized when teaching courses in electrical circuits and the educationallearning objectives are often limited solely to content learning. This paper describes how a lecture-based electrical circuits’course was redesigned utilizing pedagogies of engagement to produce an environment that stimulates creativity and allowsfor the following additional learning objectives to be pursued: (1) improvement of hands-on skills, (2) increase in designabilities, and (3) teaming/collaboration proficiency. Educators are often deterred from pursuing these additional learningobjectives in a large classroom or when there is lack of space and equipment. In this study, a ‘‘lab in a box’’ approach isoutlined and shown to overcome these deterrents and foster an environment of student engagement. An inexpensive andeasy-to-maintain portable kit was developed to enable approximately 300 undergraduate students each year to build anddesign electrical circuits. While teaching a course titledENGR 2431–DC Circuitsfor years in a traditional large lecture-based classroom, the instructor was eager to adopt an alternative pedagogy to increase students’ intrinsic motivation andoverall engagement in the class. The expected benefits of the project in the near term were to increase student engagementand add three additional learning objectives to the course. After implementing the ‘‘lab in a box’’ project in a largeclassroom, survey data and observational experiences provided an indication that students are more engaged and incontrol of their learning.