INTRODUCTION OF AN ACTIVE LEARNING COMPONENT THROUGH RESEARCH REPORTS IN A LABORATORY COURSE

Abstract

Abstract –Mechanical Engineering Laboratories is a third-year course at the University of Manitoba that covers the application of mechanical engineering principles to relevant experimental problems. The course spans two terms, counts for two credit hours per term and traditionally required student teams to prepare formal laboratory reports only.
 An active learning component was introduced by assigning students to write research reports on topics that would otherwise have been covered in the lectures. This allowed us to enable additional laboratory groups during former lecture slots and accommodate the program’s enrollment increase from 80 to 120 students. Introducing research reports also allowed students to learn independently, research beyond the level of detail in the course if they wished, and practice their lifelong learning skills along with teamwork skills.
 Most students did well in this component of the course. Student feedback comments on the research reports were mostly positive. This experience suggests that an active learning component through research reports in lieu of some lectures may be a useful active learning tool in an upper-level laboratory course.