Student evaluation of research projects in a first-year physics laboratory

Abstract

We describe the evaluation by students of a scheme of open-ended, research-based group project work which has become a standard component of first-year physics courses at the University of Sydney and is now in its 19th year of operation. Data were gathered from two sources: direct observations of the classes and a written survey. A summary of the classroom observations and the results from a detailed analysis of the survey responses are presented. The feedback from the cohort of approximately 800 students is largely positive but we identify a few discrepancies between stated course goals and the results from the survey.