Supporting Team Based Learning Using Electronic Laboratory Notebooks: Perspectives From Transnational Students

Abstract

Today's engineering industries require graduates with a broad range of soft skills, which include teamwork, communication and integrity. Therefore, more accreditation bodies now recommend team-learning activities to be embedded in their engineering programmes. However, hardworking students often find group projects demotivating, especially if their contributions are not accurately reflected in their individual grades. To address these issues, we demonstrate that Electronic Laboratory Notebooks can be used to promote student collaboration and teamwork on a group project. They can also help instructors assess student contributions fairly. During our investigations, we noticed that students have used Electronic Laboratory Notebooks as social interaction tools that enable text, data, images and recorded audio to be exchanged. Consequently, we describe the experiences of 58 transnational undergraduate students in using six different software products for a team-based learning activity. According to our investigations, Electronic Laboratory Notebooks had a positive impact on supporting Team Based Learning in a new electronic engineering course. The outcomes of our investigations can help create effective teaching and learning resources for undergraduate students in Electronic Engineering. They can also help staff members make evidence-based decisions regarding the introduction of Electronic Laboratory Notebooks in undergraduate research activities.