The laboratory, an integral component of engineering education, can be conducted via traditional, online or mixed modes. Within these modes is a diverse range of implementation formats, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Empirical evidence investigating laboratory learning is rather scattered, with objectives measurement focused on the innovation in question (e.g., new simulation or experiment). Recently, a clearer picture of the most important laboratory learning objectives has formed. Missing is an understanding of whether academics implementing laboratories across different modes think about learning objectives differently. Using a survey based on the Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement instrument, academics from a diverse range of engineering disciplines from across the world undertook a ranking exercise. The findings show that those implementing traditional and mixed laboratories align closely in their ranking choices, while those implementing online-only laborat
The literature on laboratory objectives in engineering education research is scattered and inconsistent. Systematic literature reviews identified the need for better understanding. This paper ranks the laboratory learning objectives across the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains to improve scaffolding. It provides an opportunity for reflection, a pathway to confirm assessment alignment, and opens future research areas. To accomplish this, the Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement (LLOM) instrument is used to survey 160 academics from around the world representing 18 engineering disciplines. The results suggest that the collective ranking order does represent a framework that can be used broadly. However, for greater alignment with consensus thinking, discipline rankings should be used. The cognitive domain was deemed the most important. These results provide the community’s opinion and may not necessarily be best practice, providing an opportunity for reflection.
Learning objectives are important as they provide direction to teaching staff towards what content should be taught, what activities should be undertaken and what assessments are to be used to confirm understanding. Two decades ago, the evolution of new learning modes such as recorded, remote, and simulation/virtual started the research process to define and better understand learning objectives in the teaching laboratory. Much is still to be learnt about laboratory learning objectives including which are most important, and if what is deemed important is universal. For example, do academics in Europe and Australasia align in which objectives are most important and which are not? To answer this question, European and Australasian engineering academics were asked to rank laboratory objectives across the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domain using a predefined tool called Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement. A total of 113 academics from Australasia and 25 from Europe respo
Abstract
Contribution: This article provides evidence that perceived learning has a relationship and influences the way students evaluate laboratory experiments, facilities, and demonstrators. Background: Debate continues on the capability and/or reliability of students to evaluate teaching and/or learning. Understanding such relationships can help educators decode evaluation data to develop more effective teaching experiences. Research Question: Does a relationship exist between student evaluation scores and perceived learning? Methodology: Perceived learning across the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains was measured using the Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement (LLOM) tool at an Australian (344 students) and Serbian (181 students) university. A multilevel statistical analysis was conducted. Findings: Statistically significant relationships were found between student evaluation scores and perceived learning across the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains
Publication Details
Nikolic, S., Suesse, T., Jovanovic, K. & Stanisavljevic, Z. (2021). Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement: Relationships Between Student Evaluation Scores and Perceived Learning. IEEE Transactions on Education, 64(2) 163-171.
Abstract
Contribution: This article provides evidence that perceived learning has a relationship and influences the way students evaluate laboratory experiments, facilities, and demonstrators. Background: Debate continues on the capability and/or reliability of students to evaluate teaching and/or learning. Understanding such relationships can help educators decode evaluation data to develop more effective teaching experiences. Research Question: Does a relationship exist between student evaluation scores and perceived learning? Methodology: Perceived learning across the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains was measured using the Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement (LLOM) tool at an Australian (344 students) and Serbia