Laboratory learning: influence of the perceived laboratory mode on learning outcomes

This paper presents the results of the second phase of a study that investigated differences in learning outcomes of university students who conducted laboratory experiments in two different modes in the local domain: hands-on and simulated. In order to keep constant as many variables as possible (such as experimental approach, learning objectives and tests, supervision, teaching materials), a crossover study approach was deployed. During the first phase of the study, it was found that there were statistically significant differences in learning outcomes of 102 study participants, favouring the hands-on mode. Since laboratory experiments in both modes were created to be very similar, the reason for this difference needed clarification. It was hypothesised that the difference in learning outcomes originated from different perceptions on the efficacy of hands-on and simulated experiments. In order to check this hypothesis, a modified second phase of the study with 113 subjects was conducted. This time, in order to ensure that the mode of a laboratory experiment will not be an influencing factor, all participants used hands-on equipment for laboratory experiments. Subjects from one group actually used handson equipment. Subject from the other group only thought that they are conducting hands-on experiments. In fact, their equipment was ‘modified’ to display the results of simulated experiments. The outcomes of the second phase of the study supported the ‘perception’ hypothesis. No statistically significant differences in learning outcomes of the subjects from the second phase of the experiment were discovered.