A Blended Approach to Improve Student Engagement in Undergraduate Physics Experiments by Integrating Technologies with Model-Based Inquiry

Abstract

In undergraduate science courses, experiments and laboratory programs are where students develop their experimental and laboratory skills. This thesis presents a series of studies and proposes a conceptual framework for designing experiments to engage students and an evaluation framework to measure student engagement in three dimensions: cognitive, behavioural, and emotional engagement. The conceptual framework, the Blended Model, integrates scientific inquiry with digital technologies and modelling. Inquiry skills such as planning and conducting, digital technologies such as Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and video analysis, and modelling for structuring experiments. Design-based research methodology forms the basis for the study, incorporating iterative cycles of design of experiments and surveys. Two experiments, Waves on a Rope and Bungee Jumping, and a series of surveys were developed. The final validated survey is called the Science Student Laboratory Engagement Questionnaire (SSLEQ). Students’ cognitive engagement was measured through Motivators, behavioural engagement through Resources, and emotional engagement through Positive and Negative emotions. First, the Blended Model was implemented in two individual laboratory sessions, and student engagement was measured. With the onset of COVID-19, the focus shifted to whole laboratory programs. In the first semester of 2020, laboratory programs were explored across three Australian universities. In the second semester of 2020, three modified laboratory programs were explored at one university.

The findings highlighted that students were engaged with planning and conducting, hands-on, teamwork, and emotions such as interest and enjoyment in conducting the experiments and the importance of having face-to-face sessions in laboratory programs before shifting to online. Hence, this research offers the practical implementation of the SSLEQ survey as a useful the SSLEQ is a useful tool for measuring student engagement.