4 / 2019-10-02 21:57:36

A Comparative Analysis of Cognitive Behavioral Variation of Group versus Individual Study in Lab to Improve Teaching Methods

hands-on lab, cognitive behavior variation, engineeering education, group study, individual lab productivity

Engineering is a field where acquiring practical
knowledge is very important along with theoretical studies.
Electronics I is a subject where an engineering student gets
introduced to building circuits for the first time. Building a
circuit on a bread board from a circuit diagram is
challenging initially for most students. In this paper, a
cognitive behavioral study is done to estimate a better way
of teaching this lab. In this study, pilot data is collected from
22 students over a semester to understand their progress in
handling the operational process of various electronics
equipment. A comparative analysis is performed to see if
the students’ pace of learning is more when assigned in a
group versus individual study. Before each lab, two
theoretical classes on Electronics I was conducted so that
students learn the theory before implementing it in handson
experiments in lab class. A survey was conducted during
mid-semester and at the end of the semester to compare the
comprehension level of each student individually and
cooperatively at critical time points throughout the class.
Results shows that more than 90% of students agreed that
working with two people in a lab group gives the most
optimized output. Learning is much quicker and more indepth
when a hands-on project is performed in a group. It
is also examined how a theoretical class helps in performing
laboratory tasks. This study helps understand a better way
to conduct a lab class in electrical engineering so that
students gain interest in the subject and at the same time
learn effectively.