A common problem in engineering education at the universities of applied sciences is that mathematics and particularly physics are considered among students to be only supporting subjects. Furthermore, some of the students have as a background vocational studies where the focus is on practical work leaving more theoretical subjects with less attention. Therefore, a number of our students finds physics difficult which in conjunction with a low level of motivation and interest to study these subjects is a real problem. In this paper we present an attempt to increase the motivation level for a mixed group of engineering students within a laboratory course in physics. Traditionally, our physics laboratory exercises consist of a number well defined task. The students are supposed to complete all measurements according to the given instruction and report their results in a written report. In this attempt to increase the student activity in the laboratory a larger design-build problem is replacing a number of traditional exercises. As a result of this change an increase of activity in the laboratory could be observed. Unfortunately the actual physics learning outcomes involved in the design-build project were not achieved or then the learning outcomes were placed too high.
