ONLINE AND BLENDED LABS FOR PRACTICAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Abstract

Lab training is a key element in most engineering education programs in preparation for engineering profession tasks. Universities worldwide are exploring new possibilities and different forms to arrange online and blended labs as an alternative to pure campus training. This study compares online and blended lab setups in four cases of engineering education at European technical universities. The results show that online and blended labs can achieve similar learning outcomes, with blended labs being particularly effective in combining online learning with hands-on elements. Students reported high levels of satisfaction and teachers noted the benefits of online learning environments, but common challenges included ensuring student engagement, increased self-regulation requirements, and the high effort needed to design online or blended environments. The study provides course design guidelines and discusses implications for future research and implementation in universities worldwide.

Affiliations

Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia

Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku, Finland

Authors

Christian Stöhr, Veronica Olesen, Shahram Sheikhi, Robert Langer, Vladimir Kuts, Margus Müür, Antti Nousiainen, Ari Putkonen, Sakari Koivunen, Yihua Zhang, Jens Kabo, Mikael Enelund, Johan Malmqvist

Authors (new)