Introducing Experimental Design to Promote Active Learning.

In this study, a new experimental design format for a mechanical engineering junior laboratory course at Columbia University is proposed and implemented. The goal of the change in format is to transition the course from a passive learning environment to an active learning space. Using a scaffolded learning approach, existing experiments were replaced by modules that guided students towards the creation of their own novel experiments. In these novel experiments, they identified a mechanical engineering problem, conducted background research, and proposed a hypothesis. They then constructed their experimental apparatuses, conducted their experiments, and used statistical techniques to analyze their results. The course culminated in a conference-style paper and presentation to showcase their findings. The impact of the redesign was measured using preand post-surveys that evaluated key learning objectives as well as the lifelong learning question set. Overall, the modification led to significant improvements in student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]