Enhancing learning of low performing students in multi-section first year lecture/laboratory classes: Completion of a three year study

A common instructional model for first year engineering is the lecture/laboratory model. The most common implementation is lecture introducing material of a given "unit" followed by laboratory sections used to provide hands-on experience. An alternative implementation reverses the order. Students read assigned material, then attend laboratory sections, then at the end of the "cycle" attend lecture. Lecture is used to generalize from the specifics students have applied in lab, and to demonstrate common student mistakes. The pedagogically larger picture is that "lecture as wrap-up" requires students to take more responsibility for their own learning, and to be more actively engaged in their learning. In fall, 2004, and fall, 2005, we conducted preliminary studies to compare "lecture before" versus "lecture after" models; results seemed to be promising. In fall, 2006, and spring, 2007, we replicated the study before drawing conclusions. In the current report we display our final round of research, the results from it, and our summary for the three year study we have undertaken. Our final round of testing produced results that are not consistent with our earlier reported results. A call for others to replicate the study is made.