Three Techniques for Competitive Lab Activities Based on Project-Oriented Learning in Information and Communication Technologies

Laboratory work is one of the most important activities in technical degrees. In these classes, students learn while carrying out tasks similar to those they could encounter in a professional environment. These activities help to strengthen the theoretical principles while allowing the students to develop useful skills for their careers. In this paper, we present three experiences (Lab Battle, Lab Race, and Lab Triathlon) in the organization of practical activities based on the paradigms of competitiveness and project-oriented learning. The goal of these techniques is to immerse the students in an environment as realistic as possible. In such scenarios, it is often important to be first, to think like the “bad guy” or to keep confidentiality. After three years applying these techniques, we have observed great motivation and excellent competences in the students. Moreover, cheating has been less frequent than in other types of lab assignments.