Section 26.3 Discussion
This lab at home kit has been implemented since the Fall of 2019. By the time of this writing, the kit has been implemented for 7 semesters, three of which were during COVID-19. The kit was very useful during the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) because students could order the kit and complete the projects remotely. If students had trouble they could email issues or take a video and share it or even set up a quick video conferencing call. The students were able to see their course objectives hands on which provided a unique way of learning during the pandemic. When the students used the kit in the classroom once the University returned to in person lectures, the students still enjoyed the projects as shown in the survey results.
In regards to the second research question about student satisfaction of the course through the use of the kit, Table 26.2.1 and Table 26.2.2 clearly show a positive response in regards to the projects and the lab at home kit. For brevity only two to three quotes were shown but for some semesters at least 25 quotes were generated with many of them reflecting on the "hands on learning" component of the course.
Furthermore, Table 26.2.3 shows an on average course rating that is 22% higher than the departmental average. It can be said with confidence that the quotes in Table 26.2.1 and Table 26.2.2 are in direct response to the implementation of the kit and that the students would not have written these words had the kit not been an addition to the course. This proves the first research question that a kit can be implemented as well as answers the second research question.
When these quotes are taken into consideration with the higher course ratings and higher student responses, it is evident that the take-home lab kit promoted more active student engagement in the course and, by extension, more active student learning. This data shows, in conjunction with student commentary, that the projects associated with kits fostered a positive learning experience for students while also covering required content for the course. Projects like this one are a strong strategy professors can add to their repertoire as they teach content. Per Gardner’s and Bloom’s theories of learning, this would indicate the students likely mastered content and skills in this setting just as well as, if not better than they would in a more traditional lecture format[19][11].
