Section 26.4 Limitations of Findings
Although survey analysis resulted in themes that gave perspectives on the course, there are clear limitations in the resultant findings. The authors are well aware that this data does not conclusively show that implementing a kit in a course increases achievement of course objectives. Many other variable are present in this study, such as the instructor, the course and even the classroom the course is taught in. This study is limited in generalizability based on the small response rate in some of the semesters. Findings are also not generalizable to all engineering Instrumentation courses across the world or even the United States given the influence of the instructor’s teaching style and personality in the course. Future research should expand on the study by recruiting individual interview participants and survey respondents to gain a better understanding of the impact of the course on students.
However, findings are useful for instructors seeking to improve their own course by adopting the at-home kit and documentation developed. This theme appeared multiple times among students and it is very possible that students were confused about whether they liked the course or liking the professor. For students, the instructor had a big influence on making the course enjoyable; Preliminary results from this qualitative study can be used to inform course design and teaching practice in future courses.
