Premium
Conceptual Understanding of Electrical Circuits in Secondary Vocational Engineering Education: Combining Traditional Instruction with Inquiry Learning in a Virtual Lab
Author(s) -
Kollöffel Bas,
Jong Ton
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of engineering education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.896
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 2168-9830
pISSN - 1069-4730
DOI - 10.1002/jee.20022
Subject(s) - curriculum , mathematics education , vocational education , concept learning , teaching method , conceptual change , procedural knowledge , computer science , conceptual framework , instructional design , psychology , pedagogy , knowledge management , knowledge engineering , sociology , social science
Background Traditionally, engineering curricula about electrical circuits use textbook instruction and hands‐on lessons, which are effective approaches for teaching terms and definitions, the procedural use of formulas, and how to build circuits. Nonetheless, students often lack conceptual understanding. Purpose (Hypothesis) The aim of this study was to discover how to facilitate the acquisition of conceptual understanding. We hypothesized that adding an instructional approach in the form of inquiry learning in a virtual lab would be more effective than relying on traditional instruction alone. Design/Method Students in secondary vocational engineering education were randomly assigned to one of two conditions in a quasi‐experimental study. In the traditional condition, the curriculum was supplemented with computer‐based practice. In the virtual lab condition, the traditional curriculum was supplemented with inquiry learning in a virtual lab. Results Results showed that students in the virtual lab condition scored significantly higher on conceptual understanding (Cohen's d = 0.65) and on procedural skills ( d = 0.76). In particular, students in this condition scored higher ( d = 1.19) on solving complex problems. This result occurred for both complex conceptual and procedural problems. Conclusion Since students in the virtual lab condition acquired better conceptual understanding and also developed better procedural skills than students in the traditional condition, it appears that conceptual understanding and procedural skills develop in an iterative fashion.