TY - JOUR A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Arbesmeier, Alexander A1 - Brade, Katja A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg A1 - Belski, Iouri T1 - Teaching Battery Basics in Laboratories: Hands-On Versus Simulated Experiments JF - IEEE Transactions on Education N2 - Contribution: Prior studies comparing the effectiveness of different laboratory learning modes do not allow one to draw a universally valid conclusion, as other influences are mixed with the learning modes. In order to contribute to the existing body of work and to add another piece to the puzzle, this article demonstrates an improved methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-simulated laboratories in comparison to hands-on exercises using a battery basics practical course as a case study. Background: Computer-simulated experiments are becoming increasingly popular for conducting laboratory exercises in higher education and vocational training institutions. To ensure the consistent quality of laboratory learning, an accurate comparison between the results of simulated experiments and practical hands-on experiments is required. Intended Outcomes: In this article, the achievement of the following learning objectives were compared between the two laboratory modes: 1) comprehension of the most important parameters of battery cells and 2) knowledge on how these parameters can be determined using adequate experimental procedures. Application Design: To avoid interference of factors other than laboratory mode on the learning, laboratory instructions and experimental interfaces ensured identical execution of the experiments in the compared modes. Using a counterbalanced methodology, the two laboratory modes alternated by the session, while the experimental procedures remained constant regardless of the respective modes. Findings: Tests taken by the participants after conducting the laboratory experiments revealed that hands-on laboratories resulted in statistically significantly better student performance than simulated laboratories. This difference was even more pronounced for the participants that finished a vocational education and training program before the university studies. UR - https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2020.2970554 KW - battery KW - electrical engineering KW - energy storages KW - hands-on KW - knowledge gain KW - laboratory learning KW - simulation KW - student experience Y1 - 2020 UR - https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2020.2970554 UR - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:573-9517 SN - 1557-9638 VL - 63 IS - 3 SP - 198 EP - 208 PB - IEEE CY - Piscataway ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Miley, Cayler A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg A1 - Belski, Iouri ED - Huda, Nazmul ED - Inglis, David ED - Tse, Nicholas ED - Town, Graham T1 - Laboratory Learning: Hands-on versus Simulated Experiments T2 - Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE 2017) N2 - CONTEXT Many universities and vocational training institutions conduct laboratories as simulated experiments. This is due to the costs and supervision needs to conduct hands-on labs safely. Numerous studies have presented mixed opinions on whether hands-on laboratory work is more conducive to learning than a simulated laboratory. Most of the studies put students from experimental and control groups in significantly different conditions. Therefore, it is hard to reach any definite conclusion regarding the influence of the learning mode onto the learning achievements. PURPOSE This study compares learning outcomes of student laboratory work in an energy storages course conducted in two different modes: first as a practical hands-on exercise and second using computer-based simulations. APPROACH In order to provide reliable insights, this study implements optimized research methodology to avoid any other effect (e.g. learning synchronicity/distance learning/instructions) on the learning outcome rather than the effect of the learning mode itself. The student laboratory experiments were created in a manner that they could be conducted in both modes in the same way and using a single set of instructions. To ensure a comparable group environment for the individual student, the students were arranged into two similar groups based on the student's practical experience. In this crossover study, the groups were taught the same topics by means of interchanging learning modes. RESULTS To evaluate the influence of each mode on student learning, short written tests regarding the previous experiment were conducted at the beginning of the subsequent laboratory session. 102 students have taken part in the study in two years. Overall learning results of hands-on experiments were slightly better than those of simulated laboratories (Cohen's d=0.25), the difference in performance was statistically significant (p<0.02). Through solicited feedback on each laboratory session, in hands-on mode more students expressed they have acquired new insights/comprehensions (76% vs. 66%, Cohen's d=0.23, small effect, p<0.07). CONCLUSIONS Following the strategy not to optimize the lessons individually to the learning mode, other influences on the learning outcome, which were usually mixed, were excluded. The students' subjective opinions show advantages of the hands-on mode. Based on the objective data, a weak, but significant outcome to better knowledge acquisition with hands-on laboratory experiments was achieved. This observation is against the trend of the literature in the last years towards better or equal learning with nontraditional labs. Some of the excluded factors might have a stronger influence on student learning than estimated previously. To get a clear view, the authors recommend isolated research. KW - Hands-on vs. simulated experiment KW - battery experiment KW - learning-mode comparison Y1 - 2017 UR - https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/proceedings-of-the-28th-annual-conference-of-the-australasian-ass UR - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:573-15581 SN - 978-0-646-98026-3 SP - 940 EP - 947 PB - Macquarie University CY - Sydney ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Arbesmeier, Alexander A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Brade, Katja A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg A1 - Belski, Iouri ED - Nagy, Balázs Vince ED - Murphy, Mike ED - Järvinen, Hannu-Matti ED - Kálmán, Anikó T1 - Laboratory learning BT - influence of the perceived laboratory mode on learning outcomes T2 - Varietas delectat… Complexity is the new normality: SEFI 47th Annual Conference Proceedings UR - https://www.sefi.be/proceedings/?conference=2019-budapest-isbn-978-2-87352-018-2 KW - Perceived learning modes KW - Simulated laboratories KW - Hands-on laboratories Y1 - 2019 UR - https://www.sefi.be/proceedings/?conference=2019-budapest-isbn-978-2-87352-018-2 SN - 978-2-87352-018-2 SP - 1897 EP - 1907 PB - SEFI CY - Brüssel ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg A1 - Belski, Iouri ED - Quadrado, José Carlos ED - Bernardino, Jorge ED - Rocha, João T1 - Hands-on Experiments vs. Computer-based Simulations in Energy Storage Laboratories T2 - Proceedings of the 45th SEFI Annual Conference 2017 : Education Excellence for Sustainability KW - Hands-on experiment KW - Simulated experiment KW - Battery experiment KW - Learning-models comparison Y1 - 2017 UR - https://www.sefi.be/conference/2017-azores/ SN - 978-989-98875-7-2 SP - 121 EP - 128 PB - SEFI (Société Européenne pour la Formation des Ingénieurs) CY - Brüssel ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Brade, Katja A1 - Belski, Iouri A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg ED - Quadrado, José Carlos ED - Bernardino, Jorge ED - Rocha, João T1 - Teaching Energy Storages by means of a Student Battery Cell Test System T2 - Proceedings of the 45th SEFI Annual Conference 2017: Education Excellence for Sustainability KW - student experiments KW - energy storage systems KW - battery test system Y1 - 2017 UR - https://www.sefi.be/conference/2017-azores/ SN - 978-989-98875-7-2 SP - 169 EP - 176 PB - SEFI (Société Européenne pour la Formation des Ingénieurs) CY - Brüssel ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Nitsche, Alexander A1 - Brade, Katja A1 - Belski, Iouri A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg ED - Waldherr, Franz ED - Walter, Claudia T1 - Energiespeicher-Praktikum an der TH Ingolstadt BT - reale versus simulierte Experimente T2 - Tagungsband zum Forum der Lehre an der TH Ingolstadt Y1 - 2018 UR - https://didaktikzentrum.de/publikationen/dina-und-tagungsbaende SN - 1612-4537 SP - 90 EP - 97 PB - THI / DiZ CY - Ingolstadt ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Steger, Fabian A1 - Peniche dos Santos, Adriano A1 - Belski, Iouri A1 - Schweiger, Hans-Georg T1 - Impedance Spectroscopy Upgrade to a Student Battery Cell Test System T2 - Abstract Book: International Workshop of Impedance Spectroscopy, IWIS 2017 KW - Impedance Measurement KW - Signal Processing and Modelling KW - Instrumentation and Data Acquisition KW - Engineering Education KW - Hands-on experiment KW - Battery KW - Energy storages KW - Test System KW - Test Bench Y1 - 2017 SP - 24 EP - 25 PB - TU Chemnitz CY - Chemnitz ER -