Parreira, P., & Yao, E. (2018). Experimental Design Laboratories in Introductory Physics Courses: Enhancing Cognitive Tasks and Deep Conceptual Learning. Physics Education, 53(5).
This example presents an alternative to the regular introductory level physics laboratory experiments. The authors are professors at the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, U.K. The experimental design lab consists of two main sessions: familiarization with the equipment and planning, and dealing with the experimental challenge itself. Students are instructed to discuss in small groups all stages of their experimental challenge. The example provided involves building a data-logger with an Arduino. Students (n=280) were divided in groups of five and asked to submit their feedback to two open-ended questions in groups together with the lab report. The feedback received was voluntary and represented 93% of the class. Analysis with frequency data is summarized. Results suggest that student perception regarding the alternative labs is very positive. The authors say this may explain their overall better performance when compared to regular labs (data on student performance not included).