Comparing Two Different Styles of Physics Laboratory Education

Abstract

We compare two different laboratory exercises in the undergraduate physics
education at Lund University. The two exercises handle similar topics but
have a distinctly different structure. Reports from both, written by the same
students, have been assessed and compared. In addition, a comparative
survey has been conducted among the students. We find no significant
difference in how well the students understood the key concepts in the two
laboratory exercises. However, the survey shows that much of the learning
process can be shifted from the report writing to the preparations by having
discussion sessions before the experimental session.