Work in progress: Video tutorials that enhance laboratory learning

Laboratories are a means by which students take a hands-on approach and practice concepts learned in class lectures under real or close-to-real world settings. This provides a kinesthetic method of learning which rounds out the auditory methods typical of a lecture course. Unfortunately, many students spend most of the lab time troubleshooting their experiment instead of deepening their understanding of the concepts taught in class. This causes frustration and anxiety amongst students. In our opinion, this is due to a lack of knowledge of equipment used in the lab as well as training on different equipment in previous classes. We have developed a video tutorial series for our Biomedical Measurements class that teaches basic circuit building, equipment set-up, and equipment use - students may watch these videos before the lab and at any moment during the lab. Thus far, post-semester surveys have indicated that all respondents, whether bio-electrical, pre-medical, or bio-mechanical concentration in biomedical engineering, find the video tutorials helpful in the lab. The incorporation of technology in the lab session ensures that the lab time is spent deepening conceptual knowledge instead of troubleshooting circuits.