Abstract:

Laboratory sessions provide fundamental training for experimental sciences degrees. In these sessions, the students learn how to measure and communicate scientific results. They also get into direct contact with important concepts and phenomena that are thoroughly explained in the related theoretical sessions. We have introduced the use of H5P activities to complement the laboratory sessions. They are aimed at reviewing the experimental setup and technique used in the session as well as the magnitudes involved. They can also provide additional material through links or videos. Students complete the H5P activities in groups with the presence of an instructor, but they can also use it freely outside the laboratory. The instructor’s function is not to evaluate students but to assist them in their doubts. In some cases, answering a question implies the old-proven interactive method of a discussion with a blackboard or a piece of paper that could help improving the proposed activities. Overall, the students like the interactive activities and the instant feedback provided by the H5P technology. Instructors like how easy it is to use this technology and its integration into the virtual environment of the university. They also value the possibility of having a virtual document where videos, links to external material such as articles, and interactive activities can be grouped. On the flip side, they worry about the excessive gamification of the content. On the technical side, they miss the possibility of including equations in the H5P content through MathML and having to use images instead. They would also like the option of including javascript-based simulations in the same way as external videos can be included in H5P technology.

Keywords:

Laboratory sessions, H5P, gamification, e-learning.