Abstract:

Currently teaching in modern measurement courses in thermal engineering includes lectures, video lectures, guided problem solution exercises, literature review and laboratory exercises. In this paper is described the experiences gained from a course in which all the disciplines are included. The aim is to investigate the student learning habits and experience in the context of an example case. In this course a lumped parameter relative simple theory of heat conduction is explained in lectures, in exercises and finally in a laboratory exercise. Finally the same problem is solved in the exam. The aim is to study how the students have learned this type problem solving skills, in theory and in praxis at the laboratory. This problem setup provides the possibility to evaluate how different learning styles learn the current subject. Also the student experiences are evaluated with a questionnaire.
The results show that and third of the students doesn’t take part to lectures, they prefer to use the video lectures. Most students take the lectures and don’t use the video lectures. The taking part to the lectures and exercises gives a strong correlation to success in the exam considering this particular lumped parameter problem. The students experience the laboratory exercise very useful even when it requires minimum effort from them. The whole exercise is worked out in two hours. The results support the praxis of providing many different ways to learn the subject.

Keywords:

Laboratory exercises, learning styles, Thermal engineering.