Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre

This resource considers the practical challenges of designing laboratory learning within a modern engineering curriculum. It provides ideas and practical guidance for both staff new to teaching and for experienced staff who wish to rethink or reinvigorate their approach.

The resource is structured around a model of course design:

• Aims and learning outcomes
• Design for learning
• Delivery
• Assessment
• Evaluation

Learning goals and models of pedagogy are looked at in terms of underpinning the design of practical work (at both programme and module levels) that is effective in promoting student learning.

Good practice in laboratory teaching, assessment, alternative approaches and ways of ensuring that delivery is accessible to disabled students are considered. The use of learning technologies to support delivery and assessment is also explored.

This resource is a gateway to relevant educational literature and to examples of developments in laboratory learning being supported by the Engineering Subject Centre through its funding of small-scale projects.

Download the PDF version of this guide (551KB)

About the Author

Clara Davies is a Senior Academic Staff Development Officer at the University of Leeds and is involved in designing and delivering programmes in learning and teaching to support new and experienced staff and those who have a part-time teaching role at the University. Her main interests are in student support and retention. Clara has a background in Engineering, with extensive experience both as a researcher in industry and as a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering at Liverpool John Moores University. Together with two colleagues she has written a book on course design (Butcher, Davies & Highton, 2006).