Improving Student Learning Experience in Fluid Mechanics with Lecture/Lab Alignment and Post-Lab Discussion

The paper explores curriculum development within the laboratory component of a fluid mechanics course taught at the University of Iceland. The paper addresses various steps taken to improve the laboratory work component of the course, such as, shortening experiments, aligning the schedule of laboratory work exercises with lectures, and adding postlab discussions. University midterm and end of term surveys were not effective to measure the consequences of the changes, so an additional survey focused on laboratory work was made. In addition, a student focus group interview was held three years into the study to further confirm and deepen the findings on the effect of the changes made. All measurements indicate an improvement in the laboratory component by using the new schedule, in particular with the synchronization of lectures and experiments and with the addition of postlab discussions, where the results of all lab groups are compared and analyzed. Students reported increased satisfaction with the laboratory work, more appropriate workload, and better understanding of and learning from the laboratory work as compared to the past.