“Everything I love about physics” in a project-based undergraduate laboratory course

Abstract

We report on the development and implementation of P+, a novel project-based physics lab course. In this inquiry-based format, students choose their own topics, design and build the experimental setups, and conduct their own experiments. We discuss the pedagogical rationale behind P+, its implementation within the existing lab course format, and the challenges and successes encountered in the first two semesters of its conduction. We assess the skill development via a student survey, tracking their self-perceived skill levels associated with a set of learning goals. We find that all learning objectives are achieved in the new format at least to the same extent as in the standard laboratory course. Particularly positive effects are observed in the categories ‘designing an experiment’ and ‘scientific communication’. In addition, students benefit from increased collaboration, a structured approach to project development, and the opportunity to explore their interests, which leads to exceptionally high motivation, a key factor for efficient learning.