Scalable Inquiry-Based STEM Instruction: A Blended Virtual-Physical Lab Concept for Large Lab Courses

About This Grant

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing scalable, inquiry-based teaching practices for large laboratory courses in the STEM disciplines. Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) enhances students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, essential competencies in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. Physical laboratories provide valuable opportunities for students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, enhancing their conceptual understanding. However, scaling self-guided inquiry in large lab courses faces significant challenges due to limited resources such as equipment, space, and staff. To bridge this gap, virtual laboratories offer interactive digital simulations, enabling large-scale, cost-effective experimentation. Research suggests that a blended approach—integrating physical and virtual labs—yields the best outcomes. Yet, there remains a critical need to explore how students transfer lecture and lab learning into independently designing and conducting experiments. This Level II Engaged Student Learning project plans to identify effective methods for offering inquiry-based lab experiences to large numbers of students, anchored in a synergistic blend of physical and virtual experiments. This project seeks to introduces Scalable Inquiry-Based Lab Experiences (SIBLE), a new instructional framework designed to address challenges to providing self-guided inquiry in large lab courses. The project team plans to implement and evaluate the SIBLE framework in large fluid mechanics lab courses at Purdue University's West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses (serving over 1,500 students annually) to explore three key research questions: (1) Impact: How does SIBLE enhance students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and career readiness compared to traditional methods? (2) Assessment: How can effective, meaningful feedback mechanisms be integrated into the SIBLE framework? (3) Adoption: What challenges arise in adapting SIBLE to other STEM courses and institutions? Anchored in an inquiry-based model, SIBLE progressively guides students through investigations, integrating physical and virtual experiments with AI-driven feedback tools. This synergy is expected to provide practical scalability, fostering enriched learning experiences regardless of class size. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.