Towards a Self-managed and Gamified Laboratory Experience in Undergraduate Engineering Education

Education systems have been forced to adapt due to the restrictions led by COVID-19. Engineering laboratory classes were arguably the most affected by the changes in the educational model due to their practical nature. The lack of hands-on experience during the online mode of teaching has left a gap in the students' social, teamwork, and troubleshooting skills. This regression has put a strain on faculty members to allow for a smooth transition to bring students back on track. This paper introduces an educational model to assist with managing engineering lab sessions, serving both faculty and students. The proposed model includes self-managing labs through assigning roles to students and the introduction of gamified lab activities. This model aims to enhance students' engagement, and therefore, improves students' competencies and facilitates their attainment of necessary practical skills. The model is implemented on a group of students from various years of study. Students were surveyed about their experiences and perception of the implemented model. It was shown that the majority of students perceived an increase in both their soft skills and hard skills and overall had a more engaging lab experience.