Cross-sectional study of engineering student performance across different types of first-year digital logic design laboratories

As a follow-on to our previous effort of designing the lecture and lab courses that would apply to a predominantly Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AE/ME) undergraduate cohort, this cross-sectional study aims to examine the effect of different types of laboratories on material retention and success in upper level courses. We tracked the performance of each of the 159 students who took part in this study throughout the semester, culminating in a laboratory final that involves applying concepts learned in a practical setting under strict timing constraints. Data show that students attained a more even level of understanding across multiple topics, could apply digital logic design concepts to real-world design problems, and effortlessly used industry standard equipment and tools when the laboratories were blended between "manual wiring"/"cookbook" and "virtual wiring"/"system design" types of experiments. This study provides results that may help other first year engineering departments in designing new courses or laboratory curricula.