The Implementation of an Open-ended Experiment in the Civil Engineering Laboratory

The execution of the concrete mix design experiment in the civil engineering laboratory was changed to an open-ended style. This paper describes the open-ended concrete mix design experiment implementation and its impact on the overall student grades and learning experiences. 44 students were chosen as a case study. The results showed that overall grading represents the students’ abilities in designing and conducting the experiment, analysing and interpreting the experiment's results and working in a group. Students understood the experimental concepts better than with traditional experiment instruction and would be prepared for the undergraduate final year project.