Enhancing Student Motivation in Laboratory Courses: Research-Based Blended Learning versus Traditional Instruction

Although motivation is one of several factors supporting that support effective learning, it can be constrained in traditional chemistry laboratory courses that follow a cookbook approach. To address this issue, a new chemistry laboratory course was designed, based on research-based blended learning and Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience principles (RBBL-CURE). The course was grounded in evidence-based recommendations and explicitly structured according to the MUSIC (eMpowerment, Usefulness, Success, Interest, Caring) model of motivation introduced by Jones in 2009. Students experienced both the RBBL-CURE and traditional laboratory work (TLW) format, allowing within-student comparisons of motivation. Student motivation was assessed using the MUSIC model inventory across its five components. Compared to TLW, the RBBL-CURE format led to significant increases in empowerment (p < 0.001), interest (p = 0.04), and caring (p < 0.001), while maintaining high scores for usefulness and success. The results of this study suggest that RBBL-CURE laboratory courses can offer highly motivating experiences and may, in turn, foster student engagement, with important implications for instructional design in laboratory-based science education.