RT book part
T1 Bilingual supplementary materials to support physics laboratory learning in first-year engineering students
A1 López García, Patricia
A1 Vázquez López-Escobar, Águeda
A1 Ramos-Lerate, Inmaculada
A1 Romero Cózar, Jeanette
A1 Muñoz Pérez, Juan José
A2 Física Aplicada
K1 Higher Education
K1 Teaching Innovation
K1 Physics Laboratory
K1 Success Rate
K1 Bilingual Materials
K1 Knowledge Gap
AB First-year engineering students at the University of Cadiz (Spain) attend Physics laboratory sessionsshortly after transitioning from secondary education. In this context, many students show gaps infoundational knowledge and limited ability to independently perform laboratory tasks. In addition, largestudent-to-group ratios and reluctance to ask questions in class often hinder a more profoundunderstanding of the experiments. To address these challenges, a teaching innovation strategy wasimplemented based on the provision of structured supplementary materials through a virtual learningplatform. These materials include step-by-step laboratory guides and concise theoretical explanations,designed to support prior preparation and promote autonomous work during laboratory sessions.As a key element of inclusivity, all materials were provided bilingually (Spanish and English), ensuringaccessibility for both local and international students, including Erasmus participants. This approachaims to reduce language barriers while supporting diverse learning needs. The intervention wasimplemented during the last academic year (2024-2025) with approximately 150 students enrolled infirst-year engineering courses. Its impact is being evaluated through a comparison of laboratoryperformance indicators with those from previous cohorts. Initial observations indicate a positive effecton students’ ability to complete laboratory tasks and on performance in the practical component.These findings suggest that structured and bilingual supplementary materials can support students inreducing initial knowledge gaps, enhancing engagement, and improving autonomy in laboratorycontexts. This approach represents a practical and scalable strategy for improving teaching practices infirst-year engineering education.
PB IATED
SN 978-84-09-88444-5
SN 2340-1117
YR 2026
FD 2026-07-01
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40114
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40114
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 05-nov-2026