Creating authentic learning experiences in the laboratory

Authentic learning experiences allow students to connect what they are learning to real-world issues, develop relevant and useful technical and professional skills, and grapple with the complexities of knowledge creation. At Brigham Young University, we have been implementing project-based labs that engage students in authentic learning experiences and experimentation practices. Here I will describe our efforts to incorporate proposal writing, leadership principles, modeling, and statistical data analysis into lab courses in an authentic way.