Quick Overview

  • Science educators say lab reports in science classes often become tedious, compliance-oriented exercises, but this is not inevitable and should not be the case. Shifting toward teaching methods that encourage critical thinking and creative exploration can make lab reports more engaging and, therefore, more memorable.
  • Stephen Jehl, Director of Program Design and Innovation at the National Math and Science Initiative, points out that routine lab experiences may win over "rule-followers and grade-driven students," but such labs mostly teach students to follow procedures rather than to explore or discover anything unexpected or novel.
  • Jehl says lab assignments should not stop at finding the correct answer. Students should design their own experimental procedures, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and defend their conclusions in front of the class.

Deeper Insights

This approach may be implemented differently across regions and different types of school districts.

At Lennox Mathematics, Science, and Technology Academy in Lennox, California, physics and engineering teacher Jose Rivas has secured mentors and even internships for students from local engineering companies. Meanwhile, in rural Marion County School District in Columbia, Mississippi, Alicia Conerly, a former science teacher and current federal programs director, recalls using local resources ranging from horse breeding to native plants to spark student interest.

"You have to start from the students' 'need to know,' which you typically don't get from cookie-cutter labs," says Jehl, a former physics and robotics teacher.

"Don't just collect the lab report and give a grade. Instead, have students stand up and explain their reasoning—why they did what they did," Jehl says. "These are soft skills students will use in STEM careers and beyond."

Jehl adds that this approach introduces a "peer dimension" that can motivate students who are less concerned about grades and have not yet developed a passion for the subject.

"First, they don't want to look foolish in front of their peers," he says. "Even the most disruptive student in the classroom feels a certain level of peer pressure not to let down their partner."

With schools surrounded by companies like Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, Rivas says he continuously applies for grants and builds connections, including maintaining contact with Lennox alumni working at these companies. He says AP physics students have secured internships, while his general physics students collaborate with mentors on projects with local significance, such as exploring ways to reduce noise from aircraft taking off and landing at nearby Los Angeles International Airport.

Rivas notes that the projects his classes undertake inherently carry a purpose beyond compliance.

"Why are we solving for 'X'? What does that 'X' mean to me?" he says. "You have to give them a purpose and a 'why.'"

Rivas also says science educators need to give students room to "fail" in the lab environment.

"The process of science and engineering is messy," he says. "You have to iterate. Why didn't it work? What do I need to fix? There are never mistakes—just areas for improvement. Many times, the fear of failure prevents students from truly engaging. Many times, grades become the obstacle."

Conerly, a former president of the National Science Teaching Association, recalls past lab projects that included having students trace a horse's lineage as far back as possible; making biology labs more relevant by interviewing family members with conditions such as sickle cell anemia; and giving human anatomy and physiology students the opportunity to observe human specimens in partnership with Mississippi Christian University (formerly Mississippi College).

Conerly believes that since her teaching days, the district has built extensive partnerships with higher education institutions.

"Teachers are taking full advantage of opportunities to take students to those places... deliberately arranging visits to applied science classrooms and nursing programs," she says. "We're seeing more emphasis on this because we're trying to close the talent gap in STEM fields."

Jehl says districts need to ensure teachers are adequately trained to move beyond compliance-oriented lab reports.

"If teachers lack confidence in the content and pedagogy, they won't try these approaches," he says. "As a result, they end up putting students on a very narrow, structured path."