Exploring Students’ Hands-On Performance, Attitudes, and Usability with Arduino Modular Boards

Abstract

Utilizing Arduino development boards for learning microcontroller circuits is a prevalent practice across various educational levels. Nevertheless, the literature offers limited insights into the impact of these boards on student performance and attitudes. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the performance of 58 university students in learning microcontroller circuits with modular boards designed for Arduino through a series of 4 exercises. Specifically, students’ performance is assessed through pre-tests and post-tests, in three learning units: (a) microcontroller, (b) coding, and (c) circuit. Additionally, the study captures students’ attitudes and measures their perceived usability of modular boards. For this purpose, the students completed a specially designed attitude questionnaire and the system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire. Statistical analysis is conducted using t-tests, ANOVA, and ANCOVA, along with bootstrapping. The findings reveal statistically significant differences between pre-tests and post-tests in all cases. Among the three learning units, the use of modular boards appears to have the most significant impact on coding. Based on students’ responses, the SUS results indicate that modular boards appear to be a quite usable approach for teaching microcontrollers. Finally, students generally express positive attitudes toward modular boards.

Learning Circuits and Coding with Arduino Board in Higher Education Using Tangible and Graphical User Interfaces

“…Moreover, studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of using Arduino in the educational process. For example, Tselegkaridis and Sapounidis [31] claim that modular boards may enhance code learning for Arduino. Based on them, there is a positive correlation between perceived usability and students' performance.…”