{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,16]],"date-time":"2026-02-16T08:31:31Z","timestamp":1771230691028,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,5]],"date-time":"2024-02-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1707091200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Information"],"abstract":"<jats:p>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\u2019 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\u2019 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\u2019 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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/info15020088","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,6]],"date-time":"2024-02-06T07:50:12Z","timestamp":1707205812000},"page":"88","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Exploring Students\u2019 Hands-On Performance, Attitudes, and Usability with Arduino Modular Boards"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0825-0787","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sokratis","family":"Tselegkaridis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information and Electronic Engineering, International Hellenic University (IHU), 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0763-2516","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Theodosios","family":"Sapounidis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"150","article-title":"Effectiveness of Virtual Laboratories in Science Education: A Meta-Analysis","volume":"12","author":"Santos","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. 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