Methods of Conducting Laboratory Classes in Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Instructional Approaches and Their Pedagogical Effectiveness

Laboratory classes are a central component of science, engineering, and technical education, yet the way they are conducted varies widely across higher education institutions. This article reviews the principal methods of organizing laboratory instruction and compares their pedagogical characteristics. A narrative review of peer-reviewed literature on laboratory instruction was conducted, and the identified approaches were classified by the degree of student autonomy, the type of learning environment, and the role of the instructor. Four groups of methods were identified: (1) expository (traditional "cookbook") laboratories, (2) inquiry-based and discovery laboratories, (3) problem-based and project-based laboratories, and (4) technology-mediated laboratories, including virtual, remote, and blended formats. The literature suggests that expository laboratories are efficient for developing basic manipulative skills but limited in fostering conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning, whereas inquiry- and problem-based approaches better support higher-order thinking when adequately scaffolded. Virtual and remote laboratories can achieve learning outcomes comparable to hands-on work, and the strongest results are often reported for blended designs. The article concludes that no single method is universally superior; effective laboratory instruction depends on aligning the method with explicit learning outcomes, providing pre-laboratory preparation, and using structured assessment and feedback.