Abstract

Instructional laboratories are a key component of the physics curriculum and have long been valued for their educational significance. The expense of maintaining them and ongoing debates about their effectiveness highlight the need for research. However, there is a notable lack of focused efforts to identify the factors that make instructional laboratories effective in enhancing learning at the higher education level. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review (2013–2023) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines of studies on the impact of face-to-face laboratory activities on physics learning in higher education and to identify efficacy factors. Analyzing fifty-nine studies from WoS, SCOPUS, and EBSCO, six research scopes were identified: pedagogical strategies, students’ perspective, laboratories comparison, instrument development, instructor’s behavior, and gender. Three challenges were established: lack of training for new instructors, independent learning opportunities for students, and clarity in laboratory teaching and learning goals. In terms of learning outcomes, the studies reviewed focused on investigating affective factors, students’ views about the nature of science, and the importance of experimental physics. Finally, a framework outlining input, process, and output for laboratory teaching and learning was developed, highlighting research gaps and offering conceptual directions for improving pedagogy and advancing future studies.