工程教育的实践教学应重视入学教育

21世纪的高等工程教育目标为培养具有"大工程"意识和技能的工程师.实践环节是工程教育重要组成部分,限定性实践教学中的入学教育部分是整个工程教育的开端,此阶段工作开展效果直接影响学生高等教育阶段的专业认识、职业规划和人才培养效果.天津大学化工学院过程装备与控制工程系针对当代大学生特点,对新入学大一学生进行普遍调查,针对学生存在的专业认识不到位、个人发展前景等问题,从两方面着手解决.一方面推荐专业通识读物,另一方面组织已毕业学长和本专业教师进行针对性讲座,使其更好地了解所学专业、如何进行大学学习及往届学生毕业去向,帮助大一学生进行职业规划,提供学习动力.     

Online chemical engineering education during COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned from Pakistan

The development of Covid-19 epidemic into a pandemic led to great changes in education delivery modes around the globe. Online education (OE) began after the closure of education buildings. The unprepared start of OE led to access barriers, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. This work explores the scope of OE during COVID-19 in Pakistani institutions offering the degree of Chemical Engineering. A mixed-method approach was followed with a sample of 10 teachers and 1200 students from public and private sector universities. Teacher data came from semi-structured interviews by email, while students’ views of their learning experiences were collected through an online survey. The learners' responses showed that the unprecedented and unprepared shift to online course delivery lowered their motivation and interest in learning and they do not perceive the present practice as useful for several reasons. However, the teachers believed that the transition to OE helped the continuity of education, though they had to face technical, personal, social, learning-management-related, and other barriers they were not adequately equipped to deal with effectively. The results imply the need for a rapid preparation phase to enhance the effectiveness of OE during a crisis. The results may assist academics and policymakers in revising decisions regarding the great education migration to OE.     

Teaching engineering for a changing landscape

Engineering educators face a rapidly changing, and ever more challenging world. Rapidly evolving industry demands, accreditation agencies, and students themselves are calling for an engineering education with integrated multidisciplinary design knowledge, leadership, communication, business, education, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and lifelong learning explicitly included in their undergraduate programs. Students still need the core content knowledge of thermodynamics, mass, energy, and momentum balances and fluxes. They also need integrated socio‐contextual knowledge to evaluate a design for sustainability and demonstrate a net positive social benefit. There is only so much time available in an undergraduate program and learning takes time. These challenges are driving changes to both what and how we teach our students to integrate broader competencies and enhance engineering student graduate attribute achievement. A framework for engineering education includes fundamental and socio‐contextual knowledge integrated with metacognitive and professional skill development. This contribution provides practical ideas for how to infuse these dimensions into courses, support the developing engineering practice, and deepen student engagement with their courses.     

制药工程本科教学——能力培养的探索

如何培养制药工程专业学生的能力,是制药工程专业教学研究的一个重要和富有挑战性的课题。根据制药工程专业培养目标,结合制药企业对人才的知识和能力的要求,文章对制药工程专业本科教学能力培养的模式和方法进行了探索。构建了富有实用性的能力培养体系和内容。     

过程装备专业工程流体力学课程的地位与教学要求

本文针对过程装备的专业内涵和人才培养,阐述对工程流体力学课程地位与意义的认识,明确了本课程性质、教学任务、教学目的,最后就过程装备专业工程流体力学课程的教学内容与要求提出了建议,以推进课程教学水平的提高。     

Development and deployment of an immersive learning environment for enhancing process systems engineering concepts

This work differentiates itself from most educational based multimedia resources by catering for two distinct audience groups. The first group is undergraduate process engineering students in a number of Australian institutions, whereas the second group represents operational staff at the industrial facilities covered by the interface. This presents challenges in pedagogy, educational pitch, industrial relations and project management. It has also added a sales driver to the project as we market the resource to industry as an operator training resource.The learning environment is based around spherical imagery of real operating plants coupled with interactive embedded activities and content. This virtual reality (VR) learning tool has been developed by applying aspects of relevant educational theory and proven instructive teaching approaches. Principles such as constructivism, interactivity, cognitive load and learner-centred design have been central considerations when constructing and structuring this resource. Structural challenges include determining a framework for the basic environment, the repository for the VR and activities, as well as the development of a learning platform arrangement to support self-directed learning in the interface. Some of the system's current functionality is demonstrated through snapshots of the screen configuration. Future developments within the interface are revealed.     

Process safety part of the engineering education DNA

One of the biggest challenges in modern engineering education is to raise awareness about the basic principles of process safety. Although several organizations such as AIChE—through CCPS and SAChE—, IChemE and ABET are trying to seek suitable learning environments, there is still lack of courses or programs aimed at making students conscious about accident causes and prevention. This paper presents a strategy to raise awareness in undergraduate engineering students about this topic. Our strategy consists of four educating modules that can be taught as part of core courses. We have implemented our strategy in 14 Colombian universities in five undergraduate engineering programs: Chemical, Industrial, Mechanical, Environmental, and Process Engineering. This pedagogical material was validated by experts in process safety from the Colombian Oil Company (ECOPETROL), faculty from various universities, and the Process Design group at Los Andes University. This proposed open education approach, which is a shared initiative between industry-academia, has been well received by all stakeholders. During 2016, it has incorporated 28 faculty and the enrollment of more than 1732 students. This process needs long-term sustainability to fulfill the primary purpose of including process safety in the engineer's education.     

Learning first principles theories under digital divide: Effects of virtual cooperative approach on the motivation of learning

Studies revealed that existing lockdowns due to COVID-19 across developing countries resulted in education access inequalities and challenges. Closure of schools and higher education institutions have forced educators to deliver courses and assessments distantly as an immediate countermeasure against threats on the academic progression of students. Specifically, students marginalized by digital divides were found to have less satisfaction in learning experiences under this emergency online learning method. For students with science and engineering background, it is a challenge to learn first principles theories in the online environment which could affect their learning motivation level. This paper presents the implementation of online cooperative learning in the course Material and Energy Balance which covered the fundamental principles of Chemical Engineering. The impact of virtual cooperative learning approach to reduce the loss of motivation due to digital divide was investigated. Firstly, it was found that most of the students, from different backgrounds of digital access, experienced a drop in motivation at the start of emergency online learning. Secondly, when virtual cooperative learning was implemented, an increase in students’ motivation at both sides of the digital divide was observed. The implications concerning provisions to design an all-inclusive online learning environment are also presented. We found that the incorporation of cooperative learning approach could contribute towards alleviating the drop in motivation, especially for the digitally disadvantaged students. We hope that the findings from this study could compel instructors or education practitioners to rethink and redesign the online teaching and learning activities to enable a more inclusive emergency online learning environment for digitally disadvantaged students.     

An effective blended online teaching and learning strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic

The shift to distance teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a real challenge for both instructors and students. To face these difficulties in teaching undergraduate Chemistry courses at the University of Santo Tomas, a blended learning strategy in the context of teaching and learning of Physical Chemistry 1 and Analytical Chemistry for Chemical Engineering students were employed. Here, we present an online strategy that facilitated the transition from traditional face-to-face learning to full online instruction. This is a five-component blended learning strategy referred to as Discover, Learn, Practice, Collaborate and Assess (DLPCA). In DLPCA, the asynchronous part of the teaching was achieved through broadcast of pre-recorded lecture videos on YouTube to allow students to study and progress with learning at their own pace. The synchronous part of the teaching was conducted using video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom or Google Meet. The DLPCA strategy was presented and discussed to the students prior to its implementation. The analysis of the teaching and learning experience based on three indicators (i) student’s learning experience, (ii) student’s academic performance and (iii) instructor observations showed that DLPCA had a positive impact on students and instructors. The identified challenges were stability of internet connection and instructor’s familiarity with readily available internet-based teaching tools, such as video conferencing software. Instructors must also find means to improve their interaction with students and maintain student interest and engagement during online classes. The survey also indicated that most of the students are satisfied with the DLCPA strategy. Hence, this strategy is considered a manageable and effective alternative that can be adapted to full online instruction to other undergraduate Chemistry lecture courses. Overall, the findings and insights in this study will add valuable resources for further hybrid instruction in the post-COVID-19 time in higher education.     

Evaluating the problem-solving skills of graduating chemical engineering students

Research has shown that engineering students may not be learning to solve the kinds of complex problems they will be required to solve as practicing engineers (“authentic problems”). Though it is widely believed that we teach engineering problem-solving throughout the undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum, this has not been tested. In this study we use a new instrument for measuring the authentic problem-solving skills of graduating seniors in chemical engineering at two different universities in the context of chemical process design. We find large variations across different areas of process design problem solving as to how expert-like students are in general, and variations between the two institutions. Students were able to identify the same safety issues as experts, but they were conspicuously “nonexpert” in other areas, such as in identifying the important features of a design problem. By examining the respective curricula at the two institutions, we are able to show how the variations both within and across institutions in the specific problem-solving skills students master matches with the practice they get during their undergraduate careers. The results imply that more thoroughly integrating practice in authentic design and problem-solving decisions into the undergraduate curriculum would result in students graduating with capabilities more comparable to those of skilled engineers.     

Cambridge weblabs: A process control system using industrial standard SIMATIC PCS 7

Continually assessed project work forms a core part of the Chemical Engineering curriculum at Cambridge. We have designed and built a remotely controlled chemical reactor that has been used and evaluated in undergraduate chemical engineering education. The purpose was to provide a pedagogical and authentic experience to students with essential training when laboratory usage was impossible or impractical, and be able to run and share the experiments as a fully functioning chemical engineering plant. A state-of-the-art SIMATIC PCS 7 Process Control System from Siemens is used for controlling, monitoring and providing results output. We describe the experimental setup, the hard- and software used, the teaching assignment and finally the results of the student evaluation. We also describe the challenges on the sustainability of the weblabs.     

制药工程专业实践教学改革的几点思考

制药工程实践教学是专业建设的主体内容,是学生应用能力培养的重要环节。文章阐述了我院是如何从开设制药工艺综合实验、建立实习与人才创新培养基地、开展学生短期顶岗实习的新模式、建设"双师型"教师队伍、实施本科生科研导师制等方面,对传统实践教学环节在形式和内容上加以创新和改革,真正体现制药工程专业人才培养的特色,满足现代医药企业对"应用型"、"复合型"制药人才的需求。     

A portfolio replacement for a traditional final exam in thermodynamics

As in many undergraduate chemical engineering courses, Bucknell University’s Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics course typically had a summative final exam that constituted a substantial portion of a student’s overall grade. In the spring 2020 semester, emergency remote instruction was instituted for the final six weeks of the semester, making a simultaneous timed exam a less attractive option for summative assessment. In place of the exam, students were asked to provide a portfolio of situations, calculations, and reflections documenting that they had achieved core learning outcomes. Assessment of these portfolios revealed comparable student performance on learning outcomes to those documented by exams in previous years. Students reported a generally favorable impression of the portfolio assignment, particularly given the novel remote-instruction circumstances. Portfolios took a similar amount of instructor time to grade using a rubric. This assignment is easily modifiable for use in other chemical engineering courses.     

Motivating K-12 students to study pharmaceutical engineering using guided hands-on visits

The pharmaceutical industry is important for the economy of Puerto Rico and is currently trying to improve the understanding of the science and fundamentals behind its operations. The main objectives of our Education and Outreach program at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez (UPRM), as a member of the Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems, include the use of K-12 activities to improve student recruitment and to train engineering graduates who are able to disseminate and apply their knowledge across disciplines and advance technology. Here we report the results of an educational initiative where graduate and undergraduate students guide K-12 students through a series of hands-on modules in a pharmaceutical operations laboratory. The modules include solid mixing, tablet compression and tablet dissolution. The students are also exposed to demonstrations about combustible dust and an automated tablet press. The aim of these guided visits is to introduce middle and high school students to basic concepts of Pharmaceutical Engineering in an interactive way and motivate them to attend the University preferably in a related area. From to 2008 to 2011, this initiative impacted 328 students and 18 teachers from 11 K-12 schools in Puerto Rico, 20 undergraduate and 6 graduate students of the Chemical Engineering Department at UPRM. A comparison of the preliminary and final tests demonstrated that the students are learning new pharmaceutical concepts and the results of the satisfaction survey indicate that almost 89% of the participants rated the visits as excellent.     

Assessing the impact of augmented reality application on students’ learning motivation in chemical engineering

Application of augmented reality (AR) in education has recently grown in interest due to distant, online, and self-directed learning. In this study, the impact of implementing an AR application on chemical engineering students’ learning motivation and performance was assessed. Two interactive AR lessons on common industrial equipment (i.e., centrifugal pump and shell-and-tube heat exchanger) were developed on the EON-XR platform. A cohort of 50 undergraduate chemical engineering students participated in the AR lessons and evaluated its impact on students’ learning motivation and usefulness as a learning resource. The level of students’ learning motivation was assessed with a 16-item questionnaire based on the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) from Keller’s ARCS model, and qualitative questions related to the future of AR technology in chemical engineering education. Results show that 82% of respondents found AR lessons helpful compared to conventional lesson delivery modes, while 92% were supportive for AR lessons to be an additional resource to existing learning materials. These findings demonstrated that AR technology impacted students’ learning motivation positively across multiple constructs, namely ‘Attention’, ‘Relevance’, ‘Confidence’ and ‘Satisfaction’ and showed great potential as an innovative pedagogical advancement in chemical engineering education.     

“水污染控制工程”课程教学改革与学生创新能力的培养

“水污染控制工程”是环境工程本科专业的核心课程之一.从师资队伍建设、充实教学内容、改进教学方法、提高学生实践创新能力等几方面对“水污染控制工程”课程建设与改革进行了探讨.     

化学反应过程与设备教学改革与实践

化学反应过程与设备是化工类学生的专业基础课,对培养学生的化学反应工程基础、提高工程分析能力具有重大作用。文章针对化工职业技术学院的办学特点,阐述了化学反应过程与设备在教学过程中在教学内容、教学方法及实践教学过程中的改革,以提高学习效率和学生的就业能力。     

The role of tutors in peer led teaching

Problem based learning can impact not only on students’ academic performance but also their social interactions within their peer group, and many institutions have embedded such teaching within their core curriculum. This paper looks at the interactions within a first year undergraduate engineering cohort that uses peers to tutor small groups through problem based learning at a Scottish Higher Education Institution. Most significantly, this work focusses on the impact that these interactions have on the students engaged as tutors within the programme, bridging the gap left by previous studies and providing an insight into how tutors are affected by their experiences. It was found that the recruitment of tutors requires careful consideration of their social as well as academic qualities, and that they should receive training and guidance within their adopted roles that takes account of social factors, questioning the traditional practice of employing individuals purely on the basis that they have studied the class previously themselves. The dynamic of tutor position with regard to the presence of senior staff is also explored, and suggests mechanisms for further student development.     

化工原理理论教学的改革

化工原理是一门直接服务于化工生产第一线的课程。从认识实习中发现问题,激发学习兴趣,并利用各种教学手段培养学生解决问题的方法,将复杂的理论简单化,并通过方法和过程的讲解潜移默化教会学生解决工程问题的基本方法,培养学生的工程观念和创新思维。     

对地方普通高校化工类专业施行导师制的几点思考

实施导师制对于培养品学兼优、具有较强实践能力和创新能力高素质的人才具有重要意义。本文探讨了在地方普通高校化工类专业实行导师制的可能性,指出了在本科教育中实现导师制需具备的条件。