Learning-by-Doing: The Chem-E-Car Competition® in the University of Cantabria as case study

It is widely known that the Learning-by-Doing (LbD) pedagogical tool is not the most common form of education in Chemical Engineering nowadays. The aim of this work is to describe the application of LbD considering as case of study the participation of undergraduate students from the Chemical Engineering Degree of the University of Cantabria (UC) from Spain in the Chem-E-Car Competition^® in the 10^th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (WCCE10). The Chem-E-Car Competition^® is a world-known student event run by AIChE, which provides chemical engineering undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in a team-oriented hands-on design and construction of a small prototype car powered by a chemical reaction. Within the context of the WCCE10, the competition gathered 18 teams from different countries all around the world. The UC team ended in the 6^th position and won the award to the best inherent safety design. Overall, the benefits outpaced the time cost both for students and the teaching staff. This situation was not clear at the beginning of the project.Prior to this competition, LbD was used as an innovative pedagogical tool for the requested acquisition of competences. The proposal of a multi-annual Final Degree Programme was a win–win situation for all the stakeholders. From a teaching point of view, the LbD let transferable and core competences to be evaluated not only internally, but also externally thanks to the competition. A survey was completed among the students that participated in the project. Competences such as “Problem-solving” and “Adaptation to new situations” were pointed out as those which were developed in a higher level by the students.     

《化工专业毕业设计内容及深度规定》的研究与实践

改革和创新工程技术人才培养模式,建立和完善工程技术人才教育和管理体系,是高校教育工作者的神圣职责。为贯彻《卓越工程师教育培养计划》精神,我们根据中北大学化学工程与工艺专业毕业设计教学大纲,参照化工行业设计标准,建立了《化工毕业设计内容及深度规定》,使毕业设计目标明确化,过程程序化,成果规范化,提高了毕业设计效率和质量。经实践检验,效果显著。     

制药工程本科生实践创新能力培养方法浅析

培养实践创新能力是高校肩负的历史重任,是大学生特别是制药工程专业学生在大学期间教育的重要内容。本文以本科毕业专题为基础,开展对制药工程专业本科生实践创新能力培养方法的探讨,目的是为更好的培养制药工程专业本科生的实践创新能力提供借鉴和参考。     

KBR (Kinetics in Batch Reactors): a MATLAB-based application with a friendly Graphical User Interface for chemical kinetic model simulation and parameter estimation

The simulation of chemical kinetic models is necessary in order to analyze comprehensive chemical reaction mechanisms and perform the estimation of the kinetic parameters. In many cases, a chemical process can be composed of several series and/or independent reactions that requires a complex set of kinetic equations to be solved. Computer-based tools for the study of kinetics of chemical reaction networks have been used since the last 50 years. However, the educational tools in this field should be friendly for the user and easy to learn and adapt to practical cases, avoiding long frustrating learning curves. Herein, the main objective of this contribution is to present a Matlab® application for the evaluation of Kinetics in Batch Reactors (KBR), which will help students to estimate kinetic parameters of complex chemical reaction models. The KBR application was used in the Final Degree Projects of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Degrees at Rey Juan Carlos University (Spain). This application provides a friendly Graphical User Interface to formulate any kind of kinetic model for subsequent simulation in order to monitor the evolution of reagents and products along the reaction time. Moreover, the student will be able to estimate kinetic parameters according to available experimental data as well as to apply sensitivity analysis of those parameters for particular cases of chemical reactions in batch systems. Finally, the results can be exported for further analysis as a spreadsheet of an Excel® file (.xlsx).     

Proposed vertical integration of prior learning to support students undertaking Chemical Engineering Design

During academic session 2008–2009, the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, changed Year 4 Chemical Engineering Design project teaching to include mixed groups from Bachelors and Masters programmes; team delivery and two separate components of design. This paper presents data for 408 students studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde pre and post change; exploring the impact of these changes and highlighting potential for supported, vertically integrated learning programmes, across the first four years of teaching, to provide a framework fostering student confidence and autonomy. The impact of course restructuring indicates that Bachelors students’ aspirations are increased, with no detriment to Masters performance. Early years performance over this period is unchanged, allowing separate investigation of the changes made in 2008–2009. Gender basis analysis shows that male students’ performance is little affected, although the whole cohort fit shows a marked change due to the improved performance of low attaining female students. Post 2009 final performance shows direct correlation with Chemical Engineering Design mark, suggesting the latter may indicate final expected grades for given students. The study reveals widely applicable benefits for increased student motivation, managing expectation, and facilitating students’ utilisation and integration of knowledge gained during their studies.     

A successful experience with the flipped classroom in the Transport Phenomena course

Transport Phenomena is a core subject in Chemical Engineering studies. Its fundamentals need significant effort to be understood. Furthermore, students must apply theory to solve practical engineering problems, and it is usually problem resolution which has the largest weight in course assessment. However, due to the high amount of theory that must be covered in Transport Phenomena courses, usually little classroom time is reserved for practice and problem-solving skills are not worked in class. This constitutes a serious misalignment between learning activities, expected outcomes and evaluation. In this article, we propose the flipped classroom as a suitable methodology to solve this issue. As a pilot study, we flipped one unit of the Transport Phenomena course of the Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. Theory was provided through whiteboard animated video before the classroom sessions. Classroom time was mainly dedicated to participative discussion and problem solving in small groups. Satisfaction questionnaires were used to monitor student perception of learning quality before and after the methodology update. Student judgement on the interest of the subject and the value of the learnt concepts boosted about 20% on average with the flipped classroom. Around 70% of the surveyed students reported that the new methodology increased their motivation and that it helped them to learn both theory and practice. These results indicate that the flipped classroom is suitable for highly-technical classes with a large amount of complex theory, and it helps in the understanding and application of such theory.     

Retraction

By this notice the Editor and Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science retract from publication the following two articles: "Effect of Various Inorganic Fillers on the Friction and Wear Behaviors of Polyphenylene Sulfide," Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science,Volume 68, No. 10, June 6, 1998, pp. 1643-1650 "Transition Between Transient and Steady-State Wear in the Sliding of Poly(phenylene sulfide) Against a Tool Steel Counterface," Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 69, No. 6, August 8, 1998, pp. 1099-1106 The reason for this action is that the intellectual property of the article does not belong to the authors cited. Rather it was taken without permission from the Master's Thesis (Iowa State University) of Qing Zhao. Mr. Zhao and Professor Shyam Bahadur have submitted a paper based on Mr. Zhao's Master's Thesis to the Journal of Wear. The Editor and the Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science regret the occurrence of this unfortunate incident.     

A review of the contributions of P. Raj Bishnoi to chemical engineering

This paper provides a review of Professor Bishnoi's research contributions in the broad discipline of chemical engineering. Prof. Bishnoi has been a dedicated mentor, collaborator, innovator, and outstanding researcher. He has had a most productive and illustrious career, spanning more than four decades in both academia and industry. He is among the top 50 most-published authors of the The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. He initiated a most successful and renowned research group at the University of Calgary, which was dedicated to the understanding of thermodynamics and kinetics related to the formation and decomposition of gas hydrates as well as the chemical engineering process design and simulation. As a tribute to Prof. Bishnoi's numerous scientific and engineering contributions and innovations, this review highlights his academic and research accomplishments, which included the training of several doctoral degree students, master's degree students, and postdoctoral scholars and research associates. In this paper, we have divided Prof. Bishnoi's research contributions into three broad areas, namely, chemical thermodynamics of hydrocarbon systems, process development and simulation, and thermodynamics and kinetics of the formation and decomposition of gas hydrates.     

Retraction

By this notice the Editor and Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science retract from publication the following two articles: "Effect of Various Inorganic Fillers on the Friction and Wear Behaviors of Polyphenylene Sulfide," Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science,Volume 68, No. 10, June 6, 1998, pp. 1643-1650 "Transition Between Transient and Steady-State Wear in the Sliding of Poly(phenylene sulfide) Against a Tool Steel Counterface," Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 69, No. 6, August 8, 1998, pp. 1099-1106 The reason for this action is that the intellectual property of the article does not belong to the authors cited. Rather it was taken without permission from the Master's Thesis (Iowa State University) of Qing Zhao. Mr. Zhao and Professor Shyam Bahadur have submitted a paper based on Mr. Zhao's Master's Thesis to the Journal of Wear. The Editor and the Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science regret the occurrence of this unfortunate incident.     

Retraction

By this notice the Editor and Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science retract from publication the following two articles: “Effect of Various Inorganic Fillers on the Friction and Wear Behaviors of Polyphenylene Sulfide,” Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 68, No. 10, June 6, 1998, pp. 1643–1650 “Transition Between Transient and Steady-State Wear in the Sliding of Poly(phenylene sulfide) Against a Tool Steel Counterface,” Laigui Yu, Weimin Liu, and Qunji Xue, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 69, No. 6, August 8, 1998, pp. 1099–1106 The reason for this action is that the intellectual property of this article does not belong to the authors cited. Rather it was taken without permission from the Master's Thesis (Iowa State University) of Qing Zhao. Mr. Zhao and Professor Shyam Bahadur have submitted a paper based on Mr. Zhao's Master's Thesis to the Journal of Wear. The Editor and the Publisher of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science regret the occurrence of this unfortunate incident.     

Teaching and learning strategies and evaluation changes for the adaptation of the Chemical Engineering degree to EHES

An integrated learning methodology has been developed and implemented in order to adapt the Chemical Engineering degree in the University of Valladolid (Spain) to the European Higher Education Space (EHES) philosophy. It was necessary to modify the objectives and theoretical contents of the different subjects and also the learning methodology, considering the general chemical engineering skills and also the transferable skills reached by the students, according to the recommendations of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) for chemical engineering education in Bologna two-cycle degree system.

This methodology has been applied to the seventh semester of a 5 years Chemical Engineering degree. The main objectives of the proposed strategy were:

• To provide to the student with a holistic, integrated and applied vision of the different subjects involved in chemical engineering, coordinating all of them and planning common activities as a case study based on an industrial process.

• To help students to develop transferable skills by means of designing suitable teaching and learning strategies.

• To prepare the students for the long-life learning.

General and particular objectives were defined adapting the course to the EHES philosophy. In this sense, the programmes in terms of the learning outcomes and competences to be acquired were designed, the total student workload to get the objectives of the programme was estimated and the entire course was programmed and planned in a detailed schedule. A course guide was elaborated including all this information, resulting in a useful instrument for teachers and students.

This methodology was complemented with the evaluation of the global learning process. The evaluation made was based on the next two aspects:

• Student learning evaluation. Tutorial sessions, written reports, oral presentations, discussion sessions and partial and final written exams were considered.

• Learning methodology evaluation. External evaluation requires carrying out inquiries, both to students and teachers involved.

Reprint of: Motivational active learning: An integrated approach to teaching and learning process control

Process Control is a course that needs a thorough understanding of how the different unit operations work and what are the implications of changing operation variables in a process. This paper presents how education innovation can help students to improve their learning and understanding of the different concepts and thus to get better results in the subject and to achieve the desired outcomes. The Process Control Course is taught in the Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering at the Technical University of Madrid. Different methodologies have been integrated and used in the course as: flipped classroom, peer instruction or gamification. In order to implement the mentioned methods, the following material has been developed: screencasts, concept tests, trivia contest and simulations besides the traditional lecturing material (slides and text). First year results show high student motivation, higher participation in class and better results (marks) in the subject.     

传承办学传统,加强学生实践能力的培养

本文结合河北工业大学化工学院的实际,对如何提高学生的实践能力和创新能力进行了探索,提出了通过强化基础实验、改革实习和专业实验、加强青年教师实践能力的培养和加强本科毕业论文(设计)环节管理的建议,以期提高学生的实践能力和创新能力,培养高素质的创新人才。     

川大轻化工程特色专业建设与实践

本文介绍了四川大学轻化工程特色专业建设中依托皮革化学与工程国家重点学科、国家"211工程"建设学科和国家"985工程"科技创新平台,以国家级精品课程鞣制化学和现代皮革化学与工程学国家级教学团队建设为基础,在复合型人才培养模式、师资队伍建设、办学条件建设和创新人才培养等方面的改革和实践情况。     

Integration of the structured development of communication skills within a chemical engineering curriculum at the University of Adelaide

Communication skills are among the most important attributes for engineering graduates, and yet Australian employers are often dissatisfied with the level of communication skills demonstrated by graduate engineers. In recognition of the importance of communication skills, an engineering communication curriculum is fully integrated into two undergraduate courses in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide. The structured development of fundamental engineering communication skills in two Professional Practice courses (Levels I and II) is a collaboration between lecturers from the School of Chemical Engineering and the Faculty’s Engineering Communication Unit. The integration at Level I (Professional Practice I) is the focus of this paper.The success of the integration has been sustained in every Professional Practice I cohort from 2009 to 2016. Improvement is evident in the communication skills of almost every individual student, particularly for those students who enter the course with low-level skills. The wide spectrum of communication abilities, and some initial resistance from students to a focus on communication skills within an engineering course have been effectively addressed with a number of strategies. Limited success has been achieved with intervention in contributions to group reports by students with low-level skills.     

Viability of outcome-based education in teaching English as second language to chemical engineering learners

Outcome-based Education (OBE) is a student-directed learning system that enables learner autonomy, skill development, and life-long learning. Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has started implementing OBE in her affiliated engineering institutions at the undergraduate level, being a full signatory of the Washington Accord in 2017. PEC has made it obligatory for all institutions offering engineering degree programs to implement OBE at the undergraduate level. In this regard, the present study investigated the prospects of OBE implementation in the English as Second Language learning classroom of Chemical Engineering students. A quasi-experimental method was adopted to analyze the effectiveness of OBE in ESL learning. A group of 29 students were taught through traditional pedagogy in the first half of the semester and were provided treatment over the second half. Pretest and post-test were conducted to examine the learners’ outcomes for the ESL course for chemical engineering students. The teachers’ beliefs were recorded through semi-structured interviews regarding the prospects and potential challenges to OBE in Pakistan. The quasi-experiment results showed a rise in the students' course learning outcome in the content and skills. The teachers highlighted several challenges to OBE in Pakistan, including lack of training for non-engineering faculty, teachers’ and students’ reluctance to shift to student-centered mode, institutional dictation regarding teaching and assessment, and large classrooms. This work suggests teacher training of non-engineering courses and adopting a unified learning management system.     

Engineering science—or scientific engineering?

Peter Danckwerts was a leading protagonist of a more scientific approach to chemical engineering during the 1950s. He became Executive Editor of the new journal of “Chemical Engineering Science”, and when he was appointed to a new chair at Imperial College, he became the first Professor of Chemical Engineering Science.The lecture will start by re-examining Peter Danckwerts’ contribution to chemical engineering, and go on to consider subsequent influences on the evolution of the industry, the profession and the discipline, and the consequences for their future.     

化工技能竞赛引领化工专业建设的探讨

化工技能大赛是引领化工专业建设的风向标,对培养高技能化工人才起着较好的促进作用。从实训基地和实训课程的建设、课程教学改革、师资队伍建设、学生学习动力等方面阐述了技能大赛对化工专业建设的指导意义。     

化工热力学教学改革与体验

我们结合化工热力学课程特点,在培养学生学习兴趣、精炼教学内容、强化实践训练环节、体现应用,培养学生解决问题的能力和工程意识等方面进行教学改革和尝试,以满足培养复合应用型人才要求。     

The introduction to engineering course: A case study from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

As part of an effort to enhance students' first year experience, all Chemical Engineering students in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia are required to take the Introduction to Engineering course. This course is designed to stimulate students’ passion and strengthen motivation for further engineering studies, as well as to enhance their technical knowledge and relevant professional skills. To investigate the impact of the course on students’ knowledge of engineering, an exploratory study is conducted through an open-ended survey, given at the beginning and end of the semester. The analysis shows that the ITE course successfully served the purpose of raising awareness about engineering profession among students, while motivating them through student-centred learning approaches. A qualitative study is also conducted by analysing reflection journals submitted by students to identify the improvement on professional skills that students have developed as they go through the course. This study concludes to show that first year engineering students who have gone through the activities in the course have understood the role of engineers and their job functions. They have also managed to develop professional skills as part of their initial journey to become good engineers.