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.     

自主合作学习在药物分析教学中的应用

针对中等职业教育药剂学专业学生培养目标,结合药物分析课程特点和专业需求,采用自主合作学习新模式尝试进行药物分析教学,积极倡导自主、合作、开放式的七步教学的学习方式,并提出教学实践研究中应注意的问题,达到培养学生自主学习能力、团队协作能力和表达交流能力,提高教学效果,提升教学质量的目的。     

Towards design guidelines for virtual reality training for the chemical industry

Operator training in the chemical industry is important because of the potentially hazardous nature of procedures and the way operators' mistakes can have serious consequences on process operation and safety. Currently, operator training is facing some challenges, such as high costs, safety limitations and time constraints. Also, there have been some indications of a lack of engagement of employees during mandatory training. Immersive technologies can provide solutions to these challenges. Specifically, virtual reality (VR) has the potential to improve the way chemical operators experience training sessions, increasing motivation, virtually exposing operators to unsafe situations, and reducing classroom training time. In this paper, we present research being conducted to develop a virtual reality training solution as part of the EU Horizon 2020 CHARMING Project, a project focusing on the education of current and future chemical industry stakeholders. This paper includes the design principles for a virtual reality training environment including the features that enhance the effectiveness of virtual reality training such as game-based learning elements, learning analytics, and assessment methods. This work can assist those interested in exploring the potential of virtual reality training environments in the chemical industry from a multidisciplinary perspective.     

Design and assessment of a project-based learning in a laboratory for integrating knowledge and improving engineering design skills

Mechanical Design is a subject usually included in Chemical Engineering Degrees. In this work, we present the application of a project-based learning to the lab in two different engineering degrees, in of one the most time-consuming and difficult subjects of their programs. These two degrees, Mechanical and Chemical engineering degrees, were selected in order to compare the learning outcomes and satisfaction with the activity in the degree more related to mechanical concepts and the Chemical engineering degree. Moreover, to enhance students’ enthusiasm and motivation, these sessions included an innovative manufacturing technology, 3D printing, and digital image correlation (DIC). Before each practical session, the students are encouraged to watch an online video with the fundamental aspects. In order to assess the success of this methodology, after finishing the lab sessions, the students answered a non-formal quantitative survey. The results showed that the proposed project-based learning had the ability to help integrating the knowledge and improve the skills included in the main competences. Although these results are encouraging, there are still parts of the lab activity that should be improve in order to make the activity less time consuming and the most difficult part being easier for the students.     

研究生英语教学的立体建构

本文以建构主义学习理论为依托,探讨了如何利用互联网对研究生英语教学进行立体建构,将课堂授课的传统教学模式转变为个人自主学习,小组项目活动与课堂研讨相结合的立体式教学模式。英语学习网站的建设是激发并保证学生自主学习的重要手段;师生多层次互动可以最大限度地发挥教师的指导作用;学生小组项目活动能够培养学生对英语的实际运用能力,包括信息检索、逻辑分析、语言表述、篇章组织等多方面的综合能力。     

学生居家网课期间家长对眼保健知识的需求情况

为了了解学生居家网课期间家长对子女护眼保健知识的需求,利用护眼保健知识需求问卷,对2020年5月期间来儿科医院眼科就诊的184位参加居家网课学习的孩子家长进行子女用眼现状和护眼问卷调查,发现92.0％的家长都希望获取网课学习期间的护眼知识,主要需求是网课用眼时间控制、居家网课休息的时间及方法等.希望了解每日居家网课控制学习时间的家长73例(39.7％);除网课外控制接触视频时间的家长64例(34.8％);居家课间控制眺望户外时间的家长27例(14.7％);控制每日休息与睡眠时间的家长20例(10.9％).家长获取健康教育的途径主要为网络和医院.     

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.     

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.     

合作学习模式在应化专业实践教学中的应用初探

合作学习作为新颖的学习方式能够更好的培养学生学习的主动性,有利于培养学生的交际能力和自我意识。这种学习方式在我院05到07级应用化学专业实践教学中得到广泛应用,而合作学习在理论课教学中的应用和相关硬、软件的建设将是今后研究方向。     

高职化学化工专业学生学习素质现状调查及对策

学习素质教育是全面素质教育的重要组成部分,决定着其它素质的形成和发展。将学习素质概括为三个方面即学习动力、学习能力和学习品格。以我校2005-2009级精细化工与材料系738名学生为研究对象,对学生的学习素质现状进行了调查,并针对目前学生学习素质中表现出的薄弱点提出了解决对策。     

Supporting students’ inquiry in accurate precipitation titration conditions with a virtual laboratory tool as learning scaffold

This work uses a virtual laboratory (VL) as a learning scaffold for students to explore the conditions for accurate titration. A simulation program for precipitation titration and a simulation-based exploration exercise were developed. The exercise consists of three questions/tasks related to conditions for accurate titration, in which students independently design solutions, conduct virtual experiments, analyze the results, and draw conclusions based on the guided questions. After using the program, 22 chemistry education students who do not often use the app found the program to be easy to use, practical, and effective, and achieved a scoring rate of 79.4% in the exercise.     

The effect of virtual field trip as an introductory tool for an engineering real field trip

Due to the limitations associated with real field trips (RFTs) and considering the advances in technology in the last decade, virtual field trips (VFTs) have been introduced to replace RFTs. In the present study, we investigated the essentiality and usefulness of VFTs on student’s learning as well as the acquisition of insight for designing an industrial scale plant. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used to investigate the importance of different types of field trips in promoting student’s knowledge and perceptions. The results show that students rated RFTs higher as it enhanced their perceptions, provided an opportunity to communicate with experts in the field and witnessed how theoretical knowledge can be applied to practical knowledge. However, the lack of pre-information substantially decreased the effectiveness of RFT. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that VFT can be a powerful supplement to RFT as it provides the necessary pre-knowledge to students in a way that maximises learning during the RFT while concurrently providing opportunities to digitally revisit the plant after the RFT has ended.     

自主合作学习在药物化学实验教学中的应用

针对传统药学本科专业药物化学实验教学中存在的问题,提出自主合作学习的实验教学模式。本文构建了“四个基本环节教学过程和九步小组合作学习过程”的课堂新模式并运用到课堂实验教学中。实践表明,学生的自主学习和终身学习的能力、团队合作精神、创新能力以及实验教学效果均显著提高。     

学习目的、热情和动力对高校教学效果的影响

学习目的、热情、动力是关系教学效果的重要方面。学习目标的确立是产生学习热情与动力的基础;学习热情是短期效应,需要不断地和经常性地加温才能够保持;学习动力的提供可帮助学生树立长远学习目标。良好教学效果的取得离不开清晰稳固的学习目的、高昂的学习热情和充足的学习动力。     

Off-campus but hands-on: Mail out practicals with synchronous online activities during COVID-19

This paper discusses alternatives to on-campus teaching laboratories, to allow for hands-on learning for remote students. Wholly online practical equivalents have become increasingly popular post-COVID (online simulations or processing experimental data only) which can offer lower overheads and easy scale-up, but often miss hands-on learning outcomes. This paper reviews opportunities for mail-out practicals, where the equipment is delivered to students’ homes, combined with live synchronous learning activities via video streaming or online software. The combination of mail-out experimental kits plus synchronous interactive learning activities creates a host of new opportunities for teaching to remote students. Complimentary online teaching activities could include direct interaction with teaching staff or other students, but it can also be real-time simulations of their experiment. The paper presents a specific case study for a 2nd year undergraduate chemical engineering heat exchanger practical, that facilitated hands-on practical learning with synchronous online activities during COVID-19 campus closure. The paper uses a mixed methods approach in a 2 year study to assess student learning outcomes.     

虚拟现实技术辅助绿色工程教育的探索与实践

虚拟现实技术使学生可以在数字化虚拟空间中"身临其境"地操作和体验各种工程实践案例,增强学习的趣味性并产生更持久的记忆效果,非常适合作为绿色工程教育的实践教学手段。文章介绍了绿色工程教育体系建设过程中采用虚拟现实技术辅助绿色工程实践教学、培养复合型创新创业人才、强化产学研合作的探索与实践。     

Transforming traditional teaching laboratories for effective remote delivery—A review

Teaching laboratories form an essential component of any engineering education. They enable students to participate in various stages of experiential learning including conceptualization and experimentation followed by reflection, analysis and interpretation of data. However, operating teaching laboratories with social distancing measures poses significant logistical and safety challenges, and alternative modes of delivery may be a realistic way forward in adapting engineering curricula to the post COVID-19 world. Best practices from spaces such as distance learning and virtual / remote laboratories can be leveraged to facilitate educators’ responses. This review is aimed at identifying evidence-based approaches for transforming hands-on labs into virtual or remote operation to achieve desired learning outcomes without compromising on soft skills and student self-efficacy. A critical review of the recent literature on delivering STEMM education laboratories in either a virtual or remote setting or a combination of both is presented here. Commonly emerging approaches are identified and strategies to implement remote or mixed-mode (a combination of remote and traditional lab components) delivery are highlighted. The value of these approaches to the educator is assessed based on claimed learning outcomes, availability of resources, technology, scheduling, and cost factors.     

如何激发学生学习内科护理学的兴趣

兴趣是最好的教师,是学生自觉学习的动力和源泉。近年来,中专护生缺乏学习兴趣。内科护理学是临床专业课程,又是护士资格考试必考内容。由于学校教学条件的限制,学生感到复杂、抽象、难懂。我国中等职业教育改革要求教师实施多种多样的课堂教学方法,运用现代教学软件技术,使学生主动参与教学活动,调动他们学习的积极能动性和创造性,激发起学生的学习兴趣。不但能让学生学得轻松,而且能为社会培养实用型和高素质护理人才。     

Learning experiences from digital laboratory safety training

We present a digital laboratory safety training platform called AALTOLAB which we have developed to address the need for more flexible and engaging ways to teach laboratory safety for chemical engineers. AALTOLAB consists of an interactive, web-based 360° virtual laboratory, integrated with a Moodle-based digital exam with automatic assessment. The modular platform offers different modules from general comprehensive laboratory training to more specialised modules. Students and staff can freely navigate in the laboratory rooms at any time and interact with different action points including interactive videos, slideshows, and minigames. Our technical solution allows teachers even with limited technological skills to easily modify the training materials in real time. The relationship of students’ learning experiences and level of learning is also discussed. We believe that our safety training concept facilitates deep learning and students’ engagement, thus improving safety culture in our laboratories.