skip to main content


Title: Work-in-Progress: Implementation of a Biomedical Hands-On Learning Tool in Chemical Engineering Courses and Effects on Student Motivational and Conceptual Gains
Chemical engineers frequently contribute to the advancement of the medical field; however, such applications are often not covered in the undergraduate curriculum until third- or fourth-year electives. We propose implementing a hands-on learning tool in an elective third- and fourth-year course and core third-year separations class to help undergraduate students apply chemical engineering concepts to biomedical applications. The hands-on learning tool of interest is used to introduce students to blood separation principles through a microbead settling device. See-through columns are filled with fluid and microbeads at various ratios to model the effect of hematocrit, or red blood cell fraction, on cell settling velocities and separation efficiencies. We hypothesize that the use of a biomedical hands-on learning tool will result in motivational and conceptual gains in comparison to traditional lecture and have significant effects on underrepresented minority groups in the class. Pre- and posttests will be used to assess conceptual understanding of separations principles with respect to biomedical applications across hands-on and lecture groups. Additionally, motivational surveys will be used to gauge levels of interactivity between the two groups, relating to the ICAP hypothesis. We plan to conclude the paper submission and presentation with theoretical and practical implications of our findings from Spring 2022 implementations.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1821578
NSF-PAR ID:
10357289
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
ASEE Annual Conference proceedings
ISSN:
1524-4644
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Chemical engineers frequently contribute to the advancement of the medical field; however, medical applications are often only covered in elective courses. To introduce medical applications into the core curriculum, we implemented a hands-on learning tool that portrays blood separation principles through microbead settling in a core third-year chemical engineering separations class. Test scores from twenty-six students show significant growth at p < 0.001 from Pretest to Posttest I at average values of 41 % and 68 %, respectively. Posttest II scores reveal a significantly higher average score of 84 % for students who sat through lecture before the hands-on experiment in comparison to 75 % for students who first had the hands-on experiment then lecture with statistical significance of p = 0.046 and a moderate Cohen’s d effect size of 0.442. Students report positive, lasting impressions from the guided-learning worksheet and hands-on learning experience on their feedback surveys and one-on-one interviews. Retention assessments from four students six months post-intervention reveal retention of concepts with an average test score of 74 %. These outcomes suggest hands-on learning tools are most impactful on conceptual and motivational gains when supplemented with pre-experiment lectures and quality complementary learning materials. 
    more » « less
  2. null (Ed.)
    Chemical engineering students learn valuable fundamentals that can be used to enhance the medical field, yet the lack of emphasis on such applications can misguide undergraduate students as they choose their major. To address this misconception, we propose the use of a hands-on, interactive learning tool to expose freshman-level chemical engineering undergraduate students to applications that go beyond the traditional oil refining and catalysis emphases typically discussed in the introductory “Applications in Chemical Engineering” course. We developed a low-cost, modified fidget spinner that introduces students to blood separation principles. On each arm of the spinner, there exists a see-through chamber filled with fluid and microbeads at various ratios, which simulates the effect of hematocrit, or red blood cell fraction, on settling velocities and terminal position—phenomena that are utilized to enhance blood separation efficiencies. Due to COVID-19, we plan to implement this device by mailing fidget spinner kits with a complementary worksheet to the students to conduct observational experiments at home in the spring 2021 semester. We hypothesize that introducing biomedical applications early in the undergraduate experience will help students understand that chemical engineering knowledge can easily be transferred to biological systems and will have a significant impact on motivation and retention of women in the cohort. Motivational surveys will be used to assess pre- and post-implementation attitudes toward chemical engineering as a major and will be compared to control data collected in fall 2020. In the paper and presentation, we will also share the mathematical modeling behind creating the microbead blood simulant. We plan to conclude the paper and presentation with theoretical and practical implications of our findings. 
    more » « less
  3. Over the past year we continued, under support from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education, to emphasize implementation of Low-Cost Desktop Learning Modules LCDLMs for fluid mechanics, heat transfer and biomedical applications. Here we present implementation data from concept tests and surveys, details on new designs and insights gained. Through these activities our team progressed beyond original expectations that were outlined in our original set of NSF-sponsored objectives. We analyzed data from several institutions added from the south central and mid-eastern portions of the US through a combined University of ***-L** and -P** training hub conducted in a virtual mode held in September 2020 with regional communications spearheaded by respective faculty from these institutions. Much of the data analyzed results from support through a 2020 NSF supplement where we engaged in a study to compare direct hands-on implementations of LCDLMs to virtual synchronous and asynchronous implementations augmented with short conceptual videos, a tact necessary because of COVID-19 in-person restrictions. Surprisingly, both in-person and virtual modes show similar conceptual gains. A publication is being developed with intent for submission to the International Journal of Engineering Education where we compare the virtual and in-person modes of instruction. We added a few more institutions through a northeastern training hub held in August 2021 with faculty from the University of *** managing regional communications; again, this hub was held virtually given uncertainty about the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions. Regarding new LCDLMs we added a shell and tube heat exchanger and fabricated a large number for distribution and implementation and began analyzing conceptual gains and survey results. We prototyped a new evaporative cooler and continue to develop new broader impact units to demonstrate stenosis in an artery and blood cell separations and began implementing them in the classroom. Regarding LCDLM publications a paper was published in Chemical Engineering Education on a study where we compare heat transfer data for the miniature double pipe heat exchanger to predictions based on correlations for industrial scale heat exchangers and included classroom assessment data. 
    more » « less
  4. As this NSF LCDLM dissemination, development, and assessment project matures going into our fourth year of support we are moving forward in parallel on several fronts. We are developing and testing an injection-molded shell-and-tube heat exchanger for heat transfer concepts, an evaporative cooler to expand to another industrial-based heat exchange system, and a bead separation module to demonstrate principles of fluid mechanics in blood cell separations applications. We are also comparing experimental data for our miniaturized hydraulic loss and venturi meter LCDLMs to predicted values based on standard industrial correlations. As we develop these new learning components, we are assessing differential gains based on gender and ethnicity, as well as how students learn with existing LCDLMs in a virtual mode with online videos compared to an in-person hands-on mode of instruction. 
    more » « less
  5. Our project involves the national dissemination of highly visual hands-on learning tools focused on fluid mechanics and heat transfer principles to 44 institutions and branch campuses within the United States. Like many other educators, our team had to adapt the implementation protocols to accommodate remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than students working in groups with our hands-on learning tools, we created follow-along video implementations and supplementary tutorial videos. The videos allow students to complete the complementary worksheets associated with each hands-on learning tool while watching a graduate student explain basic concepts and collect real-time data with the hands-on learning tools. The supplementary tutorial videos are focused on an in-depth discussion of a single conceptual aspect of the learning tool. Across three remote-learning semesters, a total of 36 virtual implementations at 12 institutions were completed with approximately 630 chemical and mechanical engineering students. An asynchronous implementation method was used for 70% of the virtual implementations, while other instructors presented virtual material in a synchronous virtual setting with several allowing live, small-group discussion. At the conference, we will present conceptual and motivational assessment results to compare the effectiveness of virtual implementations versus traditional interactive hands-on implementations. 
    more » « less