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Qualitative Research of Universidad de las Américas Puebla’s Food Engineering Course Learning Outcomes

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Conference

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Seattle, Washington

Publication Date

June 14, 2015

Start Date

June 14, 2015

End Date

June 17, 2015

ISBN

978-0-692-50180-1

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Biological & Agricultural Division Technical Session

Tagged Division

Biological & Agricultural

Page Count

10

Page Numbers

26.1290.1 - 26.1290.10

DOI

10.18260/p.24627

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/24627

Download Count

617

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Paper Authors

biography

Efra Altamirano Universidad de las Américas Puebla

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I studied a degree in Business Administration. After I graduated from a Masters in Business Administration with specialization in Marketing Services. Later I studied a Masters in Social Development and third Masters in Quality Education. I graduated a major in teaching skills for Teachers Telecundarias. Last July this year, I presented my doctoral dissertation with the topic of learning outcomes assessment in Ph.D. in Science Education, Engineering and Technology.

I teach under-graduate and Basic Education, also I am working in the School of Business and Economic, at Universidad de las Americas Puebla in Mexico on the modalities and distance. I have worked in Diploma and Masters Distance.

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biography

Judith Virginia Gutierrez Cuba

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PhD. Science, Engineering and Technology Education. Postdoctoral Fellow at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

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biography

Nelly Ramirez-Corona Universidad de las Americas Puebla

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Nelly Ramírez-Corona is currently a Full Time Professor of Chemical Engineering at Chemical, Enviromental and Food Engineering Department, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla, México. Her teaching experience is in the area of Process Dynamics and Control, Kinetics, Catalysis and Reactor Design. She did her undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, México, and his Master and Doctoral studies at the Instituto Tecnológico de Celaya, México. Her research interests are in the field of Process Systems Engineering, Bioprocess ModelIing and Engineering Education. Her research labor has been reported on scientific international journals and presented in different national and international conferences.

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Aurelio Lopez-Malo Universidad de las Americas Puebla

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Aurelio López-Malo is Professor and Past Chair, Department of Chemical, Food, and Environmental Engineering at Universidad de las Americas Puebla in Mexico. He teaches engineering and food science related courses. His research interests include emerging technologies for food processing, natural food antimicrobials, creating effective learning environments, and science, engineering and technology education for K-12.

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biography

Enrique Palou Universidad de las Americas Puebla

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Professor Palou is Director, Center for Science, Engineering, and Technology Education as well as Distinguished Professor and Past Chair, Department of Chemical, Food, and Environmental Engineering at Universidad de las Americas Puebla in Mexico. He teaches engineering, food science, and education related
courses. His research interests include emerging technologies for food processing, creating effective learning environments, using tablet PCs and associated technologies to enhance the development of 21st century expertise in engineering students, and building rigorous research capacity in science, engineering
and technology education.

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Abstract

Qualitative Research of University ABC’s Food Engineering Course Learning OutcomesThe Food Engineering (FE) program from University ABC is approved by the Institute of FoodTechnologists (IFT) and accredited by the Consejo de Acreditación de la Enseñanza de laIngeniería (CACEI), which is the peer-accrediting agency of ABET in Mexico. Graduates ofABC’s FE program shall attain thirteen outcomes; eleven of them are similar to ABET Criterion3 program outcomes1; as well as specific IFT core competencies regarding major areas: foodchemistry and analysis; food safety and microbiology; food processing and engineering; appliedfood science; and success skills2. As part of assessment efforts, the Food EngineeringUndergraduate Curriculum Committee (FEUCC) designed a strategy that uses both direct andindirect assessment measures that is reported elsewhere3, 4.During this past year the FEUCC has been delineating a new assessment plan for 2015-2020 inorder to be ready to apply for the IFT re-approval of our program. Thus, thorough qualitativeresearch (with data obtained from 2011 to 2014) for each of our food engineering programrequired food science and engineering courses was performed, in order to design a high-qualityassessment plan. As part of this qualitative research, FE program faculty were asked to rate foreach of the courses they teach the degree to which they are promoting FE thirteen outcomes andIFT core competencies. Responding whether they cover in great detail (as a course outcome),cover in detail, cover to some extent, or if they do not cover each outcome and/or competency intheir classes; furthermore, faculty reported for every required course, the specific course learningoutcomes, tools used to assess learning outcomes (indicating the level of assessment using theRevised Bloom’s Taxonomy5), as well as related course learning activities. Protocol analysis offaculty responses was performed by means of a qualitative data analysis software (Atlas.ti);identifying idea units within the responses, and classifying those units with coding schemes builtfrom core competencies, learning outcomes with regards to two taxonomies (Revised Bloom’s5and Coll6), assessment tools and corresponding learning activities.We were able to clearly identify the degree to which core competencies and outcomes arepromoted and emphasized throughout the FE curriculum. Some areas of improvement werefound regarding core competencies such as: “understand the basic principles and practices ofcleaning and sanitation in food processing operations” and “understand the requirements forwater utilization and waste management in food and food processing”. Reported course learningoutcomes were classified according to the Revised Bloom’s (remember, understand, apply,analyze, evaluate, or create) and Coll taxonomies (conceptual, to know; procedural, to know-how;or attitudinal, to be). Among common tools that faculty reported to assess student learning are:self- and peer-assessments, instructor assessment, exams, oral presentations, practical exercises,homework, in-class participation, projects, and lab reports. Corresponding learning activities thatfaculty reported include reports, analysis of readings, in-class discussions, lectures, problem- andproject-based learning, active and cooperative learning, solving problems and exercises, and labactivities. The full paper will provide specifics regarding how well do course outcomes, facultyteaching practices, learning activities, assessment tools, and frequency of feedback to studentsare aligned among them.[1] ABET. 2014. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs Effective for Reviews During the 2014-2015 Accreditation Cycle. Engineering Accreditation Commission. ABET. Available (October 13, 2014)) at: http://www.abet.org/eac-criteria-2014-2015[2] IFT. 2014. Resource Guide for Approval and Re-Approval of Undergraduate Food Science Programs. Institute of Food Technologists. Available (October 13, 2014) at: http://www.ift.org/~/media/Knowledge%20Center/Learn%20Food%20Science/Become%20a%20Fo od%20Scientist/Resources/Guide_Approval_UndergradFoodSci.pdf[3] XXX [For blind review purposes]. 2012. Proceedings of the 2012 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, San Antonio, TX, June 10 – 13.[4] YYY [For blind review purposes]. 2013. Proceedings of the 2012 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Atlanta, GA June 23 – 26.[5] Anderson, L. W. and Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). 2001. A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessment: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman: New York.[6] Coll, C. 1997. Psicología y Curriculum: una aproximación psicopedagógica a la elaboración del curriculum escolar. Paidós: México D.F.

Altamirano, E., & Gutierrez Cuba, J. V., & Ramirez-Corona, N., & Lopez-Malo, A., & Palou, E. (2015, June), Qualitative Research of Universidad de las Américas Puebla’s Food Engineering Course Learning Outcomes Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24627

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