Student-led Example Problems in a Graduate-level Advanced Transport Phenomena Course

Adrienne Minerick

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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: Communication in the Chemical Engineering Curriculum
Tagged Division: Chemical Engineering
Page Count: 18
Page Numbers: 26.1429.1 - 26.1429.18
DOI: 10.18260/p.24766
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/24766
Download Count: 1789

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Adrienne Minerick Michigan Technological University orcid.org/0000-0002-2382-7831

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Adrienne Minerick received her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and B.S. from Michigan Technological University. Adrienne’s research interests include electrokinetics, predominantly dielectrophoretic characterizations of cells, and the development of biomedical microdevices. She earned a NSF CAREER award and was nominated for Michigan Professor of the Year in 2014. Research within her Medical micro-Device Engineering Research Laboratory (M.D. – ERL) also inspires the development of Desktop Experiment Modules (DEMos) for use in chemical engineering classrooms or as outreach activities in area schools (see www.mderl.org). Adrienne is currently co-Chair of ASEE's Diversity Committee and PIC I Chair; she has previously served on WIED, ChED, and NEE leadership teams and contributed to 37 ASEE conference proceedings articles.

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Abstract

Student Led Example Problems in a Graduate-Level Advanced Transport Phenomena Course Most graduate-level curriculums in Chemical Engineering include a course on TransportPhenomena. A broadly utilized book for this course is Transport Phenomena by R. Byron Bird,Warren E. Stewart, and Edwin N. Lightfoot. The course relies upon prior knowledge in vectorand tensor algebra and calculus in addition to proficiency in ordinary differential equations, withan introductory familiarity with partial differential equations. Content covers momentum, heat,and mass transfer, which have parallel underlying mathematical representations of conservationprinciples. In this course, it is imperative for students to connect the physics of transport withthe mathematical representation of that physics. Since this course is typically taught in the first year of a graduate program and graduatestudents hail from around the globe, student preparation for the course can vary substantially.Experiences over the years have led this instructor to conclude that almost all students struggle atsome point with understanding the physics and connecting the physics to the math. Most prevailover this challenge by the end of the course. However, those who do not prevail aresimultaneously trying to make the physics/math connection while trying to correct substantialweaknesses in their math background. Slowing the course to review math negatively impacts thefinal proficiency of the entire student population in the course. However, facilitating content andstudy environments that enable students to relearn math techniques outside of class has increased(anecdotal observation from a sample size of 18-20 students per year for 3 years) the proficiencyand success of these weaker students. Student led example problems are a concerted effort to facilitate purpose-driven studyenvironments that increase understanding of the physics, the mathematical representation of thatphysics, and the required math skills. Student led example problems are also a mechanism to flipthis traditionally math intensive graduate classroom such that students are actively solvingproblems, practicing, and discussing the physics in the classroom with the assistance of fellowstudents and the instructor. Thus, prerecorded lectures by the instructor cover the fundamentalprinciples such that the students complete the first introduction to fundamental concepts andcontent outside of class. Class time has both instructor-led problem solving and student ledexample problems at a frequency of at least once per week. Students are provided structuredguidance on example preparation. The instructor reviews, with a rubric, the worked examplesand presentation materials for the class 2 days before the student’s present. The class evaluatesthe example and the student presenters with a strong emphasis on constructive feedback. Theprocess is open, interactive, and iterative to maximize learning by all participants. This paper will provide a practical roadmap based on this instructor’s three-year effort toflip a math-intensive graduate course. Anecdotal and quantitative assessment without a controlgroup will be presented. It is hoped that this paper will be thought-provoking and empoweringfor instructors of graduate core courses currently taught in a purely lecture format.

Citation
Format

Minerick, A. (2015, June), Student-led Example Problems in a Graduate-level Advanced Transport Phenomena Course Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24766

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -   Student Led Example Problems in a Graduate-Level Advanced Transport Phenomena                                      Course        Most graduate-level curriculums in Chemical Engineering include a course on TransportPhenomena. A broadly utilized book for this course is Transport Phenomena by R. Byron Bird,Warren E. Stewart, and Edwin N. Lightfoot. The course relies upon prior knowledge in vectorand tensor algebra and calculus in addition to proficiency in ordinary differential equations, withan introductory familiarity with partial differential equations. Content covers momentum, heat,and mass transfer, which have parallel underlying mathematical representations of conservationprinciples. In this course, it is imperative for students to connect the physics of transport withthe mathematical representation of that physics.        Since this course is typically taught in the first year of a graduate program and graduatestudents hail from around the globe, student preparation for the course can vary substantially.Experiences over the years have led this instructor to conclude that almost all students struggle atsome point with understanding the physics and connecting the physics to the math. Most prevailover this challenge by the end of the course. However, those who do not prevail aresimultaneously trying to make the physics/math connection while trying to correct substantialweaknesses in their math background. Slowing the course to review math negatively impacts thefinal proficiency of the entire student population in the course. However, facilitating content andstudy environments that enable students to relearn math techniques outside of class has increased(anecdotal observation from a sample size of 18-20 students per year for 3 years) the proficiencyand success of these weaker students.        Student led example problems are a concerted effort to facilitate purpose-driven studyenvironments that increase understanding of the physics, the mathematical representation of thatphysics, and the required math skills. Student led example problems are also a mechanism to flipthis traditionally math intensive graduate classroom such that students are actively solvingproblems, practicing, and discussing the physics in the classroom with the assistance of fellowstudents and the instructor. Thus, prerecorded lectures by the instructor cover the fundamentalprinciples such that the students complete the first introduction to fundamental concepts andcontent outside of class. Class time has both instructor-led problem solving and student ledexample problems at a frequency of at least once per week. Students are provided structuredguidance on example preparation. The instructor reviews, with a rubric, the worked examplesand presentation materials for the class 2 days before the student’s present. The class evaluatesthe example and the student presenters with a strong emphasis on constructive feedback. Theprocess is open, interactive, and iterative to maximize learning by all participants.        This paper will provide a practical roadmap based on this instructor’s three-year effort toflip a math-intensive graduate course. Anecdotal and quantitative assessment without a controlgroup will be presented. It is hoped that this paper will be thought-provoking and empoweringfor instructors of graduate core courses currently taught in a purely lecture format.
AU  - Adrienne Minerick
CY  - Seattle, Washington
DA  - 2015/06/14
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Student-led Example Problems in a Graduate-level Advanced Transport Phenomena Course
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/24766
DO  - 10.18260/p.24766
ER  -