The Design and Impact of a Combined Makerspace, Wet Lab, and Instructional Design Studio for Chemical Engineering Curriculum

Anthony Butterfield

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Chemical Engineering in K-12 and the First Year
Tagged Division: Chemical Engineering
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--35301
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/35301
Download Count: 661

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Anthony Butterfield University of Utah

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Anthony Butterfield is an Associate Professor (Lecturer) in the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Utah. He received his B. S. and Ph. D. from the University of Utah and a M. S. from the University of California, San Diego. His teaching responsibilities include the senior unit operations laboratory, capstone laboratory, first year design laboratory, and the introduction to chemical engineering. His research interests focus on undergraduate education, makerspaces, citizen science, air quality, and photobioreactor design.

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Abstract

The designs of the physical spaces in which we teach have been shown to impact classroom dynamics and student outcomes. This interface between space and pedagogy becomes particularly important in interactive, hands-on, and project-based learning environments. Several models to enhance such environments have been implemented throughout STEM departments, but solutions particular to chemical engineering departments require additional examination.

We have been teaching a chemical engineering design laboratory, primarily directed towards our first year students, over the past six years at the University of Utah. This course was initially taught in a lecture hall and a series of satellite labs, centered around the space used for a unit operations courses. Due to the first-year course’s success in achieving learning outcomes and its positive reception by students, we have been able to design and build a combined laboratory, instructional, and maker space specifically meant to facilitate early- and mid-curriculum hands-on project-based learning. For the past three years this first-year course, and several mid-curriculum projects have moved into this space, along with multiple senior capstone projects, bringing about intercohort interactions and developing a social hub for the department, as well as facilitating course activities.

In this work, we report on the detailed design of this learning environment, and the lessons learned in the creation of such a multi-use space, specifically for the needs of chemical engineering students and curriculum. We report on how the transition of our first-year design course to this new layout appears to have impacted multiple metrics: student trainings and laboratory skill acquisition, student course performance, team evaluations, course and instructor evaluations, and more. Finally, because the space combines a wet lab, makerspace, and design hall, and activities within range from students socializing to course laboratory activities, safety concerns are unique. We report in this work how general safety and specific equipment trainings may be effectively managed.

Results suggest that significant gains have been realized in student outcomes, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the results of this work may be used to aid in design of interactive, project-based learning environments for chemical engineering curriculum.

Citation
Format

Butterfield, A. (2020, June), The Design and Impact of a Combined Makerspace, Wet Lab, and Instructional Design Studio for Chemical Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--35301

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The designs of the physical spaces in which we teach have been shown to impact classroom dynamics and student outcomes. This interface between space and pedagogy becomes particularly important in interactive, hands-on, and project-based learning environments. Several models to enhance such environments have been implemented throughout STEM departments, but solutions particular to chemical engineering departments require additional examination.

We have been teaching a chemical engineering design laboratory, primarily directed towards our first year students, over the past six years at the University of Utah. This course was initially taught in a lecture hall and a series of satellite labs, centered around the space used for a unit operations courses. Due to the first-year course’s success in achieving learning outcomes and its positive reception by students, we have been able to design and build a combined laboratory, instructional, and maker space specifically meant to facilitate early- and mid-curriculum hands-on project-based learning. For the past three years this first-year course, and several mid-curriculum projects have moved into this space, along with multiple senior capstone projects, bringing about intercohort interactions and developing a social hub for the department, as well as facilitating course activities.

In this work, we report on the detailed design of this learning environment, and the lessons learned in the creation of such a multi-use space, specifically for the needs of chemical engineering students and curriculum. We report on how the transition of our first-year design course to this new layout appears to have impacted multiple metrics: student trainings and laboratory skill acquisition, student course performance, team evaluations, course and instructor evaluations, and more. Finally, because the space combines a wet lab, makerspace, and design hall, and activities within range from students socializing to course laboratory activities, safety concerns are unique. We report in this work how general safety and specific equipment trainings may be effectively managed.

Results suggest that significant gains have been realized in student outcomes, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the results of this work may be used to aid in design of interactive, project-based learning environments for chemical engineering curriculum.
AU  - Anthony Butterfield
CY  - Virtual On line 
DA  - 2020/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - The Design and Impact of a Combined Makerspace, Wet Lab, and Instructional Design Studio for Chemical Engineering Curriculum
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/35301
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--35301
ER  -