Design and assessment of a hybrid chemical engineering laboratory course with the incorporation of student-centred experiential learning

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative study of the effectiveness of traditional laboratory (TL) and open-ended project-based laboratory (PBL) in a hybrid chemical engineering laboratory course. The two laboratory modules were delivered using corresponding instruction methods, and their effects on intended high-level learning outcomes and skill development were assessed by means of student performance and a specific Likert-style survey. The results show that the traditional laboratory based on behaviorist learning is both effective and efficient in enhancing knowledge acquisition and improving learning outcomes, particularly for content-intensive lab components, while the project-based laboratory based on constructivist learning, coupled with an authentic design component, is more effective in fulfilling high-level design-related learning outcomes and developing students with high-level engineering skills. The design component in the PBL was found to be the key to motivating students to seek seamless connection between practical design, pilot-scale laboratory, and underlying theories. The results also indicate that the sequential instruction and formative assessment methodology adopted in the PBL have brought about deep learning and high-level student satisfaction. Feedback from the survey could also be very valuable for the design of more effective, efficient, and sustainable learning pedagogy for engineering laboratory courses.