Virtual versus In-Person Presentation as a Project Deliverable Differentially Impacts Student Engaged-Learning Outcomes in a Chemical Engineering Core Course

Abstract

Over the past decade, the increasingly globalized society has continually redefined the qualities and skills of an ideal engineering graduate for industry and academic careers, and, more recently, in light of a global pandemic in 2020, the pedagogical environment has shifted toward a virtual classroom setting. Because the engineering and social challenges of the modern world are rapidly evolving, it is important to adapt teaching methods that reflect these changing times. An increasingly attractive teaching method in the engineering classroom is project-based learning (PBL), which is known to improve engaged-learning outcomes, such as creativity, risk taking, social responsibility, teamwork, self-confidence, and communication. However, it is still unclear how various PBL practices differentially impact these engaged-learning outcomes. Toward the goal of elucidating this, the impact of two different project formats, a virtual presentation versus an in-person presentation, was evaluated for a junior-level chemical engineering core course, Mass and Heat Transfer, over 2 years (248 students total). In surveys conducted after the projects were completed, students were asked to what degree the project improved each of the learning outcomes on a scale of 0 (no impact) to 10 (great impact). Data from these postproject surveys showed no statistically significant differences in impact on teamwork, self-confidence, and communication skills between the two groups. However, the virtual presentation had statistically significant greater positive impacts on student creativity [mean score: 8.9/10 (virtual) vs 7.7/10 (in-person); p < 0.001] and risk taking [mean score: 7.7/10 (virtual) vs 6.1/10 (in-person); p < 0.001], whereas the in-person presentation had a significantly more positive impact on social responsibility [mean score: 6.5/10 (in-person) vs 5.5/10 (virtual); p < 0.05]. Qualitative insights into these results were gathered from discussions with students in focus groups. The results of this study underscore the unique advantages associated with different presentation formats. From the perspective of the current transitions to online learning, the results suggest that changing project deliverables from an in-person to a virtual format may actually yield net gains in engaged-learning outcomes.