(375g) Laying a Foundation with Outcome Assessment in Material and Energy Balances

Most chemical engineering programs assess achievement at high levels of learning across the palette of ABET student outcomes in capstone courses such as senior design. This poster will demonstrate a similar assessment, albeit at low levels of learning, in a sophomore-year material and energy balance course. A primary objective of the approach is to familiarize students with the expectations of a professional engineering graduate, using the framework of ABET student outcomes. In doing so, it also circumvents the “Why do we have to do/know that?” question often posed regarding those assignments later in the curriculum that address the development of professional skills such as teamwork and communication.

Of course, problem-solving is the most fundamental learning objective for any material and energy balances course. Here, we will focus instead on supplemental assignments addressing ethical responsibility, experimental data, written communication, team function, independent learning, and basic design choices. The assignments, presented to students with an explanation of why those skills are important, invite them early on to embrace the development of the knowledge, skills, and behaviors associated with an engineering professional, thus laying the foundation that will ultimately support the capstone experience.