An On-Line Approach to Teaching Report-Writing in Chemical Engineering

1. An On-Line Approach to Teaching Report-Writing in Chemical Engineering Tim Langrish Chemical Engineering Helen Drury, Peter O’Carroll Learning Centre

2. Outline • Background • Development of program & aims • Methods • Evaluation & qualitative feedback • Quantitative feedback • Wider uses for program • Conclusions & acknowledgments Web-based report writing package

3. Background • Internet used in laboratory-related work for virtual plants & on-line training • Internet used for instruction in (e.g.) heat-transfer, thermodynamics, process control & simulation, numerical analysis, statics & dynamics using animations, animated exercises • Key features: flexibility, self-paced instruction Web-based report writing package

4. Applications to Report Writing • Potential for up-front use in report writing • Many universities provide information on report writing (Open University gives students 700 Mb of files about report writing on CDROM) • Not many examples of interactive report-writing training Web-based report writing package

5. Development of Program & Aims • Originally paper-based teaching materials for learning about writing laboratory reports • Adapted for on-line learning (1999 grant) • Aim: to make explicit the content & structure of laboratory reports in Chemical Engineering: students work on materials at their own pace, in their own time, according to their own needs Web-based report writing package

6. Methods • Typical stages of laboratory report (e.g. introduction, methods, etc.) used to create macro design • Within each stage, explanations, examples, interactive exercises followed by on-line feedback; understand appropriate content, structure, language features of stage Web-based report writing package

7. Evaluation & Qualitative Feedback • Questionnaires, focus groups, pre & post-tests (ITL support, Mike Prosser, ethic clearance from University) • Qualitative feedback from questionnaires & focus groups: very useful (e.g. “it’s a great program” & “I learned a lot”) for learning about structure of reports & appropriate content for each stage Web-based report writing package

8. Quantitative Feedback • About 50% of class responded • Most students found program easy to use, instructions for exercises easy to follow & clear, but design features & colours not rated so highly • Most students appeared to be browsers, looking for specific information, then using program intensively Web-based report writing package

9. Quantitative Feedback (cont.) • Degree of interactivity greatly appreciated by students, particularly in aiding explanations • 80% of students felt that there was enough on-line feedback from the exercises; 90% said that feedback was useful when they got answer wrong; 75% said that feedback was easy to follow • More model texts wanted Web-based report writing package

10. Quantitative Statistics Did the program improve student performance? • Significant difference in students’ pre and post test marks, 95% confidence • Significant difference in students’ marks for their draft report and final report, 95% confidence • Average mark increased over the course of the program Web-based report writing package

11. Quantitative Statistics: ESB versus NESB • Results showed no improvement differences • The average difference between pre and post test marks for ESB students was not significantly different to NESB students: 95% confidence Web-based report writing package

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14. Issues • How to increase students’ confidence in their writing • How to help students transfer and apply learning to new contexts • How to help students realise the connections between writing in their discipline and learning content Web-based report writing package

15. More Issues • Development time to give significant interactivity • External review Web-based report writing package

16. Wider Uses for Program Vertical integration through years for report writing in laboratory work Horizontal integration by developing report-writing skills across range of units of study; emphasizes common themes so has generic application Web-based report writing package

17. Conclusions • An on-going development & challenge • Have developed, implemented & evaluated web-based report-writing program to allow students to work on materials at their own pace, in their own time, according to their own needs, to develop their understanding of content & structure of laboratory reports in Chemical Engineering: overall very positive results Web-based report writing package

18. Acknowledgments • Associate Professor Mike Prosser, Institute for Teaching and Learning, for guidance regarding student surveys • Rob Mackay-Wood and Aida Yalcin from the Teaching Development Unit, Biological Sciences, for programming support and guidance Web-based report writing package