Chemical Engineering Department
Revised August 2013
Curriculum and Course Assessment
General Curriculum
#
Topic
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Ken and Tommy surveyed graduate students
and concluded that programming should be
kept. Need to integrate through curriculum.
The undergraduate committee should pursue
this aspect. Responsible faculty:
Undergraduate committee.
It is recommended that a committee be formed
to address which simulator package should be
used in the future. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee
1
Concern that programming may not be needed
and that we should re-evaluate the computer
tools used.
Fall
2007
1a
There were still licensing issues in many courses
regarding ChemCad.
Fall
2009
1b
Consider introducing simulators earlier in
curriculum and providing simulator options (like
Aspen and Unisim).
Winter
2011
1c
Simulator assessment.
Winter
2012
2
Need quantitative assessment listed under
assessment method. (i.e. use scores from
assignments, etc rather than listing just general
categories such as life-long learning assignment,
homework, etc.
Fall
2008
The UG Committee is addressing curriculumwide computer program usage, but planning to
adopt Aspen this year. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
Multiple simulator options were offered in ChEn
451. The results were 17 groups chose
ChemCad, 1 chose Aspen, and 1 chose Unisim.
Continue teaching Aspen.
The UG committee will revise the form to
emphasize this point. Responsible faculty:
Undergraduate committee.
Reasse
ssment
Date
Fall
2008
Reassessment/
Status
July
2009
August
2011
Licensing issues
mainly resolved.
Platform
evaluation
ongoing (see 1b).
Ongoing (see 1c).
May
2011
Ongoing.
Mathcad and
Chemcad remain
the primary tools
May
2012
Complete.
March
2009
Complete.
3
Some competency information is cutoff on the
evaluation form (see ChEn 378, ChEn 374 form).
Faculty evaluation sheets (for end of semester
assessment) need to be changed to better
identify how assessment methods should be
reported.
Competency 6.6.2 (?) was weak in ChEn 373. It
was noted that this competency can better be
assessed throughout the curriculum.
Fall
2008
Winter
2009
Need to fix. Responsible faculty: Tommy
Knotts.
Need to avoid ambiguity of using H, E, F, Q, and
P. Responsible Faculty: Randy and Tommy
March
2009
July
2009
Completed Fall
2009
Complete
Winter
2009
July
2009
Complete October
2009
5a
Competency 6.6 (rationalize units, order of
magnitude estimates/reasonableness) still
recommended to be assessed throughout the
curriculum.
Winter
2011
May
2011
Ongoing.
6
Based on feedback from ChEn 376, the UG
committee agrees that methodologies should be
added to competencies stating “able to solve”.
Winter
2009
July
2009
Ongoing (see 6a).
6a
The Undergraduate (UG) Committee is reviewing
the competencies and how they are listed and
maintained.
Winter
2010
August
2011
Complete after
minor revision.
Benefits of
complete
overhaul deemed
low.
7
There continues to be a concern regarding
statistics as related to relevancy between lab
and statistics course, degree to which statistics
are applied in the lab, and the statistical
methods that should be emphasized.
Winter
2009
The UG committee will provide
recommendations on how to proceed beginning
with the Fall 2009 courses. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
Possible ideas: Teaching Moment in faculty
meeting; benchmark assessments in quiz, exam,
etc.; clicker or Poll Everywhere exercises.
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
This issue will be addressed throughout the
curriculum via input from the course instructors.
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
We are discussing possible changes to simplify
the competency listing that should streamline
the maintenance process. Our primary focus is
to make them a useful tool that will drive
improvement, while maintaining coverage and
continuity between instructors and courses.
Also, we want to eliminate any prior slow or
ineffective feedback and correction of issues.
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
A committee will be formed to address the UO
lab in general—statistics will be part of the
discussion. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
July
2009
Ongoing (see 7a).
4
5
7a
In ChEn 475, there is a major concern regarding
the ability of students to write effectively and to
utilize statistics.
Improve the UO experience for all involved.
Fall
2009
8
There is a conflict between UO lab Section 2 and
ChEn 378 (Fall semester).
Winter
2009
9
Continuous improvement.
Fall
2009
10
Fall
2009
12
There was a concern with TA’s in ChEn 170.
Their reliability and competency were not at the
expected level. TA’s had difficulty answering
questions.
Program outcomes related to soft skills need
better assessment tools. Some concern has also
been expressed regarding the assignment of
specific courses for soft skill assessment.
Consider effectiveness of 391.
13
Improve the UO experience for all involved.
7b
11
Winter
2011
Winter
2012
Fall
2009
Winter
2010
Winter
2010
The UG will pursue this issue further and provide
a recommendation. Responsible:
Undergraduate Committee
The UG committee is considering all options,
especially in view of the department’s desire
and college funding to make this a showcase lab.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee, 475 and
477 instructors, Mike Beliveau.
This should be resolved. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
March
2009
Ongoing (see 7b).
May
2012
Ongoing.
July
2009
For each course you teach, you need to
remember to look at the action item(s) from the
previous year before the semester begins and
respond to the action item(s) at the end of the
semester. If you are teaching a course for the
first time, you should look at the past history of
action items to provide guidance for your course
preparation. Responsible: ALL
It’s recommended that we put greater emphasis
on TA’s used for this course. Responsible:
Department Chair/Associate Chair.
March
2009
Resolved: ChEn
378 moved to
11:00 a.m. to not
conflict with the
afternoon UO
class.
This document
will help to
facilitate “closing
the loop” as
identified in this
item.
March
2009
Complete.
We need to reevaluate which courses should
assess soft skills. The undergraduate committee
will work on this. Responsible: Undergraduate
Committee
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
The UG committee is considering all options,
especially in view of the department’s desire
March
2009
Ongoing.
May
2011
May
2011
Ongoing.
Ongoing.
15
Before the students fill out the ABET
competency evaluations at the end of the
semester, spend a few minutes in class
reviewing the competencies to refresh the
students’ memories.
To further improve the student feedback, the
Undergraduate Committee (UG) will add space
for student comments on these evaluation
forms.
Fall
2010
16a
Student comments on evaluation forms.
Fall
2011
16a
Evaluation forms
Fall
2012
16
ChEn 170
#
Topic
1
Unit conversions were noted as a problem
during the last assessment.
Fall
2010
and college funding to make this a showcase lab.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee, 475 and
477 instructors, Mike Beliveau.
Our goal is to get improved feedback from the
students. Responsible: ALL
We have found that the written comments by
faculty drive change more than the numeric
values. Therefore, we want to provide the
students the same opportunity. Responsible:
UG Committee.
Based on positive experience with the written
faculty feedback for each course (and following
a trial in two classes at the end of Winter 2011
semester), all student feedback forms were
changed from the numeric scale to a Y/N format
with comments. This change has substantially
improved the quality of actionable feedback and
will be continued.
Have faculty and TA’s administer these forms to
better control the instructions given to the
students.
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Fall
2007
This year it was stated that most of the class is
proficient in unit conversions as a result of online sample problems with detailed (step-bystep) answer keys.
March
2011
Complete.
March
2012
Complete.
March
2012
Complete.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Reasse
ssment
Date
Fall
2009
Reassessment/
Status
Complete.
2
Quantitative assessment of environmental,
social, political, etc. constraints was mentioned
as difficult.
Fall
2008
3
The assessment method listed on the Faculty
evaluation needs more direct evidence rather
than generic definitions of H, E, F, and P.
Winter
2009
4
Winter
2009
6
Cover sheet for course assessment is missing.
This cover sheet is used to document changes
based upon recommendations of the previous
semester.
Great job on introducing a new hands-on
project.
Would like to add competencies.
7
Teaching temperature units.
Winter
2010
8
Still concerned about the number of
competencies for an introductory course, even
after visiting with Ken as the UG committee
recommended.
The instructor is still concerned about the
number of competencies for an introductory
course. He feels it is redundant to have
competencies that are “introduce . . .” when
other higher level competencies could be used
to teach them at an introductory level.
Competency list.
Winter
2010
5
8a
8b
Fall
2009
Fall
2009
Winter
2011
Winter
Work on developing assessment tool(s) such as a
short writing assignment, fill in the blank
assignments, in class assignment, etc. to assess
these aspects. Share your method(s) with the
faculty.
For instance, a specific homework assignment
with some quantitative results should be shown
to validate the proficiency score. Assessment
training on this aspect will be addressed during
the retreat.
Since this was not done, please look at Winter
2008 recommendations to make sure they are
incorporated and addressed in Winter 2010
Fall
2009
?
August
2009
Complete
July
2009
?
Continue to work on assessing the effectiveness
of this effort.
If there are competencies you would like to add
to the course, please provide a list to the
undergraduate committee. Please try to use
existing competencies.
Used best practices to teach temperature units
by emphasizing and warning of common
mistakes.
The UG Committee shares the general concern
and is addressing (see item 1 under
“Competency Changes” above). Responsible
Faculty: Undergraduate Committee.
The Undergraduate Committee agrees that the
competency list is lengthy for this class, but we
would like to discuss a more concrete proposal.
Please suggest which competencies should be
eliminated or combined. Responsible Faculty:
170 Instructor.
The Undergraduate Committee agreed with the
March
2010
March
2010
Ongoing.
March
2010
Complete.
March
2010
Ongoing (see 8a).
March
2011
Ongoing (see 8b).
May
Ongoing (see 16).
?
2012
9
Instructor comment.
10
Formalize the continued implementation of
hands-on, open ended projects, as these have
been successful and viewed positively by the
students.
Change 10.8.2 (Students will be introduced to
costs in capital ventures (e.g., capital vs
operating costs, salvage value, equipment
costing) to replace “salvage value” with
“depreciation”.
Leadership experience.
11
12
previous instructor that the competency list was
lengthy and requested a concrete proposal on
recommended reductions from the previous
instructor, but this was not provided. The new
instructor recommends a major course revision
and possible combined revamp of 170/191, but
after the UO plans are made and being
implemented (there is no link with UO implied,
simply a workload management issue for the
committee), to accompany the competency
reduction. Responsible Faculty: UG Committee
with previous 170 instructors.
Implemented “just in time” teaching, as
necessary.
Responsible Faculty: 170 instructors.
2012
May
2011
August
2011
Complete.
Winter
2010
Responsible: Tommy.
May
2010
Complete.
Fall
2010
Continue the good work of incorporating
leadership experience and feedback into the
team project.
Change the Map and the website accordingly.
Responsible: Tommy.
After discussion, the Map and other student
planning tools were not changed to recommend
that students take the course in the Fall because
the UG Committee is considering the role of 191
more broadly within the curriculum.
UG Committee considering revisions.
March
2011
Complete.
Fall
2011
March
2012
Closed.
May
Ongoing.
Winter
2010
Winter
2010
13
Recommend that students take this course in
the Fall, if possible.
Fall
2010
14
The instructor feels that the course is too
Winter
Complete.
15
16
detailed for a freshman introduction and is
essentially a reduced version of ChEn 273. He
recommends more time for hands-on and
experiential learning to excite the students
about chemical engineering.
Both instructors felt that there are too many
competencies and would like to reduce them.
Specific suggestions were to remove the process
control and economics competencies.
The instructors would like to make the class
more hands on and creative or include more
interesting class demonstrations with the time
saved by covering fewer competencies.
2
3
4
2012
Winter
2012
The UG Committee does not want to remove
the economics components, but is considering
the other options, as in the next item.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Fall
2012
Responsible: the UG Committee is working to
implement aspects of both Items 15 and 16 this
Fall, with the Instructors.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Reassessment/
Status
Need quantitative assessment listed under
assessment method (i.e. use scores from
assignments, etc rather than listing just general
categories such as life-long learning assignment,
homework, etc.)
Competency 1.5 (related to resumes) requested
to be added.
Add a competency in the course for “familiarity
with the profession of chemical engineering”.
Fall
2008
The UG committee will revise the form to
emphasize this point.
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Fall
2009
Fall
2009
As requested, competency 1.5 will be added.
March
2010
March
2010
Complete.
Required direct assessment of some
competencies (soft skills) is too much for this
course.
Fall
2009
March
2010
Complete.
ChEn 191 (formerly 291)
#
Topic
1
2012
There is already a competency in the course for
“familiarity with the profession of chemical
engineering” (1.3). – confirm with Tommy.
The undergraduate committee agrees. We will
remove the direct assessment requirement for
specific competencies. However, please
continue to provide appropriate assessment for
the course.
Completed Winter
2009.
Complete
5
The instructor feels there are too many
interruptions to the continuity of the class which
impedes developing personal relationships with
the class and favors elimination of the conflicts
with the Dean’s lecture and AIChE speakers. The
Dean’s lectures were particularly disorganized
this semester.
ChEn 263
#
Topic
Fall
2012
Responsible: the UG Committee is working on
a proposal to address this concern along with
revisions to 391.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Reassessment/
Status
Ken and Tommy surveyed graduate students
and concluded that programming should be
kept. Need to integrate through curriculum.
The undergraduate committee should pursue
this aspect.
Continue the VBA lectures.
Reasse
ssment
Date
Fall
2008
March
2009
Ongoing.
March
2010
Complete.
March
2009
Ongoing (see 3a).
March
2010
Ongoing(see 3b).
1
Based on the 2007 feedback, there was some
concern that programming may not be needed
and that we should re-evaluate the computer
tools used.
Fall
2007
2
Similar to last year’s feedback, the added VBA
lectures increased the VBA capability of
students. The average score on the
programming project was 95%.
Similar to last year’s feedback, the increase in
VBA lectures increased the VBA capability of
students.
Fall
2008
3
Students had difficulty with T and T units in
MathCad.
Fall
2008
3a
In previous years students had difficulty with T
and T units in MathCad.
Fall
2009
2a
Fall
2009
The average score on the VBA project was 90%.
This item does not need to be followed any
longer unless the instructor notes a decrease in
student capabilities.
Continue to emphasize this point and interact
with the 273 instructor regarding ways to
resolve this problem.
Instruction on temperature units was modified
by teaching primarily K and ºR units. Students
performed much better (>90%) on problems
related to temperature units. Continue to
monitor student’s progress another year.
Ongoing.
Mathcad remains
the primary tool
3b
Student difficulty with T and T units in
MathCad.
Fall
2010
3c
Temperature units in Mathcad. Based on the
instructor’s advice, the students primarily used
absolute temperatures in Mathcad, but did
introduce °F and °C, with their associated
complications. The instructor wants to assess
again next year.
Temperature units in Mathcad.
Fall
2011
Competency 6.2 (“Students will be able to
convert problem solving strategies to procedural
algorithms”) wording is very general and needs
to be modified.
Solving engineering problems
Fall
2009
Help students see multiple approaches to a
problem.
Fall
2009
3d
4
5
6
Fall
2012
Fall
2009
Instruction improved again, with continued
improvement in performance based on
homework (from >90% of students doing it
correctly last year to >95% this year). The
instructor wants one more year of evaluation to
see how the students do in the advanced junior
classes. Responsible: Brad.
Responsible: ChEn 263 instructor.
March
2011
Ongoing (see 3c).
March
2012
Ongoing (see 3d).
The students are excelling here and choosing to
use primarily R and K (as the instructor
recommends). The instructor wants to assess
one more year with a little more exposure to
units of °F and °C. Responsible: ChEn 263
instructor.
Visit with Tommy to update the wording of the
competency. Generally, these changes have
been made in the database, but website may
not yet reflect them.
Over 90% of the homework and exam problems
were related to chemical engineers. Students
expressed verbally and demonstrated through
homework that they improved their ability to
solve engineering problems (competency 6.1).
This item does not need to be followed any
longer unless the instructor notes a decrease in
student capabilities.
The UG committee likes your recommendation.
However, as you implement your
recommendation, please be careful in
March
2013
Ongoing.
March
2010
Complete.
March
2010
Complete.
March
2010
Complete
7
Leadership opportunity and student team
learning environment.
Fall
2010
Fall
2011
8
The instructor plans to improve final preparation
with a review sheet and checklist.
Fall
2010
9
The UG Committee’s review of the student
feedback on Competency 5.4.2 (“Students will
be able to write program structures, and
understand when programming is most
appropriate”) suggests the students may be
expecting too much.
The students are improving, but the instructor
noted that this was again the most frequently
listed “No” competency and indicated that the
student secretary who administered the survey
emphasized “Mastery” as the criteria for a “Yes”
response. He suggests that we provide a script
for the secretary in the future.
L3 Exam highly missed concept for VBA project.
The instructor implemented the VBA project
mentioned previously on heat exchanger
Fall
2011
9a
10
minimizing the impact this recommendation
would have on a student’s time or your ability to
cover the necessary course content.
Students given an opportunity to present their
team projects during an evening celebration in
order to see a wider variety of approaches to
team work, leadership, and solving problems.
This was well-received. Continue next semester
and report on outcome. Responsible: Brad.
The VBA project was well-received. The
instructor plans to continue doing this as part of
the students’ leadership experience.
Please report on this next semester.
Responsible: Brad.
The instructor completed both of these and
review problems for the final, which were wellreceived based on informal feedback from the
students.
They are not expected to be polished
programmers at the end of the course. Try to
help them understand that this is an
introductory course in regard to programming.
Responsible: ChEn 263 instructor.
March
2012
March
2013
Complete.
March
2012
Complete.
Ongoing (see 9a)
Fall
2012
Instead, the UG Committee recommends that
the instructor and/or TA handle the in-class
portion of the evaluation (as noted in General
Action Items, there is no need to leave the
room). Responsible: ChEn 263 instructor.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Fall
2011
Based on UG Committee feedback, the
instructor carefully structured the project and
monitored the time the students spent on the
March
2012
Ongoing (see 10a).
solutions using the log-mean temperature
method.
10a
L3 Exam highly missed concept for VBA project.
ChEn 273
# Topic
1
2
Question as to whether transient balances
should be continued.
Concern about the TA’s not attending the class.
Fall
2012
project by formal survey (9.9 hours) and were
given time both within class and outside of class
(through a reduction in other 263 homework) to
complete it. Their performance was
outstanding. The instructor wishes to continue
to monitor future performance on the L3 exam
to evaluate the effectiveness of the effort.
Responsible: ChEn 263 instructor (with UG
Committee assistance with L3 performance
monitoring).
Based on UG Committee feedback, the
instructor carefully structured the heat
exchanger project and monitored the time the
students spent on the project by formal survey
(9.9 hours) and were given time both within
class and outside of class (through a reduction in
other 263 homework) to complete it. Their
performance was outstanding. The instructor
wishes to continue to monitor future
performance on the L3 exam to evaluate the
effectiveness of the effort. Responsible: ChEn
263 instructor (with UG Committee assistance
with L3 performance monitoring).
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Winter
2009
Winter
2008
The recommendation is to continue the
instruction.
The TA’s are now attending the class based on
last year’s recommendation. It was reported
that the TA’s did a good job.
March
2013
Reasse
ssment
Date
July
2009
July
2009
Ongoing.
Reassessment/
Status
Complete.
Complete.
3
Adding psychrometric charts as a competency.
Winter
2009
4
The assessment methods were well
documented.
Winter
2009
5
From L3 exam feedback, the students appear to
grasp the concept of
, but do
not grasp the concept of
.
Winter
2009
6
Transient balances continue, to be a challenge.
The Math prerequisites were identified as a
possible contributing factor.
Winter
2010
7
The UG committee agreed to reconsider
recommended wording the expectations of 3.1.5
concerning psychrometric charts.
Winter
2010
ChEn 311
#
Topic
The UG committee recommends that humidity
charts should NOT be added as a competency
since there are varying attitudes among faculty
regarding the necessity for including instruction
of humidity charts.
Therefore, the evaluation sheet will be used as
an example for future instruction among the
faculty on how to document the assessment
methods.
In an effort to reinforce this concept, we will
recommend that the instructors of 273, 373, and
478 (now 386) focus on calculating equilibrium
concentrations from K at pressures other than 1
bar.
The UG Committee recommends making Math
113 a hard or enforced prerequisite to 273.
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee. The instructor is considering an in
class practice sheet for this material. Please try
this. Responsible Faculty: 273 instructor.
Please propose the wording. Responsible
Faculty: 273 instructor with UG Committee.
Reworded regarding the expectations
concerning psychrometric charts. (Now reads
“Students will be able to read pure component
and mixture phase diagrams (e.g. psychrometric
chart, solid solubility, liquid-liquid, VLE) and
construct mass balances from them using the
lever rule, tie lines, etc.”)
Initial Action/Recommendation
Date
July
2009
Complete.
August
2009
Complete
Winter
2010
Discussed with
other instructors.
Decided not to
change coverage
in 273.
Complete.
August
2011
August
2011
Reasse
ssment
Complete.
Reassessment/
Status
1
Need quantitative assessment listed under
assessment method (i.e. use scores from
assignments, etc rather than listing just general
categories such as life-long learning assignment,
homework, etc.)
Course content augmented.
Fall
2008
The UG committee will revise the form to
emphasize this point.
Fall
2009
3
The 11 and 12 competencies will be dropped in
Fall 2012, as they are covered in EngT 231.
Fall
2010
3a
Ethics, teamwork, and leadership. The 11 and
12 competencies will be dropped in Fall 2012, as
they are covered in EngT 231.
Fall
2011
3b
Ethics, teamwork, and leadership.
Fall
2012
4
Safety. Energy and safety topics will be
expanded after these competencies are
discontinued.
Fall
2012
4a
Enhanced coverage of Safety.
With the change in content for the course in Fall
2010, please provide a recommendation for the
addition or deletion of competencies.
They will be retained through Fall 2011 because
a poll indicated that the Econ 110 and EngT 231
heritage was still about 50/50 among current
students.
These competencies were retained through Fall
2011 because a poll indicated that the Econ 110
and EngT 231 heritage was still about 50/50
among students in 2010. Add to EngT 231.
Responsible: UG Committee/Tommy.
Ethics (in particular, workplace ethics and their
relation to environmental and safety
considerations) are being retained, despite
coverage in EngT 231, because of the topic’s
importance.
The students feel that safety needs more time,
which the instructor will provide. Modify the
competencies to reflect the recent AIChE/SAChE
emphasis areas, such as runaway reactions.
Responsible: ChEn 311 instructor.
Completed as part of fine-tuning the ethics
coverage.
2
ChEn 373
#
Topic
Initial
Action/Recommendation
Date
March
2009
Completed Winter
2009.
March
2010
?
March
2011
Ongoing (see 3a).
March
2012
Ongoing (see 3b).
March
2013
Complete.
March
2013
Ongoing (see 4a)
Complete.
Reasse
Reassessment/
Date
1
It was noted that Competency 6.6.2 was weak
and that this competency can better be assessed
throughout the curriculum.
Competency 6.6 remains weak. (“Students will
be able to rationalize units, make order of
magnitude estimates, assess reasonableness of
solutions, and select appropriate levels of
solution sophistication.”)
Winter
2009
This competency is no longer listed?
Winter
2011
1b
Competency 6.6
Winter
2012
2
There was a suggestion that competencies 3.7.1
and 3.7.6 could be rewritten to separate open
and closed systems into two separate
competencies for better assessment. This
suggestion was mainly due to problems with
several students not being able to solve
problems with closed systems.
Winter
2009
3
Based on last year’s recommendation, time
spent on stability was reduced and more time
was spent on competency 10.6.1 (“Students will
be able to perform design (sizing) calculations
for turbines and compressors (e.g., involving
Winter
2008
The instructor feels that we need to train faculty
how to teach this, for example by giving more
“what if” questions, activities to assess
“reasonableness”, and more opportunities to
think. Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
The Undergraduate Committee asked all faculty
to incorporate more exercises relating to
Competency 6.6 into their instruction.
The recommendation is that the competencies
remain as written but that two assessments be
provided for each competency- one for closed
systems and one for open systems. Following
any assessment during the semester (such as an
exam) in which it is noted that students have
difficulty with closed systems, the instructor
should talk with the students to identify the
“incorrect” approach in which students tried to
solve the problem so that corrective instruction
can be incorporated into the course. The
instructor should also discuss ideas with
instructors in 273 and 451 to determine if
further action should be implemented in these
courses.
Student scores improved on exams associated
with competency 10.6.1. Spent more time on
this subject by reducing time on stability.
1a
ssment
Date
July
2009
Status
May
2011
Ongoing.
Decem
ber
2012
July
2009
August
2011
Complete.
Winter
2010
Complete.
?
Complete. Noted
improvement in
4
delta H, delta S, work, heat, efficiencies)”).
There were still licensing issues regarding
ChemCad.
5
From L3 exam feedback, the students appear to
grasp the concept of
, but do
not grasp the concept of
.
Winter
2009
5a
Instructor taught
way.
Instructor taught
new way again.
in a new
Winter
2011
It is recommended that a committee be formed
to address which simulator package should be
used in the future.
In an effort to reinforce this concept, we will
recommend that the instructors of 273, 373, and
478 focus on calculating equilibrium
concentrations from K at pressures other than 1
bar.
Check L3 performance to assess effectiveness.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee.
in the
Winter
2012
Some improvement in L3 performance was
observed.
May
2012
Winter
2010
Winter
2012
Responsible Faculty: 373 instructor.
August
2011
May
2012
5b
6
Continue to emphasize 3.7.1 and 3.7.6.
7
Weak performance on competencies.
8
Instructor suggestion to shift coverage to PChem
(Chem 467).
ChEn 374
Winter
2009
Winter
2012
The instructor felt the students were weak at
entropy “balances” (3.7.6) and transient
problems (3.1.6). He felt they needed more
practice, but was unsure how much to
emphasize them, particularly transient balances.
He also felt there was not enough time to add
more material, but he will work on improving
these competencies in the future. Responsible
Faculty: 373 instructor.
The instructor feels that some of the
competencies on phase behavior and enthalpies
(e.g., 3.2.1 and 3.7.5) are better covered
primarily in PChem. The UG Committee
members respectfully disagree. Please continue
this instruction.
Fall
2009
August
2011
Ongoing.
Complete with
ongoing L3
monitoring.
Complete.
Fall
2009
May
2012
Ongoing—see
Curriculum item
1a
Complete:
continue to
emphasize.
Complete.
Complete.
#
Topic
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
1
Move 3.3.5 (“Students will understand the
significance of steady-state, integral and
differential mass, energy, and momentum
balances in one dimension”) to Level 2 and
remove “in one dimension”.
Again, competency 3.3.5 requested to be
changed to Level 2 and the wording “in one
dimension” to be removed.
Continue to emphasize 10.3.3 (“Students will be
able to design flow systems involving pipes and
pumps for power-law fluids”) since this appears
weak.
Student evaluation and instructor comments
noted that competencies 3.3.4 and 10.3.3
(related to power law) were weak.
Fall
2008
Ask Tommy to do this.
Fall
2009
2b
Power law fluids
Fall
2010
2c
Power law fluids. The instructor reports that
lectures are carefully crafted, with good
response from the students.
Fall
2011
1a
2
2a
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Reassessment/
Status
As requested, competency 3.3.5 will be changed
to Level 2 and the wording “in one dimension”
will be removed.
Fluids instructor to continue to emphasize.
March
2010
Not yet done.
March
2009
Ongoing (see 2a).
Previous instructors spent two days on this
subject. Please interact with previous
instructors to determine the best way to help
strengthen these competencies.
Continue to improve instruction/learning
relating to competencies 3.3.4 and 10.3.3.
Responsible: David.
The UG Committee believes the student
feedback may indicate further work is still
needed. Please continue to monitor the
students’ competency evaluation feedback.
Particularly in relation to Competency 10.3.3
(“Students will be able to design flow systems
involving pipes and pumps for power-law
fluids”), the students appear to be expecting too
much. Communicate that being able to
calculate P in the system (and thus the
required pump head) is the primary design
feature, not the mechanical details of the pump.
March
2010
Ongoing (see 2b).
March
2011
Ongoing (see 2c).
March
2012
Ongoing (see 2d).
Not yet done.
2d
Power law fluids.
Fall
2012
3
Safety emphasis.
3a
Safety.
Fall
2009
Fall
2010
3b
Safety.
Fall
2011
4
Environmental considerations.
Fall
2010
4a
Environmental considerations (Competency 7.4).
Fall
Responsible: 374 instructor.
The UG Committee recommends rewording the
following competencies: Competency 10.3.3
(“Students will be able to design flow systems
involving pipes and pumps for power-law
fluids”) to read “Students will be able to
calculate pressure drop in flow systems involving
pipes and pumps for non-Newtonian fluids.”
Delete “power-law” from competency 3.3.4
(“Students will be able to determine velocity
profiles for steady-state, laminar flow in simple
geometries for Newtonian and power-law
fluids.”) to read “Students will be able to
determine velocity profiles for steady-state,
laminar flow in simple geometries for
Newtonian fluids.” Responsible: UG
Committee if 374 instructor concurs.
Please include some safety emphasis. SACHE
materials provide an excellent resource.
Safety plans were required for class project
proposals and implementation. Continue with
your idea of homework case studies.
Responsible: David.
The instructor modified several homework
problems to include safety aspects, such as
pressure relief valves, pump cavitation, and
liquid storage tank design. Please continue and
expand as the instructor feels is appropriate.
Work to develop some homework simple
problems involving environmental
considerations or incorporate some
environmental aspects into existing problems
(competency 7.4). Responsible: David.
The UG Committee does not support decreasing
March
2013
Ongoing.
March
2010
March
2011
Ongoing (see 3a)
March
2012
Complete.
March
2011
Ongoing (see 4a).
March
Ongoing (see 4b).
Ongoing (see 3b)
4c
The instructor reports that coverage remains
thin because of time and coverage constraints
and would like to drop material on turbines and
pump scaling to increase coverage.
2011
Environmental and safety considerations
Fall
2012
coverage of these areas. Similar to what was
done for safety, we still recommend
incorporation of environmental topics within a
handful of (possibly existing) homework
assignments that should require minimal
additions to lecture/class time. Possible
examples/ideas: leaking pump seals releasing
VOC’s (annular orifice flow calculation), wind
turbine and/or pipeline design environmental
impact, etc. Consult former instructors or UG
committee for additional ideas or clarification.
Responsible: 374 instructor.
The instructor reports that coverage remains
thin because of time and coverage constraints,
but has proposed revising exam and review
schedules to make more class time available.
The UG Committee supports this plan, but
remains opposed to dropping turbines (because
of their importance in the chemical processing
industry) and suggests consideration of an
inverted classroom instructional method for
these competencies. Vince plans to cover some
safety, health, and environmental ideas during
the retreat in August 2013 that should provide
assistance. The instructor’s suggestions of more
important topics that are not currently being
covered (e.g., mixing, dispersion of pollutants in
the environment, flow in porous media, and
mixed (gas/liquid) flows) are all worthy for
consideration for addition to the course content.
Please recommend specific changes to help the
UG Committee weigh the trade-offs.
Responsible: 374 instructor.
2012
March
2013
Ongoing.
ChEn 376
#
Topic
1
2
3
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Competencies 10.2.1 and 10.2.2 were revised
based on last year’s assessment.
Methodologies should be added to
competencies stating “able to solve”.
Winter
2008
Winter
2009
Competency 3.4.7 (“Students will understand
radiative heat transfer including blackbody
Winter
2009
Tommy will update the database with the new
revisions.
The UG committee agrees. It is suggested that
competency 3.4.6 be revised to include
appropriate numerical methods for the course.
Please provide a revised competency to the UG
committee. New 3.4.6: “Students will be able
to solve simple transient heat and mass transfer
problems with methods such as lumped
capacitance, Heisler charts, 1st term
approximation, exact numerical solutions,
etc.”The UG committee will also address this
issue throughout the curriculum via input from
the course instructors.
Follow up with more assessment next year and
provide feedback on a plan of action if the
assessment remains low.
3a
radiation and Kirchoff’s law, and be able to solve
radiative problems involving view factors and
radiative exchange between surfaces.”) was
rated below 3.0 by the instructor.
Continue to emphasize Competency 3.4.7.
3b
Radiative heat transfer.
Winter
2010
Winter
2012
Responsible Faculty: 376 instructor.
Radiative heat transfer coverage increased a day
with additional homework and quizzes. Student
performance and student and faculty
evaluations increased significantly (from 3.31 to
3.98 and from 3.0 to 4.0, respectively). The
instructor plans to continue the current
coverage in the future.
Radiative heat transfer was the weakest
competency (although 86% of students
Reasse
ssment
Date
Fall
2009
Fall
2009
Reassessment/
Status
Winter
2010
Ongoing (see 3a).
Winter
2011
Ongoing (see 3b).
Winter
2012
Complete.
Complete.
Complete.
4
Consider adding “flows with evaporation and/or
condensation” to competency 3.4.3.
Competency 3.4.3
Winter
2011
Winter
2012
Winter
2011
5a
Added Leadership Feedback Program to project,
with students setting two measurable goals for
areas of weakness and provided them with
constructive praise/criticism of performance.
Leadership assessment.
6
Workload assessment
Winter
2012
7
Heat exchanger instruction
Winter
2012
4a
5
Winter
2012
reporting mastery). The end of semester timing
likely impacts this performance, but this is the
best place for the topic. The instructor has
previously added a day of instruction to improve
student proficiency and will now focus
instruction to improve the students’
performance.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee.
Added “flows with phase change” (“Students
will understand convective heat transfer and use
of heat transfer coefficients for laminar and
turbulent flows, internal and external flows, fully
developed flow, flow with entry effects, flows
with phase change, and forced and free
convection.”).
Responsible Faculty: 376 instructor.
Instructor continued Leadership Feedback
Program with the project and will continue,
transitioning to the electronic portfolio, when
available.
The instructor again tracked time spent on
homework assignments via self-reporting by
students. The average was just over 2 hours
(after including reading) and outliers were
addressed.
The instructor continued using improved LMTD
instruction, with 94% of students reporting
mastery of the competency. Effectiveness/NTU
method was not neglected, with 87% of
students reporting mastery. He will continue
May
2011
Decem
ber
2012
Ongoing (see 4a).
May
2011
Ongoing (see 5a).
May
2012
Complete.
May
2012
Complete.
May
2012
Complete.
Complete.
8
Competency awareness
ChEn 378
#
Topic
Winter
2012
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
The UG committee would like the instructor to
discuss this aspect with past instructors but the
competencies must still be met.
Please work with the ChEn 451 instructor to
discuss ways to strength the learning of
competency 3.2.7.
1
It was suggested by the instructor to discuss if
any lectures can be cut.
Fall
2008
2
Fall
2008
4
Competency 3.2.7 (“Students will be able to
match the physical and chemical characteristics
of a material to process conditions/variables in
order to evaluate its suitability for use with the
process”) was listed as weak and it was noted
that the ChEn 451 instructor also noted this
aspect.
The suggestion was to move “corrosion” from
competency 3.2.5 to 3.2.7.
Move corrosion topics to earlier in the semester.
4a
Corrosion.
4b
Corrosion. The instructor felt that moving the
material to the middle of the semester was an
improvement, but wondered if there was other
evidence (such as Plant Design team
3
focusing on LMTD.
The instructor again used the revised syllabus
which introduced competencies in chronological
order with subheadings to improve student
understanding of the competencies covered and
will continue doing this.
Fall
2009
Fall
2009
Fall
2010
Fall
2011
Please identify the appropriate wording changes
and submit to Tommy.
Continue with your recommendation.
Continue to monitor and report on the
perceived positive impact of moving corrosion
topics to earlier in the semester. Responsible:
Dean.
These concepts are definitely being reinforced
during Plant Design. However, please discuss in
further detail with Vince and continue to
monitor the students’ competency evaluation
May
2012
Complete.
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Reassessment/
Status
March
2009
?
March
2010
March
2010
March
2011
Complete.
March
2012
Ongoing (see 4c).
?
Ongoing (see 4a).
Ongoing (see 4b).
4c
performance) to corroborate the improvement.
Corrosion.
5
Competency 3.2.7
Fall
2010
6
L3 exam question from Materials Science.
Fall
2010
6a
L3 Exam question on Materials Science.
Fall
2011
6b
L3 Exam question on Materials Science.
Fall
2012
ChEn 386 (formerly 478)
#
Topic
1
Stoichiometric relationships should be included
in a new competency.
Fall
2012
feedback. Responsible: ChEn 378 instructor.
The instructor discussed with Vince and will
continue to monitor the students’ competency
evaluation feedback.
Changed to “Students will select materials
appropriate for particular applications and
processes, through consideration of physical and
chemical characteristics of materials, including
possible failure and corrosion modes.” As a
design competency, it was renumbered 10.9.1.
Responsible: Tommy.
Work with previous instructors to propose one
set of five questions. Responsible: Dean with
Bill and Ken.
The instructor will work with previous
instructors to propose one set of five questions
by the end of the Winter 2012 semester. Before
implementing the new question, the UG
Committee must consider that not all students
take 378 before the L3 Exam dates.
Responsible: ChEn 378 instructor with Bill Pitt
and Ken Solen.
The UG Committee decided there is no effective
way to implement this since 378 may be taken
during the senior year after administration of
the L3 Exam.
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Winter
2009
The UG committee agrees, but not to create a
new competency; rather modify competency
March
2013
Complete.
March
2011
Not yet complete.
March
2011
Ongoing.
March
2012
Ongoing (see 6b).
March
2013
Closed.
Reasse
ssment
Date
Fall
2009
Reassessment/
Status
Complete. 3.6.2
now reads:
3.6.1 by adding terminology such as “and
relationships between moles, concentration,
extent of reaction, and conversion”. However,
the UG committee requests that the instructor
provides a recommended revision.
1a
The instructor suggested subdividing
competency 3.6.1 into two more detailed
competencies and provided suggested wording.
Winter
2011
2
From L3 exam feedback, the students appear to
grasp the concept of
, but do
not grasp the concept of
.
Winter
2009
2a
The instructor got the recommendation on
covering
mid-semester and
covered briefly. Continue to emphasize.
Winter
2010
3
Instructor suggested combining competencies
3.6.4 (“Students will understand the kinetics of
competing reactions and their influence on
Winter
2011
The instructor should feel free to include these
changes at the course syllabus level because the
specific interpretation is up to the faculty
member. While we like the detail, the
Undergraduate Committee does not
recommend making all curriculum competencies
this specific.
In an effort to reinforce this concept, we will
recommend that the instructors of 273, 373, and
478 focus on calculating equilibrium
concentrations from K at pressures other than 1
bar.
Responsible Faculty: 386 instructor. Due to
time constraints, the instructor feels that
coverage does not fit well
with Fogler’s approach and is a more
appropriate topic for ChEn 373. The UG will
continue to monitor student performance on
this skill during annual reviews of L3 results.
The Undergraduate Committee feels that these
competencies focus on different aspects of
comprehension and design and should remain
August
2011
Fall
2009
August
2011
August
2011
Students will
understand
fundamentals of
kinetics including
definitions of rate
and forms of rate
expressions and
relationships
between moles,
concentration,
extent of reaction
and conversion.
Complete.
Discussed with
other instructors.
Additional
coverage added to
478 (386).
Complete.
Closed.
3a
product yield and selectivity.”) and 10.1.3
(“Students will be able to select and size
isothermal reactors for series and/or parallel
systems of reactions.”).
The instructor repeated the suggestion in 3.
Winter
2012
The UG Committee repeated its response.
May
2012
Still closed.
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Reassessment/
Status
Multiple field trips with smaller groups would
provide greater options for students to work
around their schedule and to go on a field trip
based on their interests.
Some students missed field trips in previous
years.
Field trips
Fall
2008
Investigate possibility.
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Winter
2009
Fall
2009
July
2009
March
2010
Complete.
The BYU heating plant remains a popular option,
but can still be improved.
Concern expressed about the adequacy of the
BYU heating plant as a field trip
Winter
2010
Fall
2010
May
2010
March
2011
Ongoing (see 1d).
Field trips.
Fall
Field trip attendance was mandated as part of
the course.
The field trip to the BYU heating plant appeared
highly successful (and efficient) from both the
student and the instructor standpoint. If this
field trip is continued, it would be beneficial for
AIChE to provide opportunities for additional
field trips.
Please implement proposed improvements.
Responsible Faculty: 391 instructors.
Field trips remain the purview of the instructor
(no endorsement of the adequacy of the BYU
heating plant was intended). However, it is
easier to make effective trips to some sites with
a class of 10 than with 30. Please continue to
make the field trip experiences the best possible
for your class, as circumstances permit.
Field trips remain a concern to various
March
Complete.
ChEn 391
#
Topic
1
1a
1b
1c
1d
1e
separate.
Winter 2009
Ongoing (see 1c).
Ongoing (see 1e).
2011
2
2a
2b
2c
There was a large amount of feedback provided
(thank you, Hugh and Tommy). Some of the
recommendations, such as increasing economic
and business emphasis are currently covered in
451. However, the main emphasis of the
feedback was questioning the effectiveness of
the course, especially during the Winter
semester (which is too late for the recruiting
activities in the Fall).
The UG Committee is working on changes for
this course to maximize its effectiveness in the
overall curriculum.
The UG Committee continues to work to address
the ongoing criticisms of this class (including too
late coverage of resumes; unneeded oral
presentation practice, especially the canned
business presentations better done with “real”
numbers in plant design and the technical
presentations are only good if students have
done the research themselves; and the
industrial speaker and plant trips, which could
be done elsewhere like the college lecture
requirement and AIChE).
UG Committee assessment of ChEn 391
effectiveness and possible improvements.
instructors. Again, we encourage creativity and
effort to make the field trip experiences the best
possible for your class. One of this semester’s
instructors noted that the Rio Tinto trip was
vastly superior to the Heating Plant, but lesswell attended. The AIChE chapter is increasing
its field trip efforts to improve both quality and
quantity, which will provide participating
students more varied experiences.
The UG Committee is considering all
recommended changes, but one idea is to make
this a Fall class and work to optimize it in this
position in the curriculum. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
2012
May
2010
Ongoing (see 2a).
Winter
2010
Responsible: UG Committee.
May
2010.
Ongoing (see 2b).
Winter
2011
Responsible Faculty: Undergraduate
Committee.
August
2011.
Ongoing (see 2c).
Fall
2011
This remains an item of discussion. Responsible: March
UG Committee.
2012
Ongoing (see 2d).
Winter
2010
2d
UG Committee assessment of ChEn 391
effectiveness and possible improvements.
ChEn 436
#
Topic
Winter
2012
Fall
2012
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Major improvements were noted in Fall 2006.
Again, students performed very well and it
appears that this has become a strength for
students.
This year, the students did very well on the final
regarding 3.8.1. This competency was assessed
many times throughout the semester with
excellent performance by the students. Please
continue with what you did last year regarding
3.8.1.
1
Concern about students ability to perform
transient energy balances
Fall
2005
2
In 2007, the final exam showed some concern
on the student’s ability with competency 3.8.1
(“Students will demonstrate familiarity with
process control terminology and understand the
following control strategies: feed-back control,
feed-forward control, and cascade control; as
well as the difference between linear and
nonlinear systems”).
In 2007, the final exam showed some concern
on the student’s ability with competency 3.8.1.
In 2008, the students did very well on the final
regarding competency 3.8.1.
Fall
2007
10.3.2 and 10.5.3 should be combined.
Fall
2008
2a
3
This continues to be an item of discussion and is
currently being evaluated in relation to possible
addition of a 291 sophomore seminar.
Responsible: UG Committee.
Fall
2009
This competency was assessed many times
throughout the semester with excellent
performance by the students. Additional
assessment was continued in 2009 and the
students continued to do well. This item does
not need to be followed any longer unless the
instructor notes a decrease in student
capabilities.
The UG committee agrees. Reword and give the
change to Tommy.
March
2013
Ongoing.
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Reassessment/
Status
March
2009
Ongoing
March
2010
Complete
March
2009
Not yet complete.
Ongoing
3a
10.3.2 and 10.5.3 should be combined.
Fall
2009
3b
Fall
2010
4
Use existing 10.5.3 (“Students will be able to
perform preliminary valve sizing and understand
the interaction of the valve with other process
components”), but delete 10.3.2 (“Students will
understand the principles involved in selecting a
control valve”).
Need more environmental examples
4a
Need more environmental examples
5
Remove competency 3.8.2 since it is redundant
with 3.1.3 and 3.1.6
For 10.5.3, instructor assessment and student
assessment did not match very well.
Valve sizing. In 2009, the instructor assessment
and student assessment did not match very well
for 10.5.3.
Fall
2009
Fall
2009
Fall
2010
6b
Valve “sizing”.
Fall
2011
6c
Valve “sizing”.
Fall
2012
6
6a
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
The UG committee agrees. Please reword and
give the change to Tommy. (This was also a 2009
action item)
Similar competencies are in 374 and 451, which
will be evaluated for consistent treatment.
Responsible: Tommy.
March
2010
Not yet complete
March
2011
?
Seek to implement environmental examples
within the course.
Seek to implement environmental examples
within the course. (This was also a 2009 action
item.)
The undergraduate committee agrees.
March
2009
March
2010
?
March
2010
March
2010
March
2011
Not yet complete
March
2012
Ongoing.
March
2013
Ongoing until
change is made or
Look to see if this is a real issue or whether it is a
problem with the wording of the competency.
The instructor evaluated this to see if there was
a problem with the wording of the competency
or another problem. The instructor feels it is
simply related to the material coverage
occurring early in the semester, which the
students forget by evaluation time at the end of
the semester. The ratings were better aligned
this year.
The meaning and intent of the valve sizing
aspect of Competency 10.5.3 may not be clear.
Please respond to the UG Committee with any
suggested wording changes and your
expectations for the students in regard to this
competency. Responsible: ChEn 436 instructor.
The meaning and intent of the valve sizing
aspect of Competency 10.5.3 (“Students will be
?
Ongoing (see 6a).
Complete
7
Environmental coverage
Fall
2010
7a
Environmental coverage.
Fall
2011
8
Competencies.
Fall
2011
8a
Competencies.
Fall
2012
9
Course Review.
Fall
2012
able to perform preliminary valve sizing and
understand the interaction of the valve with
other process components”) may not be clear.
The UG Committee agrees with the instructor’s
proposed wording "Students will be able to
design valves in flow control applications," but
eliminated the phrase “and tunes flow
controllers.” Responsible: UG
Committee/Tommy or Morris.
Environmental and safety problems were
incorporated in the homework, but the
documentation could be improved. A safety
video was shown. Please continue and report
the status in 2011. Responsible: Tom.
Environmental and safety problems were
incorporated in the homework and safety video
shown, with documentation transferred to the
new instructor.
Please continue to monitor the students’
competency evaluation feedback and consider
improvements as needed. The UG Committee
recommends that the instructor reviews and
discusses the competencies with Tom and then
communicates the expectations to the students.
The “Valve sizing” competency is a specific
example that may need to be addressed.
Responsible: ChEn 436 instructor.
The instructor will continue to review the
competencies and has recommended a change
for one of them in item 6c.
The UG Committee recommends doing a deeper
evaluation of this course involving all
stakeholders. Similarly, to address the students’
comments associated with competencies 4.1
cancelled.
March
2011
Ongoing (see 7a).
March
2012
Complete.
March
2012
Ongoing (see 8a).
March
2013
Complete.
March
2013
Ongoing.
and 4.4, the UG Committee recommends
spending a little more time on them and making
the exposure more applied/practical.
Responsible: ChEn 436 instructor with the UG
Committee, Industrial Advisory Board, and
students.
ChEn 451
#
Topic
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Include competency 10.2.2 to the Faculty and
Student evaluation sheets at the end of the
semester. This addition was requested since all
ChE main course topics are part of the
assessment except for ChEn 376 topics.
There were still licensing issues regarding
ChemCad.
Winter
2009
The UG committee agrees with the
recommendation. Tommy will update the
database.
Winter
2009
3
Offer simulator options. Consider introducing
simulators earlier in curriculum and providing
simulator options (like Aspen and Unisim).
Winter
2011
3a
Simulator options.
Winter
2012
1
2
ChEn 475
#
Topic
Initial
Date
Reasse
ssment
Date
July
2009
Reassessment/
Status
It is recommended that a committee be formed
to address which simulator package should be
used in the future. Added Aspen in Fall 2011.
The UG Committee is addressing curriculumwide computer program usage, but planning to
adopt Aspen this year. Responsible Faculty:
Undergraduate Committee.
Multiple simulator options were offered in ChEn
451. The results were 17 groups chose
ChemCad, 1 chose Aspen, and 1 chose Unisim.
Continue teaching Aspen.
Fall
2011
Complete.
May
2011
Ongoing (see 3a).
May
2012
Complete.
Action/Recommendation
Reasse
ssment
Date
Reassessment/
Status
?
1
Rewriting lab reports
Fall
2005
2
Interview trips did not seem a problem as in
previous years. However, nothing was changed
to accommodate the trips.
There is a major concern regarding the ability of
students to write effectively and to utilize
statistics.
All “R” competencies were recommended for
elimination to focus on the “M”.
Fall
2008
4a
R competencies.
Fall
2011
4b
Competencies and R competencies.
Fall
2012
3
4
Feedback with rewriting was instituted in Fall
2006. The rewriting was expanded in Fall 2007
to include students critiquing two lab reports
(with labs that they would never do). The
students were very supportive of this new
change which has continued. The support for
this process continues to be very strong.
Continue to monitor.
March
2009
Complete.
March
2009
Complete.
Fall
2009
The UG will pursue this issue further and provide
a recommendation.
March
2010
Ongoing.
Fall
2010
The UG Committee is considering this
recommendation, specifically looking at
consolidation/elimination of 3.4.1-3.4.3 and 6.1
and 6.2 (but 3.3.2, 4.4.2, and 10.3.1 were also
noted as needing to be addressed).
Responsible: Tommy and UG Committee.
Last year, one instructor recommended
elimination of all “R” competencies to focus on
the “M”. The UG Committee decided not to
make this change, but is considering all
competencies as part of the next item.
All three instructors were concerned with the
lengthy list of competencies because all
students are not able to do each type of
experiment. Due to this, one instructor
continues to recommend removing all R
competencies, especially those for 3 and 10, and
to reduce redundancy in 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 6.1,
and 6.3. This issue is being partially addressed
(at least for 3.4 competencies) by having all
students do the shell and tube heat exchanger
March
2011
Ongoing (see 4a).
March
2012
Ongoing (see 4b).
March
2013
Ongoing.
5
Get instructors together to choose the best
Statistics course as a perquisite.
Best Statistics prerequisite.
Fall
2010
Fall
2011
The UG Committee is considering the course
workload as part of our overall assessment of
both semesters of UO.
Workload.
Fall
2010
Fall
2011
7
The UG Committee is considering the course
workload as part of our overall assessment of
both semesters of UO.
The UG Committee continues to consider
improvements to the course, including student
workload and course content; some problem
based learning is being implemented this Fall.
Statistics Coverage.
7a
Statistics Coverage.
Fall
2013
5a
6
6a
6b
6c
now that new facilities are being added. This
will be monitored during Fall 2013.
Responsible: ChEn 475 instructors and UG
Committee.
Responsible: Tommy and Morris.
March
2011
March
2012
Ongoing (see 5a).
March
2011
Ongoing (see 6b).
The number of experiments that each team
completed was reduced to 3 this semester to
improve the writing experience. The three
instructors all had the same presentations. Tom
felt his worksheet on statistics was helpful for
the students.
Responsible: Undergraduate Committee.
March
2012
Complete.
March
2011
Ongoing (see 6c).
Fall
2012.
Responsible: Undergraduate Committee and
ChEn 475 instructors.
March
2013.
Ongoing.
Fall
2011
The UG Committee is working with the Statistics
Department and the other departments that
send students to Stats 201 to add regression
analysis to this service course. Responsible:
Undergraduate Committee/Bill Pitt.
Bill Pitt met with a member of the Statistics
Department faculty (Scott Grimshaw), who
indicated that they would work in some
March
2012
Ongoing (see 7a).
May
2013
Complete.
Fall
2011
The instructors agree that Stats 201 is probably
the best of a weak field, with 121 as a possibility
that includes regression analysis, but the course
appears too rudimentary.
Responsible: UG Committee.
Complete.
coverage of regression analysis.
ChEn 476
#
Topic
1
1a
2
2a
3
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
Student self ratings were 2.9 (Fall 05), 2.9 (Fall
06) and 3.11 (Fall 07) for competency 10.4.3
(“Students will be able to design tray-type
columns (e.g., number of trays, tray efficiency,
column height, column diameter, product specs)
and packed columns (e.g., height of column,
packing material, column diameter, flooding
velocity).”).
Student self ratings were 2.9 (Fall 05), 2.9 (Fall
06), 3.11 (Fall 07), 4.12 (Fall 08), and 4.13 (Fall
09) for competency 10.4.3.
Fall
2005
The ratings increased to 4.12 this year. The
instructor stated that the instruction has
continued to improve.
Fall
2009
Students evaluated themselves poorly in being
able to use mass transfer coefficients
(competency 3.5.2) during Fall 05 and Fall 06.
Student evaluations increased to 3.2 (self) and
3.5 (course) in Fall 2007.
Students evaluated themselves poorly in being
able to use mass transfer coefficients
(competency 3.5.2) during Fall 05 and Fall 06.
Fall
2005
There has been a problem with the CAEDM
Fall
Fall
2009
Reasse
ssment
Date
March
2009
Reassessment/
Status
The instructor stated that the instruction has
continued to improve. This item does not need
to be followed any longer unless the instructor
notes a decrease in student capabilities.
The evaluations increased to 3.5 (self) and 3.9
(course) in Fall 2008. The instructor stated that
the instruction has continued to improve.
March
2010
Complete.
March
2009
Ongoing.
Student evaluations increased to 3.2 (self) and
3.5 (course) in Fall 2007. The evaluations
increased to 3.5 (self) and 3.9 (course) in Fall
2008 and to 3.5 (self) and 3.8 (course) in Fall
2008. The instructor stated that the instruction
has continued to improve. This item does not
need to be followed any longer unless the
instructor notes a decrease in student
capabilities.
The instructor needs to provide a
March
2010
Complete.
March
Complete.
Ongoing (see 1a).
license for ChemCad.
4
4a
2008
Improve effectiveness of teaching competency
Fall
3.7.2 (“Students will be able to apply solution
2009
thermodynamics fundamentals to solve VLE, LLE,
SLE, and GLE problems including bubble point,
dew point and flash calculations.”)
Thermodynamic applications
Fall
2010
5
The instructor used the new 3rd edition of the
textbook, which included more material on bio
separations. The students did not respond
favorably to the required reading assignments.
Fall
2011
6
The instructor plans to use the new Y/N student
assessments to identify which competencies the
students felt that they had not mastered and to
modify instruction appropriately.
Y/N feedback review.
Fall
2011
6a
Fall
2012
recommendation (when enough information is
gathered) to the UG committee on how to
proceed. License issues resolved.
Continue to work on your recommendation
2009
March
2010
Ongoing (see 4a).
The new instructor was concerned about
student learning relating to competency 3.7.2
(involving solution thermodynamics applied to
solving separation problems) after the first
course. After a second course, he believes that
it is probably not an area of special concern, but
will continue to work to help the students apply
these principles with greater confidence.
The instructor will consider better methods to
assess the students’ technical reading next year.
Some initial thoughts are to reduce the amount
of required reading to focus on important points
that are not covered in class, but to improve the
accountability assessments for this smaller
range of material.
Responsible: ChEn 476 instructor.
March
2011
Complete.
March
2012
Complete.
March
2012
Ongoing (see 6a).
The instructor reviewed and worked to improve
competencies 3.5.2, 5.1.2, and 10.4.3, in which
the students felt weakest. Significant
improvement was made with the last one
(dealing with tray and packed column design), as
the “No” responses went from 20% last year to
7% in Fall 2012. Despite revamping the
March
2013
Ongoing.
coverage in an attempt to simplify and improve
it, the other two (dealing with mass transfer and
process simulator application, respectively) did
not change significantly. The instructor believes
that spending more time in class covering these
concepts will be required to improve these
competencies.
ChEn 477
#
Topic
Initial
Date
Action/Recommendation
1
Evaluate wording in competency 4.8.2.
Winter
2009
The UG committee recommends changing
“constant- and variable” to “constant- or
variable” in competency 4.8.2. Tommy will
update the database.
2
Evaluate wording in competency 10.1.1.
Winter
2009
The UG committee recommends changing
“CSTR, and batch” to “CSTR, or batch” in
competency 10.1.1. Tommy will update the
database.
Reassess
ment
Date
Fall 2009
Fall 2009
Reassessment/
Status
Complete. 4.8
now reads:
Students will be
able to determine
rate expressions
by analyzing
reactor data
including integral
and differential
analysis on
constant- and/or
variable-volume
systems in
laboratory
experiments.
Complete. 10.1.1
now reads:
Students will be
able to size and do
performance
calculations on
3
4
5
6
There was a concern that the fuel cell
incorporates few relevant technical
principles.
There continues to be a concern regarding
statistics as related to relevancy between lab
and statistics course, degree to which
statistics are applied in the lab, and the
statistical methods that should be
emphasized.
Both instructors continued the theme of
concern about some of the experiments,
statistics integration, writing amounts and
format, and whether more hands-on
experimental set-up and experience can be
offered.
One instructor feels there are too many
competencies and too few experiments to
cover all of them for all students. His
example was if one unit is down, that
prevents coverage of some competencies,
and even if all are operational, with the
number of students in the sections, only a
subset (~1/3 ) will experience that
experiment anyway. He suggests managing
experiments with critical components to be
The UG committee recommends that Mike
provide a plan of action to address this
issue.
A committee will be formed to address the
UO lab in general—statistics will be part of
the discussion.
Fall 2009
single, isothermal
plug-flow, CSTR,
or batch reactors
for a single
homogeneous or
heterogeneous
reaction from
experimental
data.
?
Fall 2009
Ongoing.
Winter
2010
The UG committee is addressing the UO
experience as one of its major tasks.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee, 475
and 477 instructors, Mike Beliveau.
May
2010.
Ongoing (see 7).
Winter
2011
Responsible Faculty: Mike Beliveau, with
475 and 477 instructors, to
consider/prioritize and provide list to Randy
Lewis.
August
2011
Complete.
Winter
2009
Winter
2009
6a
7
able to avoid months-long repair delays
(which have occurred for both distillation
units in the previous two semesters).
Experiment reliability.
The UG Committee continues to work to
address the ongoing criticisms of this class
(experiment quality/appropriateness,
statistics integration, writing amounts and
format, and hands-on experience).
Winter
2012
Winter
2011
Winter
2012
Experiment reliability improved.
Responsible Faculty: UG Committee, 475
and 477 instructors, Mike Beliveau.
May
2012
Complete.
Ongoing.