An interactive virtual laboratory
system for outcome-based
education in chemical and
bioprocess technology
Dr YS Liu, Marshal
Dept of Applied Biology & Chemical
Technology
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Email: bcysliu@polyu.edu.hk
Dr JY Wu
Dept of Applied Biology & Chemical
Technology
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Email: bcjywu@polyu.edu.hk
1
Instructional challenges in the department

In the recently-adopted Outcome-Based Education, the curriculum in the Department
of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) become even more general,
broad-based and interdisciplinary. Several subjects of process technology or
engineering principles are encompassed in all the programs, including BSc in
Chemical Technology, HD in Chemical Technology, BSc in Applied Biology and
Biotechnology and BSc in Food Safety and Technology etc.
Programme/
subject code
Programme/subject title
12047,
12052,
ABCT 247
ABCT 370
ABCT 375
BScCT (BSc in Chemical Technology),
HDCT (HD in Chemical Technology),
Introduction to Chemical and Bioprocess
Technology
Chemical and Bioprocess Technology
Chemical and Bioprocess Technology
Laboratory
12051,
ABCT 317
BScABB (BSc in Applied Biology and
Biotechnology)
Bioprocess Engineering Principles
BScFST (BSc in Food Safety and Technology)
Elements of Food Engineering
12054
ABCT3003
Credit
units
Mode of study
Student
intake quota
per year
3
3
2
Lect/Tut
Lect/Tut
Lab
110
70
60
3
Lect/Tut
45
3
Lect/Tut/Lab
40
2
Instructional challenges from students
1)
2)
3)


weak knowledge in mathematics and physics,
lack of concept and interest in process or engineering, and
diverse background in the subjects related to process or
engineering.
All these questions bring huge obstacles to the teaching, and
only the essential points can be taught and discussed during the
lectures.
Students acquire knowledge from lecture and hands-on
experiments, and the latter is particularly important for the
engineering related subjects. However, due to the limitation of
teaching staff, lab space, class hours and budget, only a small
portion of experiments can be practiced in labs.
3
Virtual labs?

Virtual labs are effective educational tools for training of
university students, process engineers and plant operators.
Virtual labs provide a flexible and user-friendly method to
define the experiments with mathematical models, and allow the
users to design and perform their own simulation experiments.

The major components of virtual labs are:

(1) the model simulation of the essential and relevant properties of the system;
(2) virtual lab view, i.e. the interactive user-to-model interface;
(3) a narrative providing information about the system and the use of the virtual-lab.
4
Benefits of Virtual lab to the students




It allow students to experiment with equipments safely and independently.
Supplement classroom exercises to improve understanding.
Students can review classroom laboratories anytime and in their own
home.
Have fun while they study process and engineering.
5
Benefits to the teachers & department





Virtual labs provides a thoughtful visual aid for the lectures.
Student homework can be made fun, motivating, and insight building.
It can be a supplement to laboratory exercises, and provide motivated students
with opportunities for independent exploration.
Replace some hands-on experiments, and help avoid the questions of lab
congestion, time arrangement, and teaching staff.
Virtual lab is cheap for operation, which is especially helpful for low-budget
department.
6
Examples of Virtual labs
A: Heat Exchanger
 B: Energy requirement in Fluid Flow

7
A: Heat Exchanger
8
Industrial systems
9
Control panel: Parameters & calculation
10
B: Energy requirement in Fluid Flow
11
Industrial systems
12
Control panel: Parameters & calculation
13
Implementation and assessment
Course: Elements of food engineering
Year
Experiment
Number of students
Physical
2008
2009
Virtual
A: Heat transfer
52
0
B: Fluid flow
52
0
A: Heat transfer
25
26
B: Fluid flow
26
25
14
Assessment
We compare students’ learning effectiveness in
the two educational modes using 3 assessment
instruments:
1) Students’ feedback
2) Students’ lab report
3) A comprehensive exam
15
Students’ feedback





A questionnaire answered by students on how well the objectives of the
course are met and the comparison between physical and virtual labs.
The learning outcomes evaluated by students include theory
understanding, procedure, industrial system, data analysis and discussion
etc. Each will be ranked from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
Total 42 respondents in year 2009.
In most of the items, students feel that virtual labs contributed a great deal
or considerably to the learning outcomes, and the average is 4.1.
38 out of 42 students recommend a combination of physical and virtual
experiments. Only 4 students prefer a purely physical lab.
16
Lab report and exam questions


With the virtual labs, students show better understanding in
theory, industrial system and data analysis.
There are no significant difference in answering questions,
calculation or overall grades.
17
Conclusion
1)
2)
3)
The learning outcomes and effectiveness are not compromised
due to the introduction of virtual labs. Nevertheless, virtual
labs can help resolve the limitation of staff, lab space and
equipments.
Most of students regarded that virtual lab is efficient and
interesting and motivating, which gave them a valuable
learning experience.
Hands-on experiments remain a valuable mode of learning,
since they provide students with a visual, auditory, and manual
sense of scale and spatial relationships. However, virtual labs
can replace some physical labs and greatly enhance the
understanding of real world situations.
18
Future work

a)
b)
Develop our own virtual lab system using the
software LabView
High cost for procuring or using the commercial
virtual system
Suitability or adequacy of virtual labs in those
system
19
20