Sustaining Curriculum Innovation: The Diploma in Chemical Engineering Experience

Sustaining Curriculum Innovation: The Diploma in Chemical Engineering Experience

S. CHEAH, D. SALE (2010).  Sustaining Curriculum Innovation: The Diploma in Chemical Engineering Experience. 16.

 

Curriculum innovation can be a long and challenging process in which a variety of conflicting interests and constraints have to be thoughtfully negotiated and addressed. It may take a number of years before the beneficial results of the desired curriculum change become evident. Adopting the CDIO Engineering Education Framework proved to be no exception. This paper details a major curriculum innovation for the Diploma in Chemical Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic in its journey to integrate CDIO into the three-year course program. 

The entire course structure of the chemical engineering curriculum was completely revamped to include systematic teaching of skills in conceiving, designing, implementing and operating as well as other selected CDIO skills, such as Interpersonal Skills (teamwork and communication), Personal and Professional Skills and Attributes, etc. This was achieved through a combination of structural curriculum changes, including introduction of new modules, integration and removal of existing modules. The outcome is a more efficient and integrated curriculum format that clearly incorporates appropriate learning outcomes for both technical content areas and CDIO skills.

Using the principles of an aligned curriculum, we identified the most appropriate pedagogic approaches to meet these learning outcomes, wherever appropriate, through an active and experiential learning context. This involved a careful analysis of module content and the learning opportunities they offered, and infusing CDIO skills that would naturally support the learning of technical subject content. The curriculum development planning cycle was completed through establishment of an assessment approach calibrated to the learning outcomes.

The paper firstly outlines the key phases of the CDIO implementation. This is followed by a detailed discussion of our sustained approach to infuse various CDIO skills into laboratory sessions of selected core chemical engineering modules. The final section presents main findings from a wide range of evaluation data collected over the past 2 years, identifies the significant learning experiences as well as the planned action for sustaining and enhancing the success of the innovation in future.

 

Authors (New): 
Sin-Moh CHEAH
Dennis SALE
Pages: 
16
Affiliations: 
Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore
Keywords: 
Chemical Engineering
CDIO Skills
Curriculum integration
Program evaluation
Year: 
2010
Reference: 
Cheah, S.M., “Revamping the Diploma in Chemical Engineering Curriculum: Issues and Challenges”, 2 nd International Symposium on Advances in Technology Education, September 9-11, 2008; Kumamoto, Japan.: 
Cheah, S.M., “Using CDIO to Revamp the Chemical Engineering Curriculum”, paper presented at the 5th International CDIO Conference, June 7-11, 2009; Singapore: 
Sale, D. and Cheah S.M., “Writing Clear Customized Learning Outcomes with Key Underpinning Knowledge”, paper presented at the 4th International CDIO Conference, June16-19, 2008; Hogeschool Gent, Gent, Belgium.: 
Cheah, S.M., “Integrating CDIO Skills in a Core Chemical Engineering Module: A Case Study”, paper presented at the 5th International CDIO Conference, June 7-11, 2009; Singapore.: 
Yang, K. and Cheah S.M., “Designing Active Learning Experiences for a First-year Introduction to Chemical Engineering Module: Lessons Learnt”, paper presented at the 5th International CDIO Conference, June 7-11, 2009; Singapore.: 
Crawley, E.F., “Creating the CDIO Syllabus, a Universal Template for Engineering Education”, 32nd ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, November 6-9, 2002; Boston, Massachusetts, USA.: 
Bankel, J., Berggren K-F., Engstrom, M., Wiklund I., Crawley E.F., Soderholm, D., El Gaidi, K. and Ostlund, S., “Benchmarking Engineering Curricula with the CDIO Syllabus”: 
Felder, R.F. and Brent R., “Designing and Teaching Courses to Satisfy the ABET Engineering Criteria”, J. of Engrg. Education, 92 (1), 7-25, 2003.: 
Cheah, S.M. and Ng H.T., “Design-Build Experience: Product Design and Development for Chemical Engineering”, paper prepared for the 6 th International CDIO Conference, …cole Polytechnique, Montréal, June 15-18, 2010.: 
Brown, T., Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, HarperBusiness, 2009.: 
Kemmis, S., “Seven Principles for Programme Evaluation in Curriculum Development and Innovation”, in New Directions in Educational Evaluation, The Falmer Press, London, 1989.: 
Lincoln, Y. S., “The Making of a Constructivist: A Remembrance of Transformations Past”, in The Paradigm Dialogue, Sage, London, 1990.: 
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