Education for Chemical Engineers最新文献

{"title":"Integrating generative artificial intelligence into chemical engineering education: Staff and student perspectives","authors":"Evan Cunningham,&nbsp;Iain Kings,&nbsp;Phillip Robbins,&nbsp;Matthew J. Keith","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is rapidly transforming higher education, raising pedagogical, ethical, and epistemological challenges. In chemical engineering, concerns have emerged that student over-reliance on GAI may undermine the development of key skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. This mixed-methods study explored staff and student perspectives on the integration of GAI into chemical engineering education. Data were gathered through questionnaires (students n = 115; staff n = 17), two student focus groups, and five semi-structured staff interviews. Quantitative data were statistically analysed, and qualitative data were examined using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: ethics, reliability and accuracy, impact on learning, pedagogical disruption, and staff use. Applying the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model highlighted distinct staff–student differences. Students viewed GAI as a beneficial learning support, with limited concern for bias or authorship. Staff raised critical issues around reliability, transparency, and pedagogical alignment, but acknowledged GAI’s potential to streamline routine tasks such as feedback provision. Based on these insights, this study goes beyond reporting perspectives, to also propose curriculum interventions including early AI literacy and critique-based assessment. It also offers policy recommendations addressing equity, sustainability, and the responsible integration of GAI into chemical engineering education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 100503"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving student motivation and learning in chemical engineering education: A case of scanning electron microscopy with virtual 3D technology","authors":"Darren Yi Sern Low,&nbsp;Israq Ali,&nbsp;Siah Ying Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanotechnology characterization involves analysing nanoscale materials to understand their properties. Effective teaching of these techniques is crucial for students in this advancing field, especially with widespread use of digital tools and virtual learning. From a pedagogical viewpoint, the use of these tools remains grounded in constructivist and experiential learning theories, which emphasize active participation and interaction for conceptual understanding. Such approaches allow students to construct knowledge through visual exploration and simulation, complementing traditional instructions. This study explored the impact of a virtual 3D instructional lesson on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in a nanotechnology course for chemical engineering undergraduates. Using the EON-XR platform, the study assessed students' motivation and performance through Keller's Attention-Relevance-Confidence-Satisfaction (ARCS) model, paired with the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS). Results showed an overall mean score of 3.89 out of 5, with 82 % of students reporting improved understanding of SEM equipment via the lesson. The majority supported using 3D technology to enhance learning, particularly for visualizing complex equipment components, which is vital for engineering research and scientific understanding. The findings suggest that tailored 3D lessons positively influence students' motivation across attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, while facilitating remote learning, and potentially leading to improved learning outcomes and experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Making it crystal clear: Educating for water sustainability through service-learning","authors":"Ana Cabarcas-Fuentes,&nbsp;Jorge Rodríguez-Chueca","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2026.100499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the implementation and outcomes of a Service-Learning (SL) project aimed at strengthening the technical and professional competencies of Master’s students in Environmental and Chemical Engineering, while fostering environmental awareness among secondary school learners. The activity, focused on integrated water cycle management, was developed collaboratively with the Young Water Professionals Spanish Chapter, the association béVe, and several secondary schools. Master’s students acted as “teachers for a day,” designing and delivering interactive sessions that combined scientific rigor with participatory and creative methodologies. Data were collected through voluntary, anonymous pre- and post-activity questionnaires and open-ended feedback, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Results indicate that the SL experience effectively reinforced Master’s students’ technical knowledge and promoted key soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and creativity. Secondary school participants reported high levels of satisfaction, engagement, and conceptual understanding, particularly valuing the interactive and affective components of the sessions. While the study was conducted within a specific course and cohort, and relied on voluntary and anonymous surveys, these conditions provide a realistic context for interpreting the outcomes and ensuring broad participation. The initiative fostered intergenerational and intercultural exchange, with young professionals mentoring Master’s students and inspiring younger learners, especially female students, to consider STEM-related fields. The findings highlight the pedagogical and social potential of Service-Learning as a transformative approach linking academic learning, professional growth, and community engagement, and provide guidance for adapting SL programs in broader national and international educational contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100499"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145976177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Education effects of a seminar on defense-in-depth on individuals’ ability to identify risk-reduction measures in chemistry laboratories","authors":"Yusuke Koshiba ,&nbsp;Kenji Wakui ,&nbsp;Fumio Nakata ,&nbsp;Masahiko Ito","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is essential to take a multilayered approach to risk reduction. This study examined whether the introduction of the concept of defense-in-depth, an approach used to achieve process safety, could allow university students and staff to propose improved, multilayered measures of the risk reduction for incidents that can occur in chemistry laboratories. A 10-minute seminar on defense-in-depth was conducted with university members. The participants completed questionnaires before and after the seminar. The collected data were analyzed with statistical methods and quantitative text analysis. After the seminar, the participants were able to propose a significantly larger number of safety measures per person for given incident scenarios than they could before the seminar. Furthermore, although before the seminar, participants’ attention was primarily focused on items that are easily imagined from the incident scenario, they proposed safety measures across all levels of defense-in-depth after the seminar. These findings are indisputable evidence that the seminar enabled participants to propose multilayered risk-reduction strategies. The results provide valuable insight into the development of more effective safety education programs and practices of risk reduction that can be implemented in chemistry laboratories.</div><div><strong>Tweetable abstract</strong></div><div>A short seminar on defense-in-depth enabled university students propose more multilayered and effective measures for risk reduction in chemistry laboratories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100497"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combining card games and laboratory practice to teach polymer reaction engineering to undergraduate students","authors":"Gabriel Ferreira Toledo,&nbsp;Roniérik Pioli Vieira","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the contemporary challenges in chemical engineering education, innovative pedagogical approaches are essential for developing students' ability to apply fundamental scientific principles to complex problems. This study presents the implementation of a collaborative learning methodology that combines game-based learning with demonstrative practice to teach polymer science concepts, specifically polymerization, to undergraduate chemical engineering students. The approach integrates Vygotsky's sociointeractionist theory, emphasizing social interaction and mediation within the Zone of Proximal Development, with active learning strategies proven effective in engineering education. An educational card game focused on polymerization mechanisms was developed and coupled with a hands-on demonstrative synthesis of hydrogels. This dual approach combines the motivational aspects of games, e.g., immediate feedback, progressive challenges, and collaborative gameplay, while providing tangible evidence of theoretical principles through practical experimentation. Students worked in small teams to achieve optimal card combinations while exploring complex polymer reaction engineering concepts, followed by laboratory practice, allowing real-time observation and analysis of typical chain-growth reaction processes. Results demonstrate enhanced student engagement and improved understanding of key concepts associated with polymer structure, polymerization pathways, and introductory reactor design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100496"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Learning by brewing tea: Student experiences of a kolb-aligned, constructivist, learning-oriented assessment in chemical engineering","authors":"Zurina Zainal Abidin","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.100495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated a low-tech, low-cost tea-making task as a student-led experiential (SLE) assessment to introduce solid–liquid extraction in a second-year chemical engineering course. The design integrated Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and constructivism within a learning-oriented assessment perspective. A mixed-methods approach combined a 10-item Likert questionnaire with open-ended reflections from the same cohort (N = 46). Quantitative analyses reported descriptive tendencies, Spearman inter-item associations (primary), and internal consistency while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Perceptions of the assessment were uniformly positive, and the scale showed excellent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.952). Inter-item associations formed a coherent pattern consistent with a single experiential construct rather than isolated features. Qualitatively, 28 students’ comments converged on six themes which were knowledge and understanding (hands-on activity clarifies concepts), collaboration (peer dialogue and mutual correction), affective engagement (enjoyable, low-stakes), skill development (communication, confidence), autonomy and creativity (decision-making, problem solving), and learning-oriented element. Together, these findings indicated that concrete experience, structured peer interaction, and immediate feedback jointly support sense-making and participation. Overall, the tea-making SLE operated as assessment-as-learning, eliciting the very performances it sought to cultivate while maintaining a psychologically safe environment. Minor instrument refinements are recommended to enhance sensitivity at the top end and surface transfer more explicitly across future cohorts. The approach is inexpensive, scalable, and theoretically aligned, offering a practical template for embedding authentic, experiential and constructivist assessment in unit-operations teaching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100495"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145579831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A pedagogical case study on enhancing laboratory proficiency through virtual mammalian cell culture laboratory","authors":"Aydin Berenjian ,&nbsp;Mostafa Seifan ,&nbsp;Matt J. Kipper ,&nbsp;Nigel Robertson","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effectiveness of virtual laboratory simulations in improving proficiency in mammalian cell culture among graduate biomedical and chemical engineering students. Laboratory skills, especially in mammalian cell culture, are critical but challenging to acquire due to resource constraints, safety issues, and logistical limitations. Utilizing a newly developed virtual lab, this research involved 19 students enrolled in a cell and tissue engineering course at Colorado State University. Participants completed comprehensive pre-lab and post-lab assessments that included quantitative surveys and qualitative feedback. Results revealed substantial gains in students' confidence, procedural competence, and conceptual understanding. Specifically, over 90 % of students reported high levels of confidence in aseptic techniques, cell thawing, cryopreservation, and cell counting. The quantitative analysis also demonstrated that the virtual lab significantly enhanced students’ understanding of the principles underlying cell culture and media preparation. Performing virtual lab enabled them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to perform, control, and monitor experiments in a physical laboratory setting. Although the virtual lab also contributed to improved understanding in certain areas such as the environmental conditions within a biosafety cabinet these gains were not statistically significant. This study demonstrates that virtual labs serve as valuable supplements to significantly enrich engineering education. By reinforcing fundamental concepts and providing virtual hands-on experience, virtual lab s can bridge the gap between theory and real-world application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inclusive design for chemistry laboratories: A participatory approach to supporting students with disabilities in STEM education","authors":"Martin Torres Brunengo ,&nbsp;Agustina Rocca ,&nbsp;Alicia Mollo ,&nbsp;Rocío Guevara ,&nbsp;María Ortega ,&nbsp;Ivana Núñez ,&nbsp;Gabriel González","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article presents the process implemented to promote inclusive education in STEM at the Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. As a successful case study, it analyses the academic trajectory of an undergraduate chemical engineering student, who is also a co-author of this work, with a particular focus on the implementation of an institutional inclusion project. The process begins by identifying support needs, making curricular adjustments, co-designing assistive tools, and implementing them when necessary. In cases where specific adaptations are required to support laboratory participation or study-related tasks, low-cost and replicable devices are developed (crucial in the context of public education in emerging or developing countries) using Arduino programming and 3D printing. The process addressed individual learning needs while also fostering broader institutional improvements in inclusive teaching practices. The implementation of this process, as illustrated by the case study, demonstrates that inclusive education in STEM is both feasible and transformative when supported by a coordinated institutional strategy and when diversity is embraced as a catalyst for pedagogical and institutional innovation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100493"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating artificial‑intelligence assistance into chemical process control education","authors":"Zuyi Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chemical process control is traditionally one of the most mathematically demanding courses in the chemical engineering curriculum. Students need to master ordinary differential equations (ODEs), Laplace transforms, transfer functions and proportional‑integral‑derivative (PID) controller design. At Villanova University we developed a pilot project to integrate artificial‑intelligence assistance throughout the process‑control pipeline. Three modules were created: (1) Python coding for ODE simulation, (2) Laplace and inverse Laplace transforms with transfer‑function parameter estimation, and (3) PID controller tuning. For each module, pre-class videos and handouts introduced theoretical concepts and demonstrated example code. Students reviewed these materials before class, and class time was used primarily for answering questions and clarifying concepts. Most project work was completed independently outside of class. Students were instructed to ask a large‑language‑model chatbot (ChatGPT) to explain equations, generate and debug Python code, and interpret the physical meaning of models. Pre‑class handouts and videos prepared students for both in-class and independent practice, and anonymous surveys measured learning impact and students’ overall experience. Fifty-nine students completed all three modules and responded to a 15-question survey, which included 13 multiple-choice rating questions and 2 open-ended questions. The rating questions were grouped into categories measuring students’ confidence in Python coding, understanding of ODE modeling and process control concepts, ability to use AI tools effectively, and perceived applicability of the skills to real-world problems. Responses were scored on a five-point scale, where a rating of 5 indicated the most positive feedback. Statistical analysis showed mean ratings ranging from 3.28 to 4.36, with the highest confidence gain reported in the category assessing the ability to apply the learned skills to real-world problems. Qualitative comments reveal that students valued the novelty of using AI tools but desired clearer instructions and more coding guidance. This study demonstrates a fully integrated approach to AI-assisted education in chemical process control, spanning ODE modeling, Laplace transform, transfer functions, and controller tuning within a single coherent framework. By combining Python-based coding in Google Colab with structured AI interaction strategies, the work bridges theoretical concepts and practical applications across the entire modeling–control pipeline. This project offers an example for AI-based control and engineering education studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100492"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A three-stage progressive teaching model for chemical safety engineering: Integrating flipped classroom and knowledge graphs for competency development","authors":"Dingding Yang ,&nbsp;Juan Zheng ,&nbsp;Bohong Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenming Li ,&nbsp;Xinjiao Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ece.2025.10.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rapid evolution of digital technologies, there is an imperative for higher education to undergo continuous renewal, particularly in the realms of curriculum architecture, instructional methodologies, and student evaluation paradigms. This research delves into the innovation of a Three-Stage Progressive Teaching Model (TSPM) within the undergraduate chemical safety engineering education framework. By leveraging online course resources and implementing a flipped classroom approach, the model seeks to enhance student agency, transforming traditional classrooms into dynamic interactive arenas for teachers, engineers, and learners. Centered on scenario-based project cases, the approach fosters core professional skills and is reinforced by a comprehensive assessment system applied across all instructional stages. The curriculum is deconstructed into six major modules and 251 course knowledge points, which are utilized to construct a knowledge graph. These knowledge points are categorized into conceptual knowledge points (99), skill-based knowledge points (110), and cognitive knowledge points (90), serving as the basis for tracking and evaluating teaching effectiveness. This system enables personalized monitoring of learning progression and quantifies the entire learning trajectory. A survey of students over the past five years yielded 125 valid responses, indicating strong recognition of the course. The suggestions and issues raised will inform future curriculum improvements to better support students’ professional development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48509,"journal":{"name":"Education for Chemical Engineers","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 100491"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145384423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}