(293d) Scenario-Based Learning in a UK Chemical Engineering Programme

The Department of Chemical Engineering at UCL in London, UK has, as part of its Integrated Engineering Programme, introduced six week-long scenarios in the first and second year of study. The scenarios run twice per term, involving 130â??150 undergraduate students and a number of teaching staff.

The topics for each scenario is chosen to reflect the material taught in the regular modules running that term, thus supporting the studentsâ?? learning and providing an opportunity for them to test out their new knowledge. The problems are also chosen to reflect different aspects of the chemical industries, for instance oil and gas transportation, air separation, and equipment design, to give the students an awareness of the types of problems they may encounter as practicing engineers.

The assessment of each scenario varies depending on the problem statement, and involves either oral presentations, poster sessions or videos, as well as written reports of different formats, e.g. newsletter, a technical bid etc, again aiming to reflect the aspects of technical presentation and writing the students may encounter later in professional life.

The main responsibility for the development and the delivery of the scenarios rests with two full-time teaching fellows, who in addition to the scenarios also support the other aspects of the Integrated Engineering Programme. For each scenario, they work with module leads to develop the technical brief, the assessment and the programme for the week.

This presentation will give an overview of our work and will summarise our main experiences so far including extensive student feedback.