(502e) Chemical Engineering Technology Program - Conversion to Asynchronous, Online Delivery

Chemical Engineering Technology Program

Conversion to Asynchronous, Online Delivery

Chester
Little, Ph.D., P.E.

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Austin Peay
State University

Abstract

Faculty members at Austin Peay State University (APSU) have recently completed a 2+ year effort to convert the entire Chemical Engineering
Technology (ChET) program to an asynchronous, online
delivery mode.  The motivation for
the conversion effort was the recognition that many individuals who might be
interested in pursuing Chemical Engineering Technology are already working
rotational shifts in isolated worksites. 
Unfortunately these potential students are unable to attend the normal
live delivery of these courses offered on a Monday-through-Friday (08:00 to
17:00) schedule.  An alternative
course delivery mode would allow these individuals to progress their studies
during off-shift/off-hitch periods. 
This paper and presentation contains the methodology, techniques and
work activities employed at APSU to accomplish the ChET
program conversion.  Prior to and
during the conversion effort, four sets of work activities were identified as
crucial to a successful completion of the conversion campaign.  The four sets of work activities are:

1.            
development of a protocol for conversion of the individual
courses yielding a consistent format for lecture delivery and communications to
the students recognizing the asynchronous nature of the delivery mode,

2.            
identification of recitation opportunities (problem-solving
sessions) with classification according to the appropriate method to
demonstrate and communicate the problem solution,

3.            
discovery of the loss of lecture and lab connectivity in the
asynchronous environment with recommendations to recover the lecture/lab
synergy and

4.            
recognition that the benefit of the immediate feedback of
in-class quizzes as a validation of conceptual understanding is lost by the
time separation of lecture review and quiz attempts in the online course
management system; a scheme was developed to address this situation with quiz
questions imbedded in the lecture media.

The above work activities
will be explained in detail in the full paper and presentation with several
examples and suggestions.

In addition to the original
motivation for this conversion effort, additional opportunities enabled by the
converted material and conversion methodology were identified and developed.  Theses additional opportunities are:

1.            
transfer of the ChET program (as a
complete hybrid package) to another educational institution allowing the new
program to start and progress while faculty members were being recruited,

2.            
reduction of the 2-year ChET program
to a 1-year certificate program that could be administered by an industrial
training organization and

3.            
expansion and elevation of the 2-year ChET
program to become a concentration within a 4-year Manufacturing Engineering
Technology program.

The above additional
opportunities will be described in the full paper and presentation but detailed
work activities and examples are not yet available.  A work plan for these additional
opportunities will be proposed and presented.  Lastly resource and time estimates for a
similar conversion effort and a complementary implementation effort will be
suggested.