(82a) Active Learning in a Large Lecture Setting Enhances Introductory Course

At UC Berkeley we require first year and entering transfer students who have declared chemical engineering as their major to take a 2-unit course, “Introduction to Chemical Engineering Design.” Enrollment in the course has been up to 150. The theme of the course is, “Chemical engineers design and analyze processes in which physical and chemical transformations yield useful products.” I will present how I develop that theme through weekly lectures, discussion sections, and homework assignments and how I incorporate active learning in the classroom, asking the students to engage in each lecture through conversations with each other (think-pair-share activities) and brainstorming activities. The course culminates with a final team project related to energy and sustainability where students prepare written memos and deliver oral presentations; past topics have included: recycling lithium ion batteries, thermal salt storage, desalination, carbon capture and conversion to methanol, and converting food waste to energy. Some of the non-technical outcomes of this course include leveling the knowledge base of the students before they proceed in the curriculum and fostering an attitude of cooperation vs. competition.