(142g) Using Multidimensional Metrics to Assess Changes to Student Attitudes and Ability in a Capstone Laboratory Sequence

In many chemical engineering curricula, the capstone laboratory sequence is the primary source for students to get hands-on experience applying concepts learned in courses to actual pieces of equipment. The capstone laboratory provides essential instruction related to process safety, experimental design, data acquisition from modern instrumentation, analysis of results, and communication prior to a student’s graduation and commencement of professional employment. However, capstone laboratory experiences can vary widely across institutions, and student perceptions of their learning experiences can vary widely from their actual knowledge and performance in the laboratory classes. As such, we have developed a mixed-method assessment of students as they progress through the laboratory sequence at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The initial assessment was performed to gauge how students developed throughout a three quarter (one year) sequence in the laboratory to judge the strengths and weaknesses of our laboratory curriculum. The results of these assessments are intended to inform curricular revision at our institution and, hopefully, others as well.

This study was conducted over two years with two different cohorts of chemical engineering seniors. Students took a two-part assessment of their laboratory ability at the beginning of each quarter of the laboratory class and once at the end of Chemical Engineering Laboratory III. The first part of the assessment consisted of a version of the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) that had been modified to be more relevant to teaching laboratory activities as well as the Music Model of Motivation (MUSIC). In the second assessment, students would take a laboratory skills test that would assess their understanding of instrumentation, flow diagrams, data analysis, and other laboratory-related skills. The results of these assessments, as well as a discussion of trends in student attitude and ability throughout the laboratory sequence, will be discussed.