An interactive virtual laboratory system for outcome-based education in chemical and

bioprocess technology

Dr YS Liu, Marshal

Dept of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Email: bcysliu@polyu.edu.hk

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Dr JY Wu

Dept of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Email: bcjywu@polyu.edu.hk

Instructional challenges in the department In the recently-adopted Outcome-Based Education, the curriculum in the Department

of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) become even more general, broad-based and interdisciplinary. Several subjects of process technology or engineering principles are encompassed in all the programs, including BSc in Chemical Technology, HD in Chemical Technology, BSc in Applied Biology and Biotechnology and BSc in Food Safety and Technology etc.

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Programme/subject code

Programme/subject title Credit units

Mode of study Student intake quota per year

12047, 12052, ABCT 247ABCT 370ABCT 375

BScCT (BSc in Chemical Technology), HDCT (HD in Chemical Technology),Introduction to Chemical and Bioprocess TechnologyChemical and Bioprocess TechnologyChemical and Bioprocess Technology Laboratory

332

Lect/TutLect/TutLab

1107060

12051, ABCT 317

BScABB (BSc in Applied Biology and Biotechnology)Bioprocess Engineering Principles

3 Lect/Tut 45

12054ABCT3003

BScFST (BSc in Food Safety and Technology)Elements of Food Engineering 3 Lect/Tut/Lab 40

1) weak knowledge in mathematics and physics,

2) lack of concept and interest in process or engineering, and

3) diverse background in the subjects related to process or engineering.

All these questions bring huge obstacles to the teaching, and only the essential points can be taught and discussed during the lectures.  

Students acquire knowledge from lecture and hands-on experiments, and the latter is particularly important for the engineering related subjects. However, due to the limitation of teaching staff, lab space, class hours and budget, only a small portion of experiments can be practiced in labs.

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Instructional challenges from students

Virtual labs?

Virtual labs are effective educational tools for training of university students, process engineers and plant operators.

Virtual labs provide a flexible and user-friendly method to define the experiments with mathematical models, and allow the users to design and perform their own simulation experiments.

The major components of virtual labs are: (1) the model simulation of the essential and relevant properties of the system;

(2) virtual lab view, i.e. the interactive user-to-model interface;

(3) a narrative providing information about the system and the use of the virtual-lab.

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It allow students to experiment with equipments safely and independently. Supplement classroom exercises to improve understanding. Students can review classroom laboratories anytime and in their own

home. Have fun while they study process and engineering.

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Benefits of Virtual lab to the students

Virtual labs provides a thoughtful visual aid for the lectures. Student homework can be made fun, motivating, and insight building. It can be a supplement to laboratory exercises, and provide motivated

students with opportunities for independent exploration. Replace some hands-on experiments, and help avoid the questions of lab

congestion, time arrangement, and teaching staff. Virtual lab is cheap for operation, which is especially helpful for low-budget

department.

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Benefits to the teachers & department

Examples of Virtual labs A: Heat Exchanger B: Energy requirement in Fluid Flow

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A: Heat Exchanger

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Industrial systems

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Control panel: Parameters & calculation

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B: Energy requirement in Fluid Flow

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Industrial systems

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Control panel: Parameters & calculation

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Implementation and assessment

Course: Elements of food engineeringYear Experiment Number of students

Physical Virtual

2008 A: Heat transfer 52 0

B: Fluid flow 52 0

2009 A: Heat transfer 25 26

B: Fluid flow 26 25

Assessment

We compare students’ learning effectiveness in the two educational modes using 3 assessment instruments:

1) Students’ feedback

2) Students’ lab report

3) A comprehensive exam

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Students’ feedback A questionnaire answered by students on how well the objectives of the

course are met and the comparison between physical and virtual labs. The learning outcomes evaluated by students include theory

understanding, procedure, industrial system, data analysis and discussion etc. Each will be ranked from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

Total 42 respondents in year 2009.

In most of the items, students feel that virtual labs contributed a great deal or considerably to the learning outcomes, and the average is 4.1.

38 out of 42 students recommend a combination of physical and virtual experiments. Only 4 students prefer a purely physical lab.

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Lab report and exam questions

With the virtual labs, students show better understanding in theory, industrial system and data analysis.

There are no significant difference in answering questions, calculation or overall grades.

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Conclusion

1) The learning outcomes and effectiveness are not compromised due to the introduction of virtual labs. Nevertheless, virtual labs can help resolve the limitation of staff, lab space and equipments.

2) Most of students regarded that virtual lab is efficient and interesting and motivating, which gave them a valuable learning experience.

3) Hands-on experiments remain a valuable mode of learning, since they provide students with a visual, auditory, and manual sense of scale and spatial relationships. However, virtual labs can replace some physical labs and greatly enhance the understanding of real world situations.

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Future work Develop our own virtual lab system using the

software LabView

a) High cost for procuring or using the commercial virtual system

b) Suitability or adequacy of virtual labs in those system

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