Abstract:

Since last year there is an urgent interest on improving the virtual learning process in all educational areas to be adapted to the new pandemic situation. Within this framework, looking for efficient strategies and resources to promote meaningful learning in the virtual environment has become a priority. In addition, methodologies should be adapted to the specific educational areas. In this regard, teaching related to the chemical engineering discipline must face several concerns associated to the complex range of activities, which includes theoretical contents, numerical problems with graphical or analytical resolution, the use of specialized computer tools and laboratory practices. The Teaching Innovation Group in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (IDIQMA) of the University of Valencia recently started an educational innovation project (VirtualChEng) aimed to identify the most efficient strategies in the virtual environment. Within this project, several surveys were launched to compile the student’s experiences regarding the virtual teaching-learning process of the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021. Students were asked about their satisfaction with and preference for different applied teaching-learning methodologies (100% face-to-face learning, 100% virtual learning or hybrid situations). Also, the survey evaluated the student’s satisfaction with the different educational tools used, e-resources, tutorship or evaluation methods. Different types of questions were performed: from assessment based on Likert scale to multiple choice questions based on preferences, intending to compile a wide perspective. These surveys were answered by the students of all levels of the Degree in Chemical Engineering, and of some levels of the Degree in Industrial Electronic Engineering, Biotechnology, and Food Science and Technology. Also, the surveys were performed on the Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and on the Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. At this moment, more than 250 answers are recorded, which could be considered as a cross-section of the students. Preliminary analysis of the data allowed to identify the students’ opinion about the different methodologies, showing that they still prefer 100% face-to-face lessons than other options. Moreover, the opportunity to choose between face-to-face lessons or online lessons received a positive evaluation. Among the virtual options, they selected recorded synchronous lessons as the preferred methodology. Also, among the different e-platforms available for virtual learning, Microsoft Teams received the highest score. Regarding e-resources and tools, tutorial videos and virtual whiteboard obtained the greatest marks in the Likert scale. In the next months, this information will be expanded with the second semester survey. Likewise, the student, lecturers and coordinators perspective will be compared. With all these data, a Best Practice Guidelines for virtual learning in Chemical Engineering area will be set out.

Acknowledgements:
The authors acknowledge the Vice-Principal for Employment and Training Services for the project VirtualChEng (UV-SFPIE_PID20-1354140). The authors are also thankful for the institutional and economic support of the Department of Chemical Engineering and the School of Engineering of the Universitat de València (ETSE-UV).

Keywords:

Chemical engineering, Meaningful learning, Innovation, Virtual teaching