1Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Module 6: Curriculum Design I (Spiral Theory and Examples)

Bridges for Engineering Education –Virginia Tech (BEEVT)

A group of engineering and education faculty received a planning grant BEEVT in 2003 from the NSF. One key objective was to:

create a contemporary framework for undergraduate engineering pedagogy, beginning with freshman engineering experiences

BEEVT investigators proposed a spiral curriculum approach and received an implementation grant in 2004 under the Department-Level Reform (DLR) program of NSF.

2Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Reformulating General Engineering and Biological Systems Engineering Programs at Virginia Tech

Participating FacultyEngineering Education (6)Biological Systems Engineering (5)School of Education and Academic Assessment (1)Civil and Environmental Engineering (1)Mining and Minerals Engineering (1)Computer Science (1)

StudentsSix PhD students: BSE (2), Psychology (1), School of Education (1), CEE (1),

and ENGE(1)Two MS students: BSESix Undergraduate students: CEE, EE, CPE, and BSE

International Component of NSF-DLR ProjectCollaboration with National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

NSF/DLR Project: $1,082,944; September 2004 – August 2009

Goal of the NSF/DLR Project

To undertake department-level reform (DLR) of the General Engineering (GE) and the Bioprocess Engineering Option within the Biological Systems Engineering (BSE) Department at Virginia Tech.

GE

BSEChE

CEE

CS

ECE

ESMISE

ME

MSE

MinE

AOE

3Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Spiral Curriculum – General Concepts

Jerome Bruner and the Spiral Curriculum - A Quick Introduction

• Leading educational theorist of the 20th century

• Focus on learning and construction of meaning

• Emphasis on curriculum as a vehicle for student development

4Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Basic Elements of the Spiral Concept

• Authentic engagement from the beginning

• Thematic curricular organization

• Periodic revisiting of key topics and themes

• Increasing complexity with support

• Student mastery of learning process

Advantages of Spiral Curriculum

• Allows an “honest’ introduction to any domain of interest

• Provides a framework for moving learning to higher levels of representation and inclusiveness

• Preserves thematic integrity within the curriculum

5Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Spiral Curriculum Developmentin Biological Systems Engineering

Lohani, V. K., Wolfe, M. L., Wildman, T., Mallikarjunan, K., and Connor, J., 2011. “Reformulating General Engineering and Biological Systems Engineering Programs at Virginia Tech,” Advances in Engineering Education Journal, ASEE, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 1-30.

Steps in Curriculum Design

1. Identify outcomes to be achieved by the students upon graduation

6Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Outcomes Identified for Bioprocess Option in BSE

• A bioprocess engineer should be able to:– Design a reactor

– Design a process and optimize the process conditions

– Select units in the process and design a plant layout

– Control the process

Steps in Curriculum Design

1. Identify outcomes to be achieved by the students upon graduation

2. Develop concept maps to identify knowledge required to master each outcome

7Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Spiral Concepts for Reactor Design

Concept Map for Reactor Design

Process parameters

Mass/Energy/Momentum balances

Chemical reactions Stochiometry and process kinetics

Process ControlEconomics

Materials handling

Raw MaterialsIntermediate

materials

WasteEnvironmental impacts

GMP Safety

Biology

Material Properties

Ethics Reactor Design

8Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Steps in Curriculum Design

2. Develop concept maps to identify knowledge required to master each outcome

3. Identify knowledge acquisition required for each outcome at different levels in the spiral curriculum

Unit Operations

Size reductionSieving

FiltrationCentrifugeCycloneSorting

EvaporationDistillation

Drying: spray, drum, freeze, thin layer, deep bed,

fluidized bedHeat Exchangers: types,

design and selectionFlash CoolingFluidizationSterilization

PasteruizationFreezing

Cryogenics

ExtractionPrecipitation

Membrane separations Crystallization

AbsorptionAdsorption

ChromatographyLeachingStripping

II & III

III & IV

IV

III & IV

II & III

III & IV

II & III

Mechanical Thermal Mass Transfer

9Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Unit Operations

• Mechanical: Size reduction, filtration, centrifuge, agitation

• Thermal: Distillation, drying• Mechanical – size reduction, sieving, filtration,

centrifuge, cyclone, sorting• Thermal – Distillation, drying, fluidization, sterilization,

pasteurization, heat exchangers, flash cooling

• Mechanical – cyclone, sorting

• Thermal – Fluidization, sterilization, pasteurization, freezing, chilling, heat exchangers, cryogenics, flash cooling

II

III

IV

Steps in Curriculum Design

3. Identify knowledge acquisition required for each outcome at different levels in the curriculum

4. Develop learning objectives for each knowledge level and outcome

10Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Design a Process – Level II

Learning Objectives

• Explain and demonstrate a process

• Identify and describe the parameters affecting a process

• Perform mass balance

• Understand some basic principles related to bioprocess engineering

Design a Process – Level III

Learning Objectives• Understand the principles and applications of

various unit operations• Identify appropriate unit operations for a given

task• Design a unit operation to achieve a given task• Perform advanced mass balance for unit

operations• Perform energy balance for unit operations• Evaluate the economics of unit operations

11Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Design a Process – Level IV

Learning Objectives

• Design a complete process

• Draw complete process flow sheets

• Perform overall mass and energy balances

• Optimize process conditions

• Perform economic analysis for processes

Steps in Curriculum Design

4. Develop learning objectives for each knowledge level and outcome

5. Develop learning modules consisting of problems/projects/activities to facilitate student achievement of the objectives

12Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Learning Module (Cont’d)

Learning activities• In-class presentation – to give context for the

terminology

• In-class group activity – each group identifies systems

• In-class introduction – to laboratory exercises

• In-class group activity – compile examples and discuss

• Group laboratory exercises – conduct “Extraction and Refining of Cottonseed Oil” exercise and “Hydrologic System” exercise

• Individual homework and group laboratory report

• Individual assessment of student knowledge – post laboratory exercise

Steps in Curriculum Design

5. Develop learning modules consisting of problems/projects/activities to facilitate student achievement of the objectives

6. Incorporate the learning modules into existing courses (or)

7. Develop new courses to include the learning modules

13Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Learning Objectives

Outcome Outcome Outcome Outcome

Level II………………………………………………………………………………

Level III………………………………………………………………………………

Level IV………………………………………………………………………………

Level II………………………………………………………………………………

Level II………………………………………………………………………………

Level II………………………………………………………………………………

Level III………………………………………………………………………………

Level III………………………………………………………………………………

Level III………………………………………………………………………………

Level IV………………………………………………………………………………

Level IV………………………………………………………………………………

Level IV………………………………………………………………………………

Learning Module Course

In Summary

1. Identify outcomes to be achieved

2. Develop concept maps

3. Identify knowledge for each outcome at different levels

4. Develop learning objectives

5. Develop learning modules

6. Incorporate the modules to existing courses

7. Develop new courses to include the modules

14Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Balasubramanian, G., Lohani, V. K., Puri, I., Case, S., and Mahajan, R., 2011. “Nanotechnology Education – A First Step in Implementing a Spiral Curriculum Approach,” International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 333–353.

Extension of Spiral Work to Engineering Science & Mechanics (ESM) Department

Nanotechnology Option Using Spiral Curriculum Approach – ESM Department

NSF/NUE project: 2008-10 (ESM, ICTAS, EngE faculty)

15Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Culver, S., Lohani, V. K., and Puri, I., 2010. “Engagement with Ethics in a Large Engineering Program: A Status Report,” Proc. 2010 ASEE Annual Conference, June 20-23, 2010, Louisville, KY.

Culver, S., Lohani, V. K., and Puri, I., 2011. “Comparison of Engagement with Ethics between an Engineering and a Business Program,” Proc. 2011 ASEE Annual Conference, June 26-29, 2011, Vancouver, Canada.

Extension of Spiral Curriculum Work to Coverage of Professional Ethics

Graduate Interdisciplinary Liberal Engineering Ethics Curriculum (GILEE)

Summer WorkshopJune 8-9, 2009

Graduate Course: Global and Ethical Impact of Emerging Technologies

NSF/EESE Grant; $300k; 2008-2012, Engineering Science Mechanics, Engineering Education, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Management, Philosophy, Academic Assessmenthttp://www.esm.vt.edu/~ikpuri/ethics/gilee.html

16Vinod Lohani, vlohani@vt.edu

Ethics Class Project - Examples

Spiral Curriculum Extension to ME, MSE, ESM

(slides will be added)