Projects matching your search criteria
Embedding Enquiry-Based Learning in the First Year Curriculum
The aim of the project is to incorporate enquiry-based learning in the delivery of the first year curricula of the undergraduate courses of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. The objective is to promote and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as encourage students to be more independent in their learning by changing the focus of the course delivery from traditional lectures and tutorials in modules to an integrated format of lectures and enquiry-based learning sessions. Students will be given real and stimulating problems to solve as part of a team so that they will be encouraged and motivated to gather information, apply concepts and develop working skills. Learning resources such as lectures material, course notes and IT will also be available for the enquiry-based sessions.
Project Team: Dr Esther Ventura-Medina, Dr Ted Roberts, Dr Leo Lue Faculty: Engineering and Physical Sciences
Funding year: 2006
Keywords: chemical engineering, critical thinking, pbl, first year, problem solving
Case Study (PDF, 83.7Kb)
Development of an Enquiry-Based programme for exploring the scientific method
We will develop an enquiry-based programme that will provide first year students with the skills to critically evaluate the scientific method and scientific knowledge. The programme will be delivered in a series of tutorials, where students will elaborate hypotheses, collect data, and draw conclusions from (sometimes) conflicting evidence. Students will also research databases, give an oral presentation, and write an essay. The course will culminate with a seminar by a leading researcher from outside the University. The programme will help students develop a critical understanding of the facts, and the need for alternative hypotheses, enabling them to grapple more rapidly and effectively with units which require a greater degree of independent thought. We will focus on the question “What is the origin of humans?”, using different kinds of data (e.g. DNA sequence and morphological data).
Project Team: Paula X Kover, Matthew Cobb, Henry McGhie Faculty: Life Sciences
Funding year: 2006
Keywords: scientific, method, critical thinking, evaluation, knowledge, data collection, hypothesis, research, dna, presentation, hypotheses
