Description: Please join us for two interactive presentations by PhD candidates taking part in the Certificate in University Teaching program. These presentations will be of interest to graduate students in the Faculty of Engineering.
Abdulbaset Ali, The linkage between learning in labs and lectures in first-year engineering courses
Most first-year courses in engineering schools include practical experimental activities in the first-year labs. This laboratory work is essential to the formation of engineers. However, often the connection between theory and laboratory practice is not grasped by students. This presentation will discuss research-based suggestions for helping students to make connections between lab practices and lecture materials.
Kajan Srirangan, Using case studies to emphasize a framework that can be utilized in the design of novel bioprocesses
Thematic case-based studies can be used by instructors to enhance critical thinking and knowledge in a holistic fashion, as well as improve students’ cognitive and metacognitive processes. In this presentation, we describe the use and impact of case-based instruction implemented in a third-year undergraduate bioprocess engineering course at the University of Waterloo. The main objective of this approach was to link key concepts related to bioprocess engineering to the “real-world” through a series of tutorial modules and major research projects tied together by a common thematic case study. The intent was to provide students the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of biological systems by linking traditional fields of bioprocessing to an emerging field such as synthetic biology while also immersing students into situations that they could encounter while working in industry. The results of this approach suggest that a majority of the students felt that the case was engaging and that the small-group based problem-solving exercises helped their understanding of design principles relevant to bioprocess engineering.
Note: A maximum of one Fundamentals workshop credits can be obtained through attending the CTE 219 Special Topics workshops