Speaker
Description
The course Fluid Mechanics 1 at TU Dortmund, offered in the third semester of the Bachelor’s programs in Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, covers key topics such as hydrostatic, Bernoullis principle, and integral momentum theory. The Chemical Engineering students have to absolve Fluid Mechanics 2 with the boundary layer theory, Navier-Stokes equations, similarity mechanics, and turbulence. Approximately 150 students participate annually in the course Fluid Mechanics 1, which is based on Zierep’s textbook and supplemented by lectures, problem-solving sessions, student-led tutorials, and laboratory exercises involving rheometers and wind-tunnel experiments. A significant challenge lies in the fact that many students are not yet accustomed to the demands of university-level learning. Fluid mechanics builds on various foundational concepts, but essential principles, such as Newton’s friction model in the integral momentum approach, are often overlooked by students. The exams are designed following the SOLO taxonomy emphasizing deep learning by addressing relational understanding and extended abstract understanding. This includes both short conceptual questions and tasks requiring independent judgment in selecting appropriate tools for specific problems. Despite this structured approach, the exams are challenging, with low pass rates. To address these issues, a structured learning platform was introduced, aiming to promote collaborative and organized learning, provide rapid feedback, and ensure mastery of fundamental concepts. Traditional exercise scripts were replaced by tasks exclusively accessible through the platform, encouraging engagement and active participation. The effectiveness and appeal of this approach are being assessed. Effectiveness is measured by analyzing changes in average pass rates and exam grades over several years before and after implementation. The appeal is evaluated through student ratings of the exam preparation materials and qualitative feedback from course evaluations. The success of this concept has led to its extension to other courses, including Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transport for international Process Systems Engineering students and Technical Mechanics within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. The structured learning platform demonstrates a promising approach to improving student outcomes and satisfaction in challenging engineering courses.
