Can structured reflection enhance learning in a heat and mass transfer course?

Abstract

This paper presents a quantitative and qualitative study of written reflective exercises and normalized gain scores from a concept inventory assessment in a junior-level heat and mass transfer course for chemical engineers. The primary purpose of this research is to determine to what extent written reflection activities are successful at adjusting commonly-held misconceptions students have about heat transfer.As described in a previous ASEE paper ( Chenette and Ribera, 2016), the authors conducted a series of prediction activities in several course sections, each with approximately 25 junior-level chemical engineering students, with either a structured follow-up reflection assignment or no structured reflection assignment after each prediction activity. The Heat and Energy Concept Inventory (HECI) was administered to students of all sections at the start and the end of the course. The overall HECI score along with HECI subcategory (Temperature vs Energy, Temperature vs Feeling, Rate vs Amount, Radiation) scores were used to evaluate learning gains. Archived data from classes with no prediction activities and no reflection activities served as a control group. To explore if the quality of reflection is related to learning gains, student reflections were ranked according to a validated rubric and compared with quantitative data on learning gains. Qualitative contributions include student responses from focus groups and student surveys. Key highlights will be discussed to provide a better understanding how the students' perception of learning is affected by these activities.Preliminary results showed a weak correlation between the normalized gain score of individual students in the Rate vs Amount subcategory and the quality of reflection displayed by each student in the follow-up reflection activity. This paper analysis of another HECI subcategory relevant to the in-class prediction activity on radiation. This analysis also includes an additional cohort of students in an effort to increase the sample size to address limitations of the preliminary results. The goal of this study is to better direct the role of prediction and reflection activities in fundamental engineering courses.