Exploration and Practice of Online–Offline Blended Teaching in Process Simulation Courses

Abstract

While process simulation tools offer immense potential in chemical engineering, effectively integrating them into the educational curriculum poses challenges. This work explored and practiced online−offline blended teaching in process simulation courses. The design of this blended course was based on a comparison of students' performances in fully online courses, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Small Private Online Course (SPOCs). Approximately 2000 students from academic institutions or industries have participated in these online courses since 2021. The comparison between MOOCs and SPOCs encompassed participation rates and scores, revealing a preference among participants for hands-on software lectures over theoretical ones in the process simulation course. Based on the outcomes of online learning, we redesigned the online−offline blended course to optimize course arrangements, leveraging the complementary advantages of both online and offline instruction. This blended approach manifested in two key aspects: first, the online segment served as a precursor to the offline component, with the offline component acting as an evaluative measure of the online segment; second, the two-unit project-based online learning led to the redesigned five-unit offline instruction, which served as both a supplement and expansion to the two-unit online teaching. Furthermore, offline activities, such as error-correction exercises and case studies conducted through group learning, enhanced students' ability for open-ended and independent thinking and reinforced their understanding of innovation on process simulation, which was lacking in online learning.