Reducing Chemistry Lecturers workload by Manufacturing Interest for Chemistry in First-Year Engineering Students

CPD activities at the local university

Before Classroom:

• Pedagogical Training: Teachers participate in workshops focused on active learning strategies and problem-based learning (PBL), applied to make chemistry more interactive and relevant for engineering students. These strategies encourage students to solve real-world engineering challenges through the application of chemistry concepts. (watch videos, lectures team meeting, reading, general PD workshop)
• Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL): Teachers should engage in CPD activities centered around the use of technology-enhanced learning tools like simulation software and virtual labs. These tools are used to visualize molecular-level changes and demonstrate the practical implications of chemical reactions in different engineering fields. (watch videos, lectures team meeting, reading, general PD workshop)
• Industry Collaboration: Teachers could collaborate with industry professionals and engineers to better understand the practical applications of chemistry in non-chemical engineering sectors. This allows to bring real-world scenarios into the classroom, making the subject matter more relevant and relatable. (Presentation of experts)

During Classroom:

• Tools implementation: teachers can use the techniques they acquired to make chemistry more engaging for their students, according to tools offered by the institution they are in. 

• Focalised experiments: exercises and experiments should be tailored to the specific engineering course.

After Classroom:

• Peer to peer feedback: teachers can meet and share their experiences and what they used to inspire the students so that everybody can evaluate if those concepts apply to their class or if they can be tailored to theirs.
• Mentoring: teachers can mentor other teachers on the techniques they used to keep their class engaged and how they work for them and how to find inspiration to tailor those techniques to their specific engineering course.
• microMOOC development: teachers can develop some shot videos to share the knowledge they acquired and keep it available worldwide.

Teaching and learning materials

• MicroMOOCs, readings and online videos on TEL and PBL to undestand the techniques theory.
• Industries and professionals online meetings to understand the need for chemistry in different fields of engineerings.
• Hands-on workshops and Lectures team meetings to actually implement the selected TEL or PBL to specific engineering chemistry course.
• Mentoring from fellow chemistry lectures.

Sustainable implementation

• Teachers might benefit from this approach because having more engaged students means better performing students and so fewer students who fail the exam and have to repeat it so less work. So putting in the time to refine the chemistry course is an investment to work more efficiently and spare time in the long run.
• students are required to evaluate the course at the end of the semester and these metrics influence the teacher's career so having better metrics is beneficial for the teachers.

Expected impact of the CPD User Case

• Teaching becomes more effective in the long run by lessening the work: if the students are less motivated they might fail their exams this means that the teachers have to double their work by examining the same person twice. So more motivated students means less work in the long run.
• Better teachers evaluation: the teachers might receive better evaluations from the students that positively impact their careers if they manage to keep their students invested in the subject.
• Increased Engagement Across Disciplines: when teachers use active learning strategies and interdisciplinary case studies, students from non-chemical engineering fields (civil, mechanical, etc.) are expected to see chemistry as more relevant to their specific disciplines. The CPD activities that emphasize real-world applications of chemistry should help students realize the importance of understanding chemical processes in their own engineering contexts, improving their motivation and participation in the course. Engagement can be evaluated with pre- and post-course surveys and checking teachers evaluations by students.
• Improved Learning Outcomes: when teachers integrate problem-based learning (PBL) and real-world engineering challenges, students should be able to apply chemistry concepts more effectively in their problem-solving processes. I expect that CPD-driven activities, such as group projects and simulations, will lead to improved performance in assessments where chemistry is applied to specific engineering scenarios. This can be evaluated by comparing how students performed in the previous years to the years following the changed approach.
• Long-Term Professional Growth: On a personal level, the CPD activities are expected to contribute to the growth as an educator, enhancing the ability to deliver more engaging and contextually relevant chemistry education. The integration of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) tools, active learning strategies, and industry-relevant examples is designed to keep the teaching methods up-to-date with the latest educational practices, ensuring that the approach remains effective and relevant for the future. This can be evaluated through teachers surveys on general satisfaction.

Plans for eventual continuation of the CPD within the same topic

• Enhanced Use of Technology: Moving forward, the use of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) could be expanded incorporating more advanced simulation tools and virtual labs. If the institution permits it, augmented reality (AR) can be explored to provide more immersive, hands-on experiences.
• Continuous evaluation might be implemented and it will help ensure that the teaching approach remains dynamic and adaptable to the changing needs of engineering students.

Developing confidence in sound course design, interactive teaching, and learning facilitation (type P1-1, P1-2, P1-3)