2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The modern engineering landscape relies heavily on computational tools such as Excel, MATLAB, and Python. Although many students begin their chemical engineering curriculum already confident in various types of software and coding languages, others have minimal experience and feel hesitant to use such tools in their assignments. While some training is provided in introductory courses, addressing the needs of students with vastly differing levels of experience can be challenging in the classroom setting. The present project seeks to address the gap in computational skill and confidence by introducing a dedicated computational teaching assistant (CTA) to provide individualized support to undergraduate students and to help faculty develop course resources that offer consistent and accessible practice with these tools.

The goals of this project are to (1) promote consistent use of computational tools in undergraduate courses via a collaboration between the CTA and teaching faculty, (2) develop the materials and resources for program continuity, and (3) organize methods to assess and adapt the program as departmental needs evolve over time. Before expanding to cover higher level courses, this program is first focusing on the introductory course on mass and energy balances. The CTA responsibilities include working with instructors to set specific computational learning objectives that can be practiced in course assignments, such as numerically solving nonlinear equations of state or efficiently solving large systems of material and energy balances. Students are expected to setup problems and equations themselves or with the help of the course instructor/TA, and the CTA subsequently helps students translate their written equations into the relevant software package, using this opportunity to also emphasize more generalized computational skills such as typical troubleshooting procedures, understanding software documentation, debugging techniques, and limitations of common numerical methods.

The success and sustainability of the program relies on the development of resources for faculty and future CTAs. Course-specific examples are being designed to encourage continuous practice in the context of course topics. Reference materials for the CTA – such as troubleshooting guides for common problems and summaries of methods/concepts – are also being developed to aid in training and transitions. Program assessment will incorporate student performance on computational-focused assignments as well as survey feedback from students and faculty. Student attendance in CTA office hours and workshops will also be recorded to monitor program participation. By providing individualized support for students and resources for faculty, this program is designed to minimize student apprehension in learning computational skills and ensure they are equipped to be successful in chemical engineering courses regardless of their previous experience.