Environmental Engineering Laboratory: A Problem Solving Approach

这项建议是开发一个基于协作和主动学习的环境工程实验室，为本科工程专业的学生提供实践经验，了解本科环境实验室通常不涉及的主题和概念。该实验室还将用于向高中生和工程学一年级的学生进行演示，以便他们能够体验工程学的实际一面。大多数环境工程实验室练习遵循简单的1-2-3方法，既不能激发批判性思维，也不能提高学习效果。学生在工作中可能遇到的实际问题充其量只能在课堂上讨论，毕业生进入就业市场时实践经验有限。拟建的实验室将让学生小组使用环境工程中四种常见的传统技术来解决问题，这些技术在本科教育中很少遇到：混合池反应器、滴流过滤器、微生物分解的生长动力学和消毒。实验作业将集中在其中一项具体技术上。学生将以小组形式(3-4/GRP)工作，并将面临典型的工程任务和/或问题，例如，可能会要求学生确定滴滤池系统的最佳设计、混合池反应器中的混合程度，或某个变量(如pH)如何影响微生物生长。学生们将研究这一主题，分组讨论问题，并制定出产生所需解决方案的程序。学生将制定一份旨在解决问题的工作计划，然后是一份书面的正式实验室报告，说明结论和对最终提案、所考虑的替代方案和可能的修改的详细讨论。作为这一过程的结果，预计学生将为他们可能遇到的工作场所做好更好的准备。

This proposal is to develop an environmental engineering laboratory based on collaborative and active learning to provide undergraduate engineering students practical, hands on experience with topics and concepts typically not covered in undergraduate environmental laboratories. The laboratory will also be used for demonstrations to high school and first year engineering students so that they will be able to experience the practical side of engineering. Most environmental engineering laboratory exercises follow a simple one-two-three approach which neither stimulates critical thinking nor enhances learning. Practical aspects of topics which students are likely to encounter on the job are, at best, discussed only in the classroom and graduates reach the job market with limited practical experience. The proposed laboratory will engage groups of students in problem solving using four common conventional technologies in environmental engineering but seldom experienced during undergraduate education: Mixed tank reactors, Trickling filters, Growth kinetics of microbial decomposition, and Disinfection. Laboratory assignments will concentrate on one of the specific technologies. Students will work in small groups (3-4/grp) and will be presented with typical engineering tasks and/or problems, e.g., students may be asked to determine the optimum design of a trickling filter system, the extent of mixing in a mixed tank reactor, or how a certain variable, such as pH, affects microbial growth. Students will research the topic, discuss the problem in groups, and develop a procedure which will yield the desired solution. Students will develop a workplan intended to solve the problem, followed by a written formal laboratory report stating conclusions and detailed discussion of the final proposal, alternatives considered and possible modifications. As a result of this process, it is expected that students will be better prepared for the work place they are likely to encounter.