Graduate Attribute Based Continuous Course Improvement in a Blended Learning Engineering Design Course – A Writing Improvement Case Study

Abstract

The Capstone Chemical Process DesignCourse instructors engaged with Writing Across theCurriculum to develop and then provide writing seminarsfor students taking the second blended learning iterationof the design course to address needs identified bystudents in a pre course skill self assessment. The goals ofthis initiative were to further develop students’ technicalwriting abilities, encourage ongoing writing during thecourse, and to help students develop better strategies toprepare preliminary and final design project reports.Students’ attendance and reaction to the voluntaryseminar sessions were measured as part of an armslength survey and used as input to the course continuousimprovement process. The results and follow up steps arereported.