Online Unit Operations Lab, a Difficult Balance

Abstract

As a result of COVID-19, teaching Unit Operations Laboratory in an online format became necessary in Spring 2020. Implementing experiments, which could be easily conducted from home, or at least away from the standard lab environment, but were challenging in nature, proved difficult. In particular, the labs needed to be amenable to theoretical treatment and significant uncertainty analysis. In addition, the topics studied had to cover the usual range of material: fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, separations and chemical reactions. The lab has now been taught twice during May-term in a completely online format, with mixed results. Many of the usual class features can be incorporated easily, such as student presentations in Zoom, or the number and types of reports, or lecture coverage through Canvas and Kaltura. However, while student satisfaction, as measured by their evaluations, is generally good, some concern about a lack of rigor has been expressed. Moreover, while flexibility is excellent and allows students to work outside school, communication in the online format is not as good as in a laboratory setting on campus. Some potential improvements include using Arduinos in a heat exchanger experiment, using more synchronous contact to improve communication, and implementing a chemical reaction lab with glowsticks or other materials.