The Convergent Classroom for Best Practice Pedagogy in Chemical Engineering Education

Abstract

77710 Abstract Evolving from an NSF supported activity to combine problem-based learning with modern computer based modeling and simulation is the convergent classroom that optimizes convergent technologies, content and best practice pedagogy. Convergent technologies involve computer based hardware and software, wireless networking, multimedia, hypermedia, Internet, virtual reality, interactive TV (iTV), digital TV (DTV), satellite and advanced classroom gadgetry. Convergent content combines conventional books, lecture notes, and video with digitally based information on CD’s and DVD’s, on-line laboratory experiments and demonstrations both locally and globally via the internet, internet based information resources, classroom recording of ideas from convergent and divergent thinking, discussions and group activities using visual, audio and text authoring software. The convergent classroom is allowing the same and new content to be presented via multiple ways on different platforms and to be saved for future use in digital asset banks and warehouses using multiple means of storage and use. Convergent best practice pedagogy is optimized in the convergent classroom to allow problem-based learning, objective based learning, cooperative learning, project based learning, accelerated learning, visual learning, constructivism and Socratic learning. The classroom is designed to optimize the five basic types of thinking: cognitive, memorative, convergent, divergent and evaluative - to produce the creativity and idea generative capacity often missing from conventional classrooms. The design and operation of the convergent classroom will be discussed, as well as how it is being used to optimize chemical engineering