**5. Reflections in open-ended laboratory initiatives**

conduct the experiment and monitored by the supervisor and also laboratory technicians, analyze the result, preparing the comprehensive report, and also the viva voce session.

The assessment method covers not only the comprehensive report submitted but also other components of assessments as shown in **Table 7**. Many assessments methods employed by

**Details Marks** Peer and self-assessment 10 Supervisor evaluation on student participation (quizzes, assessment rubrics, etc.) 15 Comprehensive report 50 Seminar presentation/viva 45 min 20 Attendance 5

**4. Assessment methods for open-ended laboratory**

30 Laboratory Unit Operations and Experimental Methods in Chemical Engineering

**Table 7.** Assessment method in OEL.

**Bil Item** 1 Title page

2 Abstract/summary 3 Table of content 4 Introduction

5 Application in industry

8 Result and discussion

11 Abbreviation/nomenclatures

7 Methodology-procedure and experimental setup

12 References (at least 10 from technical articles/books)

14 25–30 pages max (excluding title page and appendices)

**Table 8.** Format of comprehensive report for OEL.

6 Objectives

9 Conclusions 10 Acknowledgment

13 Appendices

In OEL, the students will utilize their fundamental knowledge of chemical engineering that they had learned in Years 1 and 2 and apply in Year 3 in Chemical Engineering Laboratory III. The students need to set what are the objectives of that particular experiment and also what is the goal that they want to obtain or achieve in that particular given problem. In addition, they need to discuss and propose to their supervisor the design steps on the experiment, how to set up the procedures for the experiment and the most important thing is they need to present it to the supervisor to attain his agreement on the proposed procedures. In this activity, the students will cogitate and use their higher order thinking skill to design and propose the procedures to the supervisor. Thus, the data that need to be collected also need to be determined by the students. Some experiment like in TL, there a lot of data need to be taken into account; however in OEL, only data that related to the design of experiment or goal need to be collected. Skill of presenting the result like using graph or flowchart or how to organize the data are very important in this stage as well as skill to analyze the data using any statistical tool, if needed. The results and the goals of the experiment need to be justified whether it is achieved or the result deviated from the theory. In this stage, the student uses their own ability to propose the solution and set the goal for the experiment. However, if the student were not able to obtain or achieve the goals, the student can apply different strategies or methods, subject to supervisor's approval in the attempt to get the expected result. This activity indicates that the students have the capability to analyze the result properly and propose a new solution that may solve the problem hence obtaining the goal of the experiment.

The feedbacks on OEL from the student were carried out as part of the question asked in the exit survey by the exiting students. The response obtained from the students are shown in **Figure 3** and summarized in **Table 9**. The students were asked the question how effective OEL in strengthening students' laboratory skills with 5-point Likert scale-type response with least effective, less effective, average, very effective, and highly effective. It is shown that the students' tendency is favorable toward OEL and has been improving from the first year of OEL's inception to the laboratory courses in 2014. This can be seen from mean rating scale of 3.50 out of 5.00 in 2014 and increasing to 4.00 and 4.08 in 2015 and 2016, respectively, before settling at rating scale of 3.75 in 2017 (see **Table 9**). The accepted minimum response as a performance indicator to indicate support on the OEL initiative was set at response at scale 4 (very effective) and above. Response started in 2014 with highly divided at 48:52 (yes:no) ratio and later improved in the subsequent years presumably by better supervision and guidance by the laboratory instructors on the students groups as the laboratory instructors gained more experience. In the qualitative response section in exit survey, most students generally comment that

path. However, due to the constraints in resources and time, many of the chosen exciting paths taken by the OEL groups are not practical. It was the experience of the supervisors that can help the students to take into considerations the practical aspects of the project to enable them to complete the OEL project within the time frame. Creative students will find the given autonomy, and fewer restrictions on the implementation of OEL project will increase their intrinsic motivations as they themselves (to certain extent) define the direction of the OEL project. The creativity in solving OEL project usually would translate well into the good assessment grades by the OEL supervisor as students make an impression by giving fresh ideas and unorthodox approaches. Nonetheless, not all students would be pleased on the introduction of OEL initiatives, as a handful of students were found to be frustrated, as the results of OEL do not necessarily be one correct answer. Students also feel that the increased interaction with the laboratory teammates and the technicians as well as the progress of the OEL project sometimes depends on factors beyond individual control that can contribute to their frustration. The OEL initiative also found to create many logistic and laboratory safety issues. In TL, each piece of equipment had one specific role with particular standard operating procedures, whereas in OEL, students are required to use different raw materials and operating parameters in order to meet the needs of their problems and thus, creates additional load to the laboratory technician to monitor the experimental work by the students. The laboratory technicians also need to upgrade their know-how and knowledge, especially the safe operating limit of equipment and limit of its flexibility in adapting to

Experiential Learning via Open-Ended Laboratory Initiatives

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77015

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It is important for the course or program owner to note that the considerations for selecting and embedding OEL in laboratory courses depend on the learning outcomes. It is the laboratory course's intended learning outcomes that dictate the pedagogy and assessment for laboratory courses. This is the crux of constructive alignment in the philosophy of outcome-based education. Adopting TL approach would be sufficient if the intended learning outcomes in the laboratory course simply concentrate on students' ability to skillfully conduct experiments on certain topics; however if the intended learning outcomes of the laboratory course would be the ability of the students to design an experiment on a given topic and at higher level the program intended outcome aspires to increase the experiential learning of the students then the TL approach would be less adequate and it warrants a better delivery method to achieve

Analysis for the reflection activity showed that there are mixtures on the students' perception on OEL. Some of the students see the OEL initiatives did help them to have a deeper understanding on the fundamental concept of chemical engineering like mass transfer and heat transfer. On the other hand, there are a handful of students who perceive this OEL as a burden to them like creating their own experimental procedures. A higher percentage of the students agreed that OEL activities provide them better laboratory skills than TL. OEL initiatives nevertheless increase the experiential learning of the students as they equip and prepare them better in their research-based final-year project (FYP) and facing the real environment in industry.

the intended learning and program outcomes such as OEL.

new experiments.

**6. Conclusions**

**Figure 3.** Exit survey response of students on how effective OEL in strengthening students' laboratory problem-solving skills.


**Table 9.** Analysis of exit survey response on effectiveness of OEL in strengthening laboratory problem-solving skills.

the OEL did make the students to be more creative in solving the given problem, excite their HOTS and also increased their attainment toward lifelong learning. Other skills like teamwork and presentation skill were also seen to improve and in turn would provide the necessary skills for the students' survival in the ever-challenging working environment in industry.

Reflecting through the OEL initiatives as compared to TL approach has shifted the norm of laboratory practices among the students. Given ample time to design their experimental work, the students learn the importance of coming to the laboratory prepared and developed the logic of experimental work. This initiative promotes intrinsic motivation of the students and creates a mind shift from passive laboratory user to an active participant. Knowing responsibly the hardwork required in OEL, prepares the students a real-life research project environment where delicate balance of compromise between the theoretical experimental setup that can be carried out in laboratory to the constraints of time, cost, and safety. Students are also compelled to learn independently from literature and sought guidance from their supervisor and found to be involved in peer to peer learning as they tried to solve the problems.

Supervisors of the OEL project need to invest time to supervise the OEL groups as our experience shows that while few of the OEL groups tend to seek shortcuts and find the easiest way to complete the project, the reality is many of the OEL groups tend to choose the most exciting path. However, due to the constraints in resources and time, many of the chosen exciting paths taken by the OEL groups are not practical. It was the experience of the supervisors that can help the students to take into considerations the practical aspects of the project to enable them to complete the OEL project within the time frame. Creative students will find the given autonomy, and fewer restrictions on the implementation of OEL project will increase their intrinsic motivations as they themselves (to certain extent) define the direction of the OEL project. The creativity in solving OEL project usually would translate well into the good assessment grades by the OEL supervisor as students make an impression by giving fresh ideas and unorthodox approaches.

Nonetheless, not all students would be pleased on the introduction of OEL initiatives, as a handful of students were found to be frustrated, as the results of OEL do not necessarily be one correct answer. Students also feel that the increased interaction with the laboratory teammates and the technicians as well as the progress of the OEL project sometimes depends on factors beyond individual control that can contribute to their frustration. The OEL initiative also found to create many logistic and laboratory safety issues. In TL, each piece of equipment had one specific role with particular standard operating procedures, whereas in OEL, students are required to use different raw materials and operating parameters in order to meet the needs of their problems and thus, creates additional load to the laboratory technician to monitor the experimental work by the students. The laboratory technicians also need to upgrade their know-how and knowledge, especially the safe operating limit of equipment and limit of its flexibility in adapting to new experiments.

It is important for the course or program owner to note that the considerations for selecting and embedding OEL in laboratory courses depend on the learning outcomes. It is the laboratory course's intended learning outcomes that dictate the pedagogy and assessment for laboratory courses. This is the crux of constructive alignment in the philosophy of outcome-based education. Adopting TL approach would be sufficient if the intended learning outcomes in the laboratory course simply concentrate on students' ability to skillfully conduct experiments on certain topics; however if the intended learning outcomes of the laboratory course would be the ability of the students to design an experiment on a given topic and at higher level the program intended outcome aspires to increase the experiential learning of the students then the TL approach would be less adequate and it warrants a better delivery method to achieve the intended learning and program outcomes such as OEL.
