The Foundation Degree in Chemical Technology The Use of Case Studies to Drive the Curriculum

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The Foundation Degree in Chemical Technology The
Use of Case Studies to Drive the Curriculum
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Paul Burdon

• University of Teesside
• Deputy Director of School of Science and
  Technology (including Engineering)
• Led the development of Chemical Technology from
  application for pilot funding to implementation
• Chaired approval events for further Fd
  developments at University
• Sat on group established by QAA to develop a
  Qualification Benchmark for Fds

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Terry Trotter

• Hartlepool College of Further Education
• Director of Studies for Engineering, Construction
  Design.
• Responsibilities include all sub-degree and
  Foundation Degree programmes.
• Led the development of Engineering Foundation
  Degree at Hartlepool from application to
  implementation.
• Author of Case Studies at Hartlepool.
• Team leader of the course team for Fd.Eng.

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Why Chemical Technology?

• Major base for chemical industries in the Tees
  Valley region (TCI)
• History of working links with University
• Ongoing discussions regarding new course
  provision pre-dating Fds
• A willingness to collaborate.

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What did industry want/expect?

• Increasing skill requirements
• Skills gaps in existing staff
• Developing existing employees
• Demand for new recruits
• Encouraging young people to enter the industry.

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Did we deliver?

• Part-time course commenced
• 52 enquiries/expressions of interest
• 36 applications/interviews
• 32 offers made
• 27 students enrolled (target 30) from 14
  companies
• Full-time course did not run.

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Why case studies?

• Why not - we use them now (or do we)?
• Practical, hands on (perhaps)
• Relevant, real problems (we hope)
• Develop a team approach (sometimes)
• Interesting (not always)
• Broaden knowledge of the topic (but not always in
  an industrial context!).

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So what is new?

• Different, innovative (DfEE)
• Developed and delivered in partnership with
  industry
• Not used as examples within the curriculum -
  rather as a driver for it
• Introduced early in the course and continue
  throughout
• Associated learning and skills specific to the
  needs of the case study
• Portfolio approach.

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First year curriculumChemical Technology
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Case study development

• They require committed partners
• The best case studies are genuine (perhaps
  modified but not contrived)
• They cannot be selected at random
• They must contribute to the delivery of the
  curriculum
• They must have clearly defined learning outcomes
  matched with those of the course.

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What are the case studies?Which partners?

• First year
• Flow rig operation TTE
• Hazchem storage Vopak
• Reforming plant BASF
• Reformate refining Huntsman
• Custom processing Halterman
• Second year topics
• Hazards and safety, batch processes, supply chain
  management.

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Case study example 1 - Vopak A

• Based on a request to store X tonnes of methanol
  to be off-loaded from a tanker moored at the
  quayside adjacent to the Vopak storage facility
  
• Duration two weeks
• Tasks developing an understanding of
• 1 Safety, health and environmental issues
• 2 Commercial and financial issues
• 3 Technical issues including choice of piping and
  time needed to unload the tanker.

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Case study example 2 - Huntsman

• Based on the Reformate Refining Plant designed to
  receive imported raw reformate feedstocks
  containing 30-50 aromatics (C4-C10) and produce
  a refined product containing C6-C8
• Duration six weeks
• Six tasks developing an understanding of
• 1 Relevant organic chemistry
• 2 Reformate and refining
• 3 Steady state mass balances
• 4 Total and individual mass balances on
  designated plant streams
• 5 Stream enthalpies and energy balances
• 6 Heat transfer.

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First year curriculumEngineering
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Case study example Engineering Expanded Metal
Company.

• Based on the design and development of a real
  consumer product for a local manufacturing
  company.
• Duration six weeks
• Four tasks developing an understanding of
• 1 Use of 3D Design software extraction of 2D
  drawings and presentational animations.
• 2 Properties of the materials and coatings to be
  used in the design.
• 3 Methods of fabrication using existing plant.
• 4 Costs of production and break-even analysis.
• 5 Health and Safety regulations in the use of the
  product.
• 6 Presentational techniques, use of
  presentational manager software.

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Strengths and weaknesses?Positive features and
issues

• Positive features
• Appropriate to the concept of Fds
• Relevant
• Effective
• Well received by students and employers
• Transferable
• Issues
• It requires commitment from partners - we have
  been lucky
• There will be a need for regular
  updating/replacement
• It can be difficult to schedule/manage.

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Summary - does it work?

• We have enjoyed a unique opportunity to develop
  something new, different, innovative - and be
  paid for it
• Chemical Technology was a pilot - where issues
  have emerged they have been addressed
• Formal (course) evaluation has been undertaken
  and we believe that the case study model has
  proved a success
• We have demonstrated the transferability of the
  concept through the Engineering
• It works for us we intend to continue with it!

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All that remains

• Thank you for listening
• Any questions?