Teaching Data Analysis Techniques Using Practical Polymer Processing Examples

Teaching data analysis techniques is an essential component of engineering laboratory classes. Elbowl states that intellectual excitement is the most important. dimension of effective teaching. Regrettably, data analysis techniques tend to be dry and the problems are often perceived as uninteresting by undergraduate students. By relating the analysis techniques to “real-world” problems, the students learn the concepts within the framework of engineering analysis. The students are not simply asked to calculate statistics based on arbitrary numbers. Instead, they are asked to make informed engineering decisions using the statistical analysis techniques as tools. Additionally, chemical engineering undergraduate students are becoming increasingly interested in application oriented topics such as polymers and environmental technology. By designing problems in these areas, student interest is enhanced.