Enhancing Student Success In An Introductory Chemical Engineering Course: Impact Of The Cooperative Learning Strategy

This paper describes the cooperative learning activities used y the authors in an introductory chemical engineering course, Mass and Energy Balances, at the Chemical Engineering (ChE) Department of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagiiez (UPRM). This teaching/learning strategy was part of a multi-institutional NSF-funded project that aims at increasing the graduation rate of students in science, engineering and mathematics majors on the island (the Alliance for Minority Participation Project). The in-class and out-of-class strategies utilized and their impact on student success on course outcomes are described.