Using Web-based Tools for Chemical Engineering Education: The Creation of an Asynchronous Environment and Student Response to WebCT

This paper focuses on the construction of an asynchronous environment; the generation and design of basic Chemical Engineering questions are discussed including how to improve their readability, and the semi-automated production of complex WebCT questions. The analysis focussed on the student performance in synchronous and asynchronous testing environments for one of the foundation units (namely Process Principles, ChE122). The comparisons revealed that the students performed better in an asynchronous testing environment even when they perceived the difficulty level is higher than the synchronous (traditional classroom) delivery system. The students' comments on the fairness and relative difficulty of the quizzes were discussed in detail. The lecturer's responses to students' concerns were also addressed to improve future WebCT courses.