Advancing students' trouble shooting skills with open-ended questions and computer-aided learning using Aspen Plus® in a multistage lab experiment

Open-ended questions and a computer-aided learning approach using the Aspen Plus (R) Sensitivity Analysis Tool (OEQ-CAL/APSAT) was used to simulate a multistage lab experiment of a piping system (consisting of pumps, pipes, and valves) as part of the Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer Laboratory course delivered within the Qatar University's curriculum for the Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. To evaluate the learning goals of this approach, three-stage experiments were used. Results indicated that students gained a deep understanding of the material and showed a strong interest, demonstrated by the student's participation in the OEQ-CAL/APSAT activity. As the complexity and realistic nature of cases being studied can be increased using this approach, laboratory courses can be taught more effectively, and the corresponding investigations can be expanded with virtual experiments. In addition, it is a practical choice to maximize the use of resources and an effective replacement for laboratory experiments in case of pandemics, confinement, or interest in testing the effects of hazardous conditions to ensure sustained learning outcomes.