Overview
BEE 472/572 Introduction to Food Engineering Principles (5 Cr.) Fundamental engineering principles for scientists and non-process engineers. Topics include fluid flow, mass and energy transfer, and material and energy balances. Directed at food scientists and other majors who need or would like a working knowledge of food engineering principles.
The course is currently taught as a 5 hour lecture course (M (2 x 50-minute lectures), W (2 x 50-minute lectures), F (1 x 50-minute lectures)). All materials for the lectures (slide set, examples) are posted to Canvas prior to lecture for students to review. The lecture format is to summarize the posted slide-set, and then cover key points through discussion and examples. In addition, there are in-class activities for the students and considerable time spent on reviewing material in the context of homework and mid-terms. The longer lecture format is conducive to in-class activities, even with larger classes.
Course Format
The course would remain at 5 credit hours taught as 1 x 75 minute and 1 x 50 minute lecture periods with sufficient interactive online materials to replace 125 minutes of regularly scheduled lecture time.
Interactive On-Line Materials Slide-sets would be revamped and delivered in video format with voice-over. Short public domain videos would be identified for integration with the slide sets to emphasize key points. Longer term, such videos could be developed in a more course specific format. Virtual office hours in a discussion forum format would be used to answer questions regarding each section of course material course material. Discussion forums would be used to facilitate completion of the homework sets. Use of the discussion forum would reduce points lost on graded homework questions by 50%. Regular office hours (probably fewer than the current 3 hours/week) or office hours by appointment would also be available if difficulties with the material remained following lecture discussion. Traditional homework format would be modified to facilitate the on-line discussion forums.
Lecture Delivery Lecture would begin with a 10-15 minute summary of material from the relevant slide sets. One or two specific examples would be given to highlight particularly important points. A segment of the lecture would be spent discussing and answering questions that arise in the on-line forum or during office hours. In addition, discussion of the homework set would still occur weekly. Roughly half of the lecture would be spent on in-class activities, either individual or small group work within a framework provided through graded work-sheets.
