Dr Manoj Ravi is a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Leeds. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and is passionate about active learning approaches and embedding sustainability in the taught curriculum. Manoj also leads several pedagogic research projects on curriculum design, authentic assessments and student partnerships.

Engineering concepts can often be difficult to grasp – particularly to students in the first year of the degree programme – where linking fundamental theory to mathematical expressions can be a challenge. It is important that students go beyond a surface-level understanding of mathematical equations that describe engineering phenomena, being able to appreciate concepts from multiple dimensions, such as analytically, graphically and from first principles. In order to help students develop this intricate understanding of reaction engineering fundamentals in the first year of the chemical engineering undergraduate degree programme, Manoj uses simulations and interactive graphs as a digital tool to enhance synchronous in-person engineering education. After going through underpinning concepts, mathematical derivations and numerical problem solving, Manoj uses a series of questions/prompts to engage students on free-to-access simulations (for example see: Reactor LabLink opens in a new window) to encourage active learning. The question prompts are structured in a way that students first need to run a simulation based on a set of given parameters, then examine the result obtained and explain the results through engineering concepts. This scaffolded approach helps reinforce the taught material by promoting critical thinking and students declare a greater level of confidence in the concepts at the end of the session. Furthermore, the simulation-based learning activity also serves as a unifying basis for theoretical concepts and lab practical sessions taught on the same module.