Designing a Research Oriented and Industry Connected Catalysis Principles Course: An Outcome Based Teaching Reform Study Based on the Yangtze University Syllabus

Abstract

Catalysis is both a conceptual core of modern chemistry and an engineering foundation of chemical manufacturing, petroleum processing, environmental protection, and sustainable materials development. Yet the teaching of catalysis is difficult because the subject asks undergraduate students to integrate thermodynamics, adsorption, surface kinetics, transport phenomena, catalyst preparation, catalyst deactivation, and structure-performance reasoning within a limited number of contact hours. This study develops a teaching research framework based on the syllabus of the course Catalysis Principles offered by the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at Yangtze University. The syllabus defines Catalysis Principles as an elective course for Applied Chemistry students, allocates 32 classroom hours to eight content modules, emphasizes lecture-based but heuristic and discussion-supported instruction, and uses a two-part assessment structure consisting of in-class training and a final research report. Building on outcome-based education, constructive alignment, active learning, problem-based learning, formative feedback, and contemporary catalysis education literature, the study proposes a coherent reform model for transforming the course from a mainly content-delivery course into a research-oriented, literature-supported, data-informed, and industry-connected learning experience. The proposed model aligns course outcomes, module-level learning tasks, problem scenarios, reading
assignments, formative assessment, and the final research report. It also integrates ideological and professional values such as scientific spirit, safety awareness, environmental responsibility, and innovation into disciplinary problem solving rather than treating them as separate slogans. The article provides a complete research design, a module-by-module teaching framework, assessment rubrics, literature-based learning tasks, quality assurance measures, and an implementation plan suitable for a 32-hour elective course. As a design-based curriculum study, it does not report classroom outcome data; instead, it presents an implementable and evaluable model for future teaching cycles.