chapter iii methodology (research design & methods)

Writing The Methodology Chapter

5 Time-Saving Tips & Tools

By: David Phair (PhD) and Amy Murdock (PhD) | July 2022

The methodology chapter is a crucial part of your dissertation or thesis – it’s where you provide context and justification for your study’s design. This in turn demonstrates your understanding of research theory, which is what earns you marks .

Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of students navigate this tricky section of the research process. In this post, we’ll share 5 time-saving tips to help you effectively write up your research methodology chapter .

Overview: Writing The Methodology Chapter

• Develop a (rough) outline before you start writing
• Draw inspiration from similar studies in your topic area
• Justify every research design choice that you make
• Err on the side of too much detail , rather than too little
• Back up every design choice by referencing literature

1. Develop an outline before you start writing 

The first thing to keep in mind when writing your methodology chapter (and the rest of your dissertation) is that it’s always a good idea to sketch out a rough outline of what you are going to write about before you start writing . This will ensure that you stay focused and have a clear structural logic – thereby making the writing process simpler and faster.

An easy method of finding a structure for this chapter is to use frameworks that already exist, such as Saunder’s “ research onion ” as an example. Alternatively, there are many free methodology chapter templates for you to use as a starting point, so don’t feel like you have to create a new one from scratch.

Next, you’ll want to consider what your research approach is , and how you can break it down from a top-down angle, i.e., from the philosophical down to the concrete/tactical level. For example, you’ll need to articulate the following:  

• Are you using a positivist , interpretivist , or pragmatist approach ?
• Are you using inductive or deductive reasoning?
• Are you using a qualitative , quantitative, or mixed methods study?

Keep these questions front of mind to ensure that you have a clear, well-aligned line of argument that will maintain your chapter’s internal and external consistency.

Remember, it’s okay if you feel overwhelmed when you first start the methodology chapter. Nobody is born with an innate knowledge of how to do this, so be prepared for the learning curve associated with new research projects. It’s no small task to write up a dissertation or thesis, so be kind to yourself!

2. Take inspiration from other studies 

Generally, there are plenty of existing journal articles that will share similar methodological approaches to your study. With any luck, there will also be existing dissertations and theses that adopt a similar methodological approach and topic. So, consider taking inspiration from these studies to help curate the contents of your methodology chapter.

Students often find it difficult to choose what content to include in the methodology chapter and what to leave for the appendix. By reviewing other studies with similar approaches, you will get a clearer sense of your discipline’s norms and characteristics . This will help you, especially in terms of deciding on the structure and depth of discussion.  

While you can draw inspiration from other studies, remember that it’s vital to pay close attention to your university’s specific guidelines, so you can anticipate departmental expectations of this section’s layout and content (and make it easier to work with your supervisor). Doing this is also a great way to figure out how in-depth your discussion should be. For example, word-count guidelines can help you decide whether to include or omit certain information.

Need a helping hand?

3. Justify every design choice you make

The golden rule of the methodology chapter is that you need to justify each and every design choice that you make, no matter how small or inconsequential it may seem. We often see that students merely state what they did instead of why they did what they did – and this costs them marks.

Keep in mind that you need to illustrate the strength of your study’s methodological foundation. By discussing the “what”, “why” and “how” of your choices, you demonstrate your understanding of research design and simultaneously justify the relevancy and efficacy of your methodology – both of which will earn you marks.

It’s never an easy task to conduct research. So, it’s seldom the case that you’ll be able to use the very best possible methodology for your research (e.g. due to time or budgetary constraints ). That’s okay – but make sure that you explain and justify your use of an alternate methodology to help justify your approach.

Ultimately, if you don’t justify and explain the logic behind each of your choices, your marker will have to assume that you simply didn’t know any better . So, make sure that you justify every choice, especially when it is a subpar choice (due to a practical constraint, for example). You can see an example of how this is done here.

4. Err on the side of too much detail

We often see a tendency in students to mistakenly give more of an overview of their methodology instead of a step-by-step breakdown . Since the methodology chapter needs to be detailed enough for another researcher to replicate your study, your chapter should be particularly granular in terms of detail. 

Whether you’re doing a qualitative or quantitative study, it’s crucial to convey rigor in your research. You can do this by being especially detailed when you discuss your data, so be absolutely clear about your:  

• Sampling strategy
• Data collection method(s)
• Data preparation
• Analysis technique(s)

As you will likely face an extensive period of editing at your supervisor/reviewer’s direction, you’ll make it much easier for yourself if you have more information than you’d need. Some supervisors expect extensive detail around a certain aspect of your dissertation (like your research philosophy), while others may not expect it at all.

Remember, it’s quicker and easier to remove/ trim down information than it is to add information after the fact, so take the time to show your supervisor that you know what you’re talking about (methodologically) and you’re doing your best to be rigorous in your research.

5. Provide citations to support each design choice

Related to the issue of poor justification (tip #3), it’s important include high-quality academic citations to support the justification of your design choices. In other words, it’s not enough to simply explain why you chose a specific approach – you need to support each justification with reference to academic material.  

Simply put, you should avoid thinking of your methodology chapter as a citation-less section in your dissertation. As with your literature review, your methods section must include citations for every decision you make, since you are building on prior research.  You must show that you are making decisions based on methods that are proven to be effective, and not just because you “feel” that they are effective.

When considering the source of your citations, you should stick to peer-reviewed academic papers and journals and avoid using websites or blog posts (like us, hehe). Doing this will demonstrate that you are familiar with the literature and that you are factoring in what credible academics have to say about your methodology.

As a final tip, it’s always a good idea to cite as you go . If you leave this for the end, then you’ll end up spending a lot of precious time retracing your steps to find your citations and risk losing track of them entirely. So, be proactive and drop in those citations as you write up . You’ll thank yourself later!

Let’s Recap…

In this post, we covered 5 time-saving tips for writing up the methodology chapter:

• Look at similar studies in your topic area
• Justify every design choice that you make
• Back up every design choice by referencing methodology literature

If you’ve got any questions relating to the methodology chapter, feel free to drop a comment below. Alternatively, if you’re interested in getting 1-on-1 help with your thesis or dissertation, be sure to check out our private coaching service .

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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Research Design and Methodology

Submitted: 23 January 2019 Reviewed: 08 March 2019 Published: 07 August 2019

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.85731

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There are a number of approaches used in this research method design. The purpose of this chapter is to design the methodology of the research approach through mixed types of research techniques. The research approach also supports the researcher on how to come across the research result findings. In this chapter, the general design of the research and the methods used for data collection are explained in detail. It includes three main parts. The first part gives a highlight about the dissertation design. The second part discusses about qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The last part illustrates the general research framework. The purpose of this section is to indicate how the research was conducted throughout the study periods.

• research design
• methodology
• data sources

Author Information

Kassu jilcha sileyew *.

• School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Research methodology is the path through which researchers need to conduct their research. It shows the path through which these researchers formulate their problem and objective and present their result from the data obtained during the study period. This research design and methodology chapter also shows how the research outcome at the end will be obtained in line with meeting the objective of the study. This chapter hence discusses the research methods that were used during the research process. It includes the research methodology of the study from the research strategy to the result dissemination. For emphasis, in this chapter, the author outlines the research strategy, research design, research methodology, the study area, data sources such as primary data sources and secondary data, population consideration and sample size determination such as questionnaires sample size determination and workplace site exposure measurement sample determination, data collection methods like primary data collection methods including workplace site observation data collection and data collection through desk review, data collection through questionnaires, data obtained from experts opinion, workplace site exposure measurement, data collection tools pretest, secondary data collection methods, methods of data analysis used such as quantitative data analysis and qualitative data analysis, data analysis software, the reliability and validity analysis of the quantitative data, reliability of data, reliability analysis, validity, data quality management, inclusion criteria, ethical consideration and dissemination of result and its utilization approaches. In order to satisfy the objectives of the study, a qualitative and quantitative research method is apprehended in general. The study used these mixed strategies because the data were obtained from all aspects of the data source during the study time. Therefore, the purpose of this methodology is to satisfy the research plan and target devised by the researcher.

2. Research design

The research design is intended to provide an appropriate framework for a study. A very significant decision in research design process is the choice to be made regarding research approach since it determines how relevant information for a study will be obtained; however, the research design process involves many interrelated decisions [ 1 ].

This study employed a mixed type of methods. The first part of the study consisted of a series of well-structured questionnaires (for management, employee’s representatives, and technician of industries) and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (government bodies, ministries, and industries) in participating organizations. The other design used is an interview of employees to know how they feel about safety and health of their workplace, and field observation at the selected industrial sites was undertaken.

Hence, this study employs a descriptive research design to agree on the effects of occupational safety and health management system on employee health, safety, and property damage for selected manufacturing industries. Saunders et al. [ 2 ] and Miller [ 3 ] say that descriptive research portrays an accurate profile of persons, events, or situations. This design offers to the researchers a profile of described relevant aspects of the phenomena of interest from an individual, organizational, and industry-oriented perspective. Therefore, this research design enabled the researchers to gather data from a wide range of respondents on the impact of safety and health on manufacturing industries in Ethiopia. And this helped in analyzing the response obtained on how it affects the manufacturing industries’ workplace safety and health. The research overall design and flow process are depicted in Figure 1 .

Research methods and processes (author design).

3. Research methodology

To address the key research objectives, this research used both qualitative and quantitative methods and combination of primary and secondary sources. The qualitative data supports the quantitative data analysis and results. The result obtained is triangulated since the researcher utilized the qualitative and quantitative data types in the data analysis. The study area, data sources, and sampling techniques were discussed under this section.

3.1 The study area

According to Fraenkel and Warren [ 4 ] studies, population refers to the complete set of individuals (subjects or events) having common characteristics in which the researcher is interested. The population of the study was determined based on random sampling system. This data collection was conducted from March 07, 2015 to December 10, 2016, from selected manufacturing industries found in Addis Ababa city and around. The manufacturing companies were selected based on their employee number, established year, and the potential accidents prevailing and the manufacturing industry type even though all criterions were difficult to satisfy.

3.2 Data sources

3.2.1 primary data sources.

It was obtained from the original source of information. The primary data were more reliable and have more confidence level of decision-making with the trusted analysis having direct intact with occurrence of the events. The primary data sources are industries’ working environment (through observation, pictures, and photograph) and industry employees (management and bottom workers) (interview, questionnaires and discussions).

3.2.2 Secondary data

Desk review has been conducted to collect data from various secondary sources. This includes reports and project documents at each manufacturing sectors (more on medium and large level). Secondary data sources have been obtained from literatures regarding OSH, and the remaining data were from the companies’ manuals, reports, and some management documents which were included under the desk review. Reputable journals, books, different articles, periodicals, proceedings, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, websites, and other sources were considered on the manufacturing industrial sectors. The data also obtained from the existing working documents, manuals, procedures, reports, statistical data, policies, regulations, and standards were taken into account for the review.

In general, for this research study, the desk review has been completed to this end, and it had been polished and modified upon manuals and documents obtained from the selected companies.

4. Population and sample size

4.1 population.

The study population consisted of manufacturing industries’ employees in Addis Ababa city and around as there are more representative manufacturing industrial clusters found. To select representative manufacturing industrial sector population, the types of the industries expected were more potential to accidents based on random and purposive sampling considered. The population of data was from textile, leather, metal, chemicals, and food manufacturing industries. A total of 189 sample sizes of industries responded to the questionnaire survey from the priority areas of the government. Random sample sizes and disproportionate methods were used, and 80 from wood, metal, and iron works; 30 from food, beverage, and tobacco products; 50 from leather, textile, and garments; 20 from chemical and chemical products; and 9 from other remaining 9 clusters of manufacturing industries responded.

4.2 Questionnaire sample size determination

A simple random sampling and purposive sampling methods were used to select the representative manufacturing industries and respondents for the study. The simple random sampling ensures that each member of the population has an equal chance for the selection or the chance of getting a response which can be more than equal to the chance depending on the data analysis justification. Sample size determination procedure was used to get optimum and reasonable information. In this study, both probability (simple random sampling) and nonprobability (convenience, quota, purposive, and judgmental) sampling methods were used as the nature of the industries are varied. This is because of the characteristics of data sources which permitted the researchers to follow the multi-methods. This helps the analysis to triangulate the data obtained and increase the reliability of the research outcome and its decision. The companies’ establishment time and its engagement in operation, the number of employees and the proportion it has, the owner types (government and private), type of manufacturing industry/production, types of resource used at work, and the location it is found in the city and around were some of the criteria for the selections.

The determination of the sample size was adopted from Daniel [ 5 ] and Cochran [ 6 ] formula. The formula used was for unknown population size Eq. (1) and is given as

where n  = sample size, Z  = statistic for a level of confidence, P  = expected prevalence or proportion (in proportion of one; if 50%, P  = 0.5), and d  = precision (in proportion of one; if 6%, d  = 0.06). Z statistic ( Z ): for the level of confidence of 95%, which is conventional, Z value is 1.96. In this study, investigators present their results with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

The expected sample number was 267 at the marginal error of 6% for 95% confidence interval of manufacturing industries. However, the collected data indicated that only 189 populations were used for the analysis after rejecting some data having more missing values in the responses from the industries. Hence, the actual data collection resulted in 71% response rate. The 267 population were assumed to be satisfactory and representative for the data analysis.

4.3 Workplace site exposure measurement sample determination

The sample size for the experimental exposure measurements of physical work environment has been considered based on the physical data prepared for questionnaires and respondents. The response of positive were considered for exposure measurement factors to be considered for the physical environment health and disease causing such as noise intensity, light intensity, pressure/stress, vibration, temperature/coldness, or hotness and dust particles on 20 workplace sites. The selection method was using random sampling in line with purposive method. The measurement of the exposure factors was done in collaboration with Addis Ababa city Administration and Oromia Bureau of Labour and Social Affair (AACBOLSA). Some measuring instruments were obtained from the Addis Ababa city and Oromia Bureau of Labour and Social Affair.

5. Data collection methods

Data collection methods were focused on the followings basic techniques. These included secondary and primary data collections focusing on both qualitative and quantitative data as defined in the previous section. The data collection mechanisms are devised and prepared with their proper procedures.

5.1 Primary data collection methods

Primary data sources are qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative sources are field observation, interview, and informal discussions, while that of quantitative data sources are survey questionnaires and interview questions. The next sections elaborate how the data were obtained from the primary sources.

5.1.1 Workplace site observation data collection

Observation is an important aspect of science. Observation is tightly connected to data collection, and there are different sources for this: documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observations, and participant observations. Observational research findings are considered strong in validity because the researcher is able to collect a depth of information about a particular behavior. In this dissertation, the researchers used observation method as one tool for collecting information and data before questionnaire design and after the start of research too. The researcher made more than 20 specific observations of manufacturing industries in the study areas. During the observations, it found a deeper understanding of the working environment and the different sections in the production system and OSH practices.

5.1.2 Data collection through interview

Interview is a loosely structured qualitative in-depth interview with people who are considered to be particularly knowledgeable about the topic of interest. The semi-structured interview is usually conducted in a face-to-face setting which permits the researcher to seek new insights, ask questions, and assess phenomena in different perspectives. It let the researcher to know the in-depth of the present working environment influential factors and consequences. It has provided opportunities for refining data collection efforts and examining specialized systems or processes. It was used when the researcher faces written records or published document limitation or wanted to triangulate the data obtained from other primary and secondary data sources.

This dissertation is also conducted with a qualitative approach and conducting interviews. The advantage of using interviews as a method is that it allows respondents to raise issues that the interviewer may not have expected. All interviews with employees, management, and technicians were conducted by the corresponding researcher, on a face-to-face basis at workplace. All interviews were recorded and transcribed.

5.1.3 Data collection through questionnaires

The main tool for gaining primary information in practical research is questionnaires, due to the fact that the researcher can decide on the sample and the types of questions to be asked [ 2 ].

In this dissertation, each respondent is requested to reply to an identical list of questions mixed so that biasness was prevented. Initially the questionnaire design was coded and mixed up from specific topic based on uniform structures. Consequently, the questionnaire produced valuable data which was required to achieve the dissertation objectives.

The questionnaires developed were based on a five-item Likert scale. Responses were given to each statement using a five-point Likert-type scale, for which 1 = “strongly disagree” to 5 = “strongly agree.” The responses were summed up to produce a score for the measures.

5.1.4 Data obtained from experts’ opinion

The data was also obtained from the expert’s opinion related to the comparison of the knowledge, management, collaboration, and technology utilization including their sub-factors. The data obtained in this way was used for prioritization and decision-making of OSH, improving factor priority. The prioritization of the factors was using Saaty scales (1–9) and then converting to Fuzzy set values obtained from previous researches using triangular fuzzy set [ 7 ].

5.1.5 Workplace site exposure measurement

The researcher has measured the workplace environment for dust, vibration, heat, pressure, light, and noise to know how much is the level of each variable. The primary data sources planned and an actual coverage has been compared as shown in Table 1 .

Planned versus actual coverage of the survey.

The response rate for the proposed data source was good, and the pilot test also proved the reliability of questionnaires. Interview/discussion resulted in 87% of responses among the respondents; the survey questionnaire response rate obtained was 71%, and the field observation response rate was 90% for the whole data analysis process. Hence, the data organization quality level has not been compromised.

This response rate is considered to be representative of studies of organizations. As the study agrees on the response rate to be 30%, it is considered acceptable [ 8 ]. Saunders et al. [ 2 ] argued that the questionnaire with a scale response of 20% response rate is acceptable. Low response rate should not discourage the researchers, because a great deal of published research work also achieves low response rate. Hence, the response rate of this study is acceptable and very good for the purpose of meeting the study objectives.

5.1.6 Data collection tool pretest

The pretest for questionnaires, interviews, and tools were conducted to validate that the tool content is valid or not in the sense of the respondents’ understanding. Hence, content validity (in which the questions are answered to the target without excluding important points), internal validity (in which the questions raised answer the outcomes of researchers’ target), and external validity (in which the result can generalize to all the population from the survey sample population) were reflected. It has been proved with this pilot test prior to the start of the basic data collections. Following feedback process, a few minor changes were made to the originally designed data collect tools. The pilot test made for the questionnaire test was on 10 sample sizes selected randomly from the target sectors and experts.

5.2 Secondary data collection methods

The secondary data refers to data that was collected by someone other than the user. This data source gives insights of the research area of the current state-of-the-art method. It also makes some sort of research gap that needs to be filled by the researcher. This secondary data sources could be internal and external data sources of information that may cover a wide range of areas.

Literature/desk review and industry documents and reports: To achieve the dissertation’s objectives, the researcher has conducted excessive document review and reports of the companies in both online and offline modes. From a methodological point of view, literature reviews can be comprehended as content analysis, where quantitative and qualitative aspects are mixed to assess structural (descriptive) as well as content criteria.

A literature search was conducted using the database sources like MEDLINE; Emerald; Taylor and Francis publications; EMBASE (medical literature); PsycINFO (psychological literature); Sociological Abstracts (sociological literature); accident prevention journals; US Statistics of Labor, European Safety and Health database; ABI Inform; Business Source Premier (business/management literature); EconLit (economic literature); Social Service Abstracts (social work and social service literature); and other related materials. The search strategy was focused on articles or reports that measure one or more of the dimensions within the research OSH model framework. This search strategy was based on a framework and measurement filter strategy developed by the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) group. Based on screening, unrelated articles to the research model and objectives were excluded. Prior to screening, researcher (principal investigator) reviewed a sample of more than 2000 articles, websites, reports, and guidelines to determine whether they should be included for further review or reject. Discrepancies were thoroughly identified and resolved before the review of the main group of more than 300 articles commenced. After excluding the articles based on the title, keywords, and abstract, the remaining articles were reviewed in detail, and the information was extracted on the instrument that was used to assess the dimension of research interest. A complete list of items was then collated within each research targets or objectives and reviewed to identify any missing elements.

6. Methods of data analysis

Data analysis method follows the procedures listed under the following sections. The data analysis part answered the basic questions raised in the problem statement. The detailed analysis of the developed and developing countries’ experiences on OSH regarding manufacturing industries was analyzed, discussed, compared and contrasted, and synthesized.

6.1 Quantitative data analysis

Quantitative data were obtained from primary and secondary data discussed above in this chapter. This data analysis was based on their data type using Excel, SPSS 20.0, Office Word format, and other tools. This data analysis focuses on numerical/quantitative data analysis.

Before analysis, data coding of responses and analysis were made. In order to analyze the data obtained easily, the data were coded to SPSS 20.0 software as the data obtained from questionnaires. This task involved identifying, classifying, and assigning a numeric or character symbol to data, which was done in only one way pre-coded [ 9 , 10 ]. In this study, all of the responses were pre-coded. They were taken from the list of responses, a number of corresponding to a particular selection was given. This process was applied to every earlier question that needed this treatment. Upon completion, the data were then entered to a statistical analysis software package, SPSS version 20.0 on Windows 10 for the next steps.

Under the data analysis, exploration of data has been made with descriptive statistics and graphical analysis. The analysis included exploring the relationship between variables and comparing groups how they affect each other. This has been done using cross tabulation/chi square, correlation, and factor analysis and using nonparametric statistic.

6.2 Qualitative data analysis

Qualitative data analysis used for triangulation of the quantitative data analysis. The interview, observation, and report records were used to support the findings. The analysis has been incorporated with the quantitative discussion results in the data analysis parts.

6.3 Data analysis software

The data were entered using SPSS 20.0 on Windows 10 and analyzed. The analysis supported with SPSS software much contributed to the finding. It had contributed to the data validation and correctness of the SPSS results. The software analyzed and compared the results of different variables used in the research questionnaires. Excel is also used to draw the pictures and calculate some analytical solutions.

7. The reliability and validity analysis of the quantitative data

7.1 reliability of data.

The reliability of measurements specifies the amount to which it is without bias (error free) and hence ensures consistent measurement across time and across the various items in the instrument [ 8 ]. In reliability analysis, it has been checked for the stability and consistency of the data. In the case of reliability analysis, the researcher checked the accuracy and precision of the procedure of measurement. Reliability has numerous definitions and approaches, but in several environments, the concept comes to be consistent [ 8 ]. The measurement fulfills the requirements of reliability when it produces consistent results during data analysis procedure. The reliability is determined through Cranach’s alpha as shown in Table 2 .

Internal consistency and reliability test of questionnaires items.

K stands for knowledge; M, management; T, technology; C, collaboration; P, policy, standards, and regulation; H, hazards and accident conditions; PPE, personal protective equipment.

7.2 Reliability analysis

Cronbach’s alpha is a measure of internal consistency, i.e., how closely related a set of items are as a group [ 11 ]. It is considered to be a measure of scale reliability. The reliability of internal consistency most of the time is measured based on the Cronbach’s alpha value. Reliability coefficient of 0.70 and above is considered “acceptable” in most research situations [ 12 ]. In this study, reliability analysis for internal consistency of Likert-scale measurement after deleting 13 items was found similar; the reliability coefficients were found for 76 items were 0.964 and for the individual groupings made shown in Table 2 . It was also found internally consistent using the Cronbach’s alpha test. Table 2 shows the internal consistency of the seven major instruments in which their reliability falls in the acceptable range for this research.

7.3 Validity

Face validity used as defined by Babbie [ 13 ] is an indicator that makes it seem a reasonable measure of some variables, and it is the subjective judgment that the instrument measures what it intends to measure in terms of relevance [ 14 ]. Thus, the researcher ensured, in this study, when developing the instruments that uncertainties were eliminated by using appropriate words and concepts in order to enhance clarity and general suitability [ 14 ]. Furthermore, the researcher submitted the instruments to the research supervisor and the joint supervisor who are both occupational health experts, to ensure validity of the measuring instruments and determine whether the instruments could be considered valid on face value.

In this study, the researcher was guided by reviewed literature related to compliance with the occupational health and safety conditions and data collection methods before he could develop the measuring instruments. In addition, the pretest study that was conducted prior to the main study assisted the researcher to avoid uncertainties of the contents in the data collection measuring instruments. A thorough inspection of the measuring instruments by the statistician and the researcher’s supervisor and joint experts, to ensure that all concepts pertaining to the study were included, ensured that the instruments were enriched.

8. Data quality management

Insight has been given to the data collectors on how to approach companies, and many of the questionnaires were distributed through MSc students at Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (AAiT) and manufacturing industries’ experience experts. This made the data quality reliable as it has been continually discussed with them. Pretesting for questionnaire was done on 10 workers to assure the quality of the data and for improvement of data collection tools. Supervision during data collection was done to understand how the data collectors are handling the questionnaire, and each filled questionnaires was checked for its completeness, accuracy, clarity, and consistency on a daily basis either face-to-face or by phone/email. The data expected in poor quality were rejected out of the acting during the screening time. Among planned 267 questionnaires, 189 were responded back. Finally, it was analyzed by the principal investigator.

9. Inclusion criteria

The data were collected from the company representative with the knowledge of OSH. Articles written in English and Amharic were included in this study. Database information obtained in relation to articles and those who have OSH area such as interventions method, method of accident identification, impact of occupational accidents, types of occupational injuries/disease, and impact of occupational accidents, and disease on productivity and costs of company and have used at least one form of feedback mechanism. No specific time period was chosen in order to access all available published papers. The questionnaire statements which are similar in the questionnaire have been rejected from the data analysis.

10. Ethical consideration

Ethical clearance was obtained from the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University. Official letters were written from the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering to the respective manufacturing industries. The purpose of the study was explained to the study subjects. The study subjects were told that the information they provided was kept confidential and that their identities would not be revealed in association with the information they provided. Informed consent was secured from each participant. For bad working environment assessment findings, feedback will be given to all manufacturing industries involved in the study. There is a plan to give a copy of the result to the respective study manufacturing industries’ and ministries’ offices. The respondents’ privacy and their responses were not individually analyzed and included in the report.

11. Dissemination and utilization of the result

The result of this study will be presented to the Addis Ababa University, AAiT, School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. It will also be communicated to the Ethiopian manufacturing industries, Ministry of Labor and Social Affair, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of Health from where the data was collected. The result will also be availed by publication and online presentation in Google Scholars. To this end, about five articles were published and disseminated to the whole world.

12. Conclusion

The research methodology and design indicated overall process of the flow of the research for the given study. The data sources and data collection methods were used. The overall research strategies and framework are indicated in this research process from problem formulation to problem validation including all the parameters. It has laid some foundation and how research methodology is devised and framed for researchers. This means, it helps researchers to consider it as one of the samples and models for the research data collection and process from the beginning of the problem statement to the research finding. Especially, this research flow helps new researchers to the research environment and methodology in particular.

Conflict of interest

There is no “conflict of interest.”

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© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Flipped online teaching of histology and embryology with design thinking: design, practice and reflection

• Yan Guo 1 ,
• Xiaomei Wang 1 ,
• Yang Gao 1 ,
• Haiyan Yin 1 ,
• Qun Ma 1 &
• Ting Chen 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  388 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Flexible hybrid teaching has become the new normal of basic medical education in the postepidemic era. Identifying ways to improve the quality of curriculum teaching and achieve high-level talent training is a complex problem that urgently needs to be solved. Over the course of the past several semesters, the research team has integrated design thinking (DT) into undergraduate teaching to identify, redesign and solve complex problems in achieving curriculum teaching and professional talent training objectives.

This study is an observational research. A total of 156 undergraduate stomatology students from Jining Medical University in 2021 were selected to participate in two rounds of online flipped teaching using the design thinking EDIPT (empathy, definition, idea, prototype, and test) method. This approach was applied specifically to the chapters on the respiratory system and female reproductive system. Data collection included student questionnaires, teacher-student interviews, and exam scores. GraphPad Prism software was used for data analysis, and the statistical method was conducted by multiple or unpaired t test.

According to the questionnaire results, the flipped classroom teaching design developed using design thinking methods received strong support from the majority of students, with nearly 80% of students providing feedback that they developed multiple abilities during the study process. The interview results indicated that teachers generally believed that using design thinking methods to understand students' real needs, define teaching problems, and devise instructional design solutions, along with testing and promptly adjusting the effectiveness through teaching practices, played a highly positive role in improving teaching and student learning outcomes. A comparison of exam scores showed a significant improvement in the exam scores of the class of 2021 stomatology students in the flipped teaching chapters compared to the class of 2020 stomatology students, and this difference was statistically significant. However, due to the limitation of the experimental chapter scope, there was no significant difference in the overall course grades.

The study explores the application of design thinking in histology and embryology teaching, revealing its positive impact on innovative teaching strategies and students' learning experience in medical education. Online flipped teaching, developed through design thinking, proves to be an effective and flexible method that enhances student engagement and fosters autonomous learning abilities.

Peer Review reports

Research background and motivation

Histology is the study of the microstructure and related functions of the human body [ 1 ], while embryology studies the laws and mechanisms of ontogenesis and development; these two sciences are interrelated and self-contained [ 2 ]. As one of the important professional core programs of most medical specialties, Histology and Embryology (HE) has been an indispensable curriculum bridge between normal microstructure and pathological changes in tissue and organs.

The teaching targets of HE are mainly first-year undergraduate students in clinical medicine, psychiatry, stomatology, nursing, etc. The importance of fostering the development of empathy in undergraduate students is continuously emphasized in international recommendations for medical education [ 3 ]. Freshmen have a certain ability to think logically and analyse problems, but this ability is limited, and they have a yet to develop familiarity with scientific research hotspots. Moreover, they are often unaware of their creative potential, and this phenomenon often causes them to passively accept knowledge, and their autonomous learning ability and student participation in class are less than that of upperclassmen. These first year students face the need to develop scientific literacy and the ability to integrate theory with practice [ 4 ]. However, traditional teaching methods may have failed to fully meet students' need for a profound understanding of these abstract concepts, leading to challenges such as low interest in learning and inadequate knowledge absorption. Consequently, educators urgently need to seek innovative teaching strategies to enhance students' learning experience and academic performance.

In the information age, teacher teaching is no longer a simple superposition of knowledge and teaching methods but a fusion innovation of technology and teaching oriented to a more complex learning environment. The Teacher Standards issued by the American Educational Technology International Association note that the important role of future teachers is that of a "designer" [ 5 ]. DT combines a creative and innovative approach to dealing with complex problems, which serves as a valuable tool for those seeking to improve the challenging issues in medical education [ 6 ]. DT is a process of analysis that relies on the deconstruction of ideas and a creative process that relies on the construction of ideas. There are no judgements in DT. This eliminates the fear of failure and encourages maximum input and participation. Wild ideas are welcome since they often lead to the most creative solutions. Everyone is a designer, and DT is a way to apply design methodologies to any situation [ 5 ].

In the field of education, DT has been advocated as a means to promote the cultivation of innovative talent through innovative teaching methods. With the help of DT, and adhering learning as the concept in teaching, the transformation of teaching allows learners to explore real needs in real life scenes, to propose innovative solutions to meet those needs through teamwork, and to test the effectiveness of those solutions through prototype production. This process facilitates the further application of constructivism [ 7 ].

In the process of both conventional teaching and teaching innovation, the research team utilizes the “EDIPT” (Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype and TEST) DT theory [ 8 ] which originating in the Stanford University Design School to design teacher activities and student activities and select technical tools [ 9 ]. The basic process is shown in Fig.  1 . The team is very accustomed to consciously applying DT methodology when facing difficulties and challenges to consistently obtain the desired results [ 10 ]. This study sets the teaching objectives and plans of a large cycle (one semester) to guide the teaching implementation of a small cycle (one section or one chapter); Then, small-cycle teaching feedback and achievement accumulation promote the progress of large-cycle teaching to ensure the coherence, effectiveness and improvement of teaching reform. For example, the difficult problem in the process of cardiovascular system embryogenesis is atrial separation; the team uses cardboard and plastic film to construct room partition "products" [ 11 ] to provide vivid explanations and body movements for clearer explication. In another example, they integrate scattered knowledge points including cleavage, blastocyst formation and implantation into a unified narrative called "the initial journey." It solves the pain point that the dynamic abstraction of embryology knowledge is difficult to intuitively understand. The above are two examples of using EDIPT steps of design thinking to solve teaching pain points.

Problem solving steps incorporating DT

Research objectives and significance

In the 2021 Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition, blended learning was once again selected as the key technology affecting the future development and practice of higher education [ 12 ], demonstrating great application potential. In this format, the teaching team adheres to the following practical principles to promote more blended learning courses to ensure high-quality outcomes [ 13 ]. In the recent period of epidemic prevention and control, effective online teaching combines asynchronous and synchronous delivery modes, addresses knowledge learning and ability development, and highlights interaction in teaching activities to improve the online teaching experience for both teachers and students and enhance the overall quality of online teaching. Online teaching is not simply an emergency measure taken during the epidemic but rather represents the future trend of education.

The aim of this study is to explore the application of design thinking in the teaching of histology and embryology courses. By investigating the impact of design thinking in the teaching process, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of this innovative teaching strategy on students' learning experience and academic performance, as well as its potential applications in medical education.

The significance of this research lies in its contribution to medical education with novel teaching methods and strategies. By incorporating design thinking, educators can better cater to students' learning needs and enhance their comprehension and mastery of the subject matter. Furthermore, this study contributes to the expansion of teaching research in the field of medical education, providing valuable insights for educational reform and improvements in teaching quality.

The analysis of the correlation between design thinking and this study

Design thinking plays a crucial role in formulating the educational reform. During the empathize phase, an in-depth understanding of teachers' and students' needs and challenges is achieved. This includes considering teachers' expectations and pedagogical beliefs, as well as students' learning styles and feedback, leading to a clear definition of the problem and setting specific objectives for the educational reform. In the define phase, the importance of improving teachers' pedagogical approaches and methods, and cultivating students' creative learning and competencies is underscored. This serves as the foundation for selecting appropriate teaching strategies and establishes the specific direction for incorporating design thinking in the flipped classroom model. During the ideate phase, innovative thinking is employed to explore diverse teaching strategies. For enhancing teachers' pedagogical approaches, approaches such as case-based teaching and collaborative learning are recommended to stimulate students' intrinsic motivation for active learning. For promoting students' creative learning and overall competencies, methods like project-based learning and critical thinking cultivation are considered to facilitate holistic student development. In the prototype phase, the devised teaching strategies are implemented in the flipped classroom setting. Continuous prototyping and rapid experimentation facilitate the collection of valuable feedback and data from students and teachers, enabling further optimization of the teaching strategies to align with the original intent of design thinking. Finally, in the test phase, a comprehensive evaluation of the teaching implementation is conducted. By collecting and analyzing data, the study delves deep into the impact of the educational reform on teachers' pedagogical beliefs and students' creative learning and overall competencies. This process provides crucial feedback and evidence for the ongoing improvement of the educational reform.

In conclusion, the selection of flipped classroom as a pedagogical strategy is closely guided by design thinking principles. Through the application of design thinking, this observational study aims to enhance teachers' pedagogical approaches and methods while fostering students' creative learning and overall competencies, thus promoting the successful implementation of the educational reform.”

Flipped classroom sessions can also allow learners to gain competence through their educational endeavours [ 14 ]. As Bransford writes, “To develop competence in an area, students must: a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application” [ 15 ]. Flipped classrooms can lead to competence in factual knowledge by fostering mastery of content through content understanding and application, as in traditional classrooms [ 16 ].

“O-PIRAS” Flipped classroom

The flipped classroom teaching model used in this study was formed and adjusted on the basis of Professor Jianpeng Guo's “O-PIRTAS” model. The flipped teaching mode can enable both teachers and students to acquire further abilities through teaching activities [ 17 ].

The first step(O: Objective) in flipped classroom teaching design is to formulate two types of teaching objectives: low level and high level. The lower level teaching objectives include two cognitive objectives from Bloom's classification of teaching objectives: the memory and understanding of knowledge, while the higher level teaching objectives include four cognitive objectives from Bloom's classification: application, analysis, evaluation and creation, as well as objectives pertaining to movement skills and emotion [ 18 ]. The second step is to design a preparation activity (P: Preparation) for students to complete before class, which helps students form necessary prior knowledge and stimulates their learning motivation by exploring relevant issues prior to the class [ 19 ]. The third step is for teachers to send teaching materials (I: Instructional video) to their students for pre-class learning to facilitate their early acquisition of knowledge [ 19 ]. Fourth, teaching is transferred from online classes to offline classes. The teacher briefly reviews (R: Review) the video content before class to help students quickly focus on and prepare for the next stage of learning both cognitively and psychologically. Fifth, teachers should design classroom activities (A: Activity) appropriate to high-level teaching objectives to promote in-depth learning and successfully achieve high-level objectives. Sixth, teachers should conduct classroom summaries (S: Summary), reflection and improvement to help students form integrated structured knowledge. The six steps of flipping the classroom link form a closed loop, which can be summarized as in Fig.  2 .

Process of “O-PIRAS” flipped teaching

Research method and data collection

Conveniently selecting 156 undergraduate students majoring in Dentistry from the 2021 cohort of Jining Medical University, we designated classes 1 to 3 as the class of 2021 stomatology students. As the class of 2020 stomatology students, we chose 155 undergraduate students majoring in Dentistry from the 2020 cohort, also from classes 1 to 3. Prior to the start of the study, we conducted communication sessions with both teachers and students, ensuring that all students were well-informed about the study and provided their consent. The two groups of students had the same course hours, faculty resources, learning materials, and learning spaces. The only difference was the application of design thinking methods in course and teaching design, including the implementation of flipped classroom teaching, specifically tailored for the 2021 cohort of students.

Data collection was conducted through various methods, including distributing questionnaires, conducting pre-, mid-, and post-research interviews, and recording course and corresponding chapter test scores. The implementation chapter selected the respiratory system, which plays a bridging role within histology, and the female reproductive system, which plays a transitional role between histology and embryology.

Before studying "Respiratory System", students have already mastered the basic methods of using design thinking to learn histology, and have a deep understanding of the four basic tissues and two types of organs (hollow and substantial organs). The main organs of the respiratory system—the trachea and lungs—belong to two types, respectively. The female reproductive system, as the concluding chapter of histology, is separated from the flipped classroom of the respiratory system by two weeks, leaving appropriate time for teachers to iteratively design and students to adapt to new methods. Four surveys were administered during the research process: Pre-flipped classroom survey for Chapter 16 "Respiratory System", Post-flipped classroom survey for Chapter 16 "Respiratory System", Pre-flipped classroom survey for Chapter 19 "Female Reproductive System", and Post-flipped classroom survey for Chapter 19 "Female Reproductive System", to gather student feedback and opinions on the teaching methods. The questionnaires were designed based on the research objectives and questions, and were refined through pre-testing to ensure clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness of the questions and options. The questionnaire mainly includes the following dimensions: ⑴Basic information of students, Q 1–3; ⑵ Learning and satisfaction: Q 4, What is the division of labor in your group in this cooperation? Q 7, About flipping class, how long will you spend studying before class? Q 6 Compared with the last flip class, are you satisfied with the teacher's teaching time in this flip class? Q 12, What are you most satisfied with this flip class? (3) Learning experience and ability improvement: Q 5, What kind of class learning form do you like best in flip class? Q 8, What are your learning pain points or difficulties after this flip class? Q 9, What abilities have you improved in this flip class? ⑷ Classroom Improvement and Feedback: Q 11, What are the advantages of this flip class compared with the last flip class? Q 10, In the course of embryo formation, do you like to use flip class for multiple course contents? Q13, What suggestions do you have for improving the embryo flipping class? Interviews were conducted at various stages, including before the study to understand teaching pain points, during the research process to gauge teachers' and students' attitudes and perspectives on the teaching activities, and after the study to obtain overall feedback. Additionally, we conducted both stage-specific and overall tests, and promptly collected relevant data for comparative analysis with the class of 2020 stomatology students. These data provided comprehensive insights into the performance and experiences of students in both the experimental and class of 2020 stomatology studentss.

Application of design thinking in course design

In course design, we employed design thinking methods to redesign the histology and embryology curriculum. Firstly, we gained a deep understanding of students' learning needs and interests to define course objectives and content. Secondly, we innovatively designed online materials and videos to enhance the appeal and practicality of the learning experience. We encouraged students to actively participate in discussions and problem-solving during class to unleash their creative potential. Additionally, we continuously optimized the teaching content and methods through iteration and feedback to ensure a sustained improvement in teaching effectiveness. Through the application of design thinking in course design, we expected to optimize the teaching process, enhance students' learning experiences, and improve their academic performance.

Design and implementation of flipped teaching

The HE course covers 22 chapters, totaling 60 h, including 44 h of theoretical classes and 16 h of practical classes. The theoretical teaching is roughly divided into three stages: the first stage consists of 12 h, focusing on introducing the four basic human tissues; the second stage comprises 18 h, covering the structure of human organs and systems; and the third stage spans 14 h, elucidating the process of human embryonic development. To facilitate a deep understanding and mastery of human tissue structures, four practical classes, each lasting 4 h, are incorporated to complement the theoretical content.

The entire course relies on a blended teaching approach, combining online and offline instruction, leveraging the resources of Shandong's top undergraduate course in HE, and utilizing the "Zhidao" flipped classroom tool. At the beginning of the course, the teachers introduce the purpose, teaching process, weekly plan, grading components, and assessment methods of incorporating design thinking into the blended HE teaching. The flipped classroom teaching for the class of 2021 stomatology students is set between two stage tests to investigate whether this innovative teaching method has an impact on students' test scores.

The teaching team consists of 4 associate professors and 3 lecturers, with an average teaching experience of 11.4 years in teaching nursing major foundation courses and possessing rich teaching experience. In addition, the project leader and team teachers have undergone multiple training sessions in design thinking innovation and systematic training in domestic and on-campus blended teaching theories.

At the beginning of the semester, the curriculum teaching plan should be formulated, and chapters suitable for flipped teaching should be selected according to the teaching plan” and content characteristics [ 20 ]. Teaching and research team members should jointly analyse the teaching content and formulate the flipped classroom syllabus [ 21 ], clarify teaching objectives (knowledge objectives, ability objectives and emotional objectives, i.e., low-order objectives and high-order objectives), develop chapter teaching plans and teaching courseware (traditional classrooms are obviously different from flipped classrooms) [ 22 ], record pre-class video (design the course content in a fragmented way and systematically present it in accordance with the teaching plan) [ 23 ], divide students into groups and engage with all students through “zhidao” teaching software and the QQ class committee. The specific design and implementation plan for the preparation of the above teaching materials for a flipped classroom course on the respiratory system. The teaching team seminar is held three weeks before the class.

While completing the preparation of teaching materials in accordance with the teaching plan, the team clarified what methods and tasks teachers and students should complete before and during the implementation of the flipped classroom so that everyone can understand the design intent of these teaching activities to facilitate more satisfactory teaching results.

Practice processes and instructional evaluation

The teaching design was discussed and approved by all members of the research team and used in the classroom teaching of respiratory system conversion with slightly modified specific content. One week before class, it was distributed through the zhizhuishu teaching platform to all the students [ 24 ] participating in flipped classroom teaching. The resources provided to students include preview materials, textbook chapters, courseware, videos, etc.; Preview questions, some questions related to preview materials, guide students to think and explore, stimulate learning interest and initiative; Learning objectives, clarify the knowledge objectives, ability objectives, and literacy objectives for pre class learning. In addition, there are also learning platforms (Wisdom Tree Online Course- https://coursehome.zhihuishu.com/courseHome/1000007885/199185/20#onlineCourse ),WeChat class group chat, learning community. In flipping the method of respiratory system class delivery, the team first tried to perform a complete flip of the class. At the beginning of the class, the teacher clarified six themes, and then the group spokespersons demonstrated their understanding of all the knowledge points, including key points and difficulties, in class by drawing lots. The teams provided feedback for each other. The teacher only played a guiding role in the activities involving the entirety of the class. After summarizing the classroom content, the teacher assigned homework, such as creating mind maps and engaging in thematic discussions on the learning platform, and distributed the questionnaire regarding the group pre-class preparations, classroom activities and learning experiences for the respiratory system flipped classroom. The questionnaire mainly consists of the following questions. How was the work divided among your team for this activity? What kind of in-class learning style do you like best in the flipped classroom? Compared with the last flipped classroom, are you satisfied with the length of teaching in this flipped classroom? How long do you spend on pre-class learning for a flipped class? What are your learning pain points or difficulties after this flipped lesson? What abilities have you improved in this flipped classroom? Are you satisfied with the length of lectures in this class compared with that in the last flipped class? What percentage of the course content do you prefer to be delivered by the flipped classroom model? Compared with the last flipped classroom, what are the advantages of this flipped classroom? What you are most satisfied with in this flipped lesson? Please offer suggestions for the improvement of your flipped class on embryos.

According to the steps and links involved in DT, when the “product” (teaching plan) is tested and problems are found, the design team should complete the iteration as soon as possible to better meet the needs of “customers” (students)[ 25 , 26 ]. Three days after the questionnaires, the teaching team adjusted the flipped classroom teaching design scheme for the Female Reproductive System course according to the questionnaire results, and arranged the pre-class tasks one week prior to the class, which differed from the previous class. Explanations of key points and difficult points were appropriately added to the teaching design, which did not depend on students as thoroughly as it had the last time, reducing the difficulty of the flipped classroom to a certain extent, improving students' level in participation, and improving the learning effect and teaching quality of the class.

A total of four questionnaires were distributed before and after the two flipped classes, and video recordings were made of the flipped classroom teaching process for a nursing and a stomatology class. Tencent conference recording instructions were issued by teachers. HE course scores consisted of three parts, including the usual score (30%), experimental score (10%) and final score (60%). The course scores of the 2021 nursing class and stomatology class were derived from the education management system of Jining Medical College, and the course scores of the nursing and stomatology majors who did not classes that had implemented online flipped classroom teaching in 2020 were derived as a control. Comparing the proportion of students in each of two grades, the total correct response rate of test questions, and the correct response rate of respiratory system and female reproductive system course test questions delivered through flipped classroom teaching were analysed using GraphPad Prism software through the statistical method of multiple or unpaired t tests.

Teaching strategies developed using design thinking methods improves multiple student abilities

According to the results of the questionnaire distributed before the beginning of the first flipped class, 51.2% of the students reported not understanding the new learning method and that they could not check the data, 21.6% of the students were not interested in flipped lessons and preferred traditional passive learning methods, 25.6% of the students said that they did not have strong self-control and were unwilling to take the initiative to learn, 56.8% of the students said that they had a great fear of speaking in front of their classmates and that their public speaking skills were not strong, and 46.4% of the students did not know how make suitable PowerPoint Presentation (PPT). After two sessions of flipped classroom learning, the majority of students felt that their pain points had been effectively solved and various abilities had been developed. The results of the question after the flipped classroom teaching of the female reproductive system are shown in Table  1 .

Positive feedback and growth experience of students in teaching strategies developed using design thinking methods

The informal discussion following the flipped lesson on the female reproductive system shows that compared with the "Teacher almost let go" response in the previous respiratory system flipping class, the students are more inclined to respond with "The teacher will solve the problems left in our preview," "Feedback is provided between groups, and the groups are complementary," "The teacher emphasizes the key points, explains the process in detail, and plays videos to consolidate knowledge," and " the teacher commented on the performance of the group speaker". The students thought that after two sessions of participation in a flipped classroom, "We are more active in learning and the classroom design is more live," and "The students are more involved and confident." "By applying design thinking to study the course of organizational design, I have found new learning methods and approaches, and successfully applied these learning methods to other courses, which has benefited me greatly."

The comparison results of grades

Under the premise that there is no significant difference in the difficulty of test questions and other criteria between the flipped and traditional classrooms, the class of 2021 stomatology students' course scores showed a slight improvement. However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of the number of students in each score segment compared to the class of 2020 stomatology students. In contrast, for the chapters that implemented flipped classroom teaching, specifically the respiratory system and female reproductive system chapters, the class of 2021 stomatology students' test scores showed a significant increase. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. The details are depicted in Fig.  3 .

Distribution of final exam scores for the two graduating classes. A The proportion of students in different grades, no significant difference Statistical method: Multiple t tests. B Total accuracy, no significant difference. Statistical method: Unpaired test. C The accuracy of flipped classroom chapters, unpaired test, P  < 0.05. Mean ± SEM of column A 0.7075 ± 0.009587 N  = 3, Mean ± SEM of column B 0.7913 ± 0.02872 N  = 3

Firstly, significant achievements have been made in enhancing students' overall abilities through the application of design thinking methods in formulating flipped classroom teaching strategies. Preliminary surveys revealed various challenges faced by students before the commencement of the flipped classes, including difficulties in understanding new learning methods, lack of interest in flipped classes, low self-discipline, and fear of public speaking. However, after two sessions of flipped classroom learning, the majority of students believe that their pain points have been effectively addressed, and various skills have been developed. This aligns with the findings of previous research by Awan OA [ 15 ], indicating that the application of design thinking methods in teaching strategies can significantly enhance students' subject engagement and skill development.

Secondly, regarding the positive feedback and students' growth experiences in applying design thinking methods to formulate teaching strategies, there is a positive trend observed in informal discussions following the flipped classroom on the female reproductive system. Students tend to perceive a more proactive role played by teachers in the flipped classroom, addressing the issues they encountered during previewing. Students also highlighted the complementary feedback provided among groups, emphasizing the importance of teamwork. Additionally, students positively acknowledged the efforts of teachers in emphasizing key points, providing detailed explanations of processes, and reinforcing knowledge through video presentations. They believe that this teaching approach stimulates their interest in learning and enhances their motivation. This aligns with the findings of research by Scheer A [ 7 ] and Deitte LA [ 11 ], supporting the positive impact of design thinking methods in education.

Finally, the results of the performance comparison indicate that there is no significant difference between flipped classroom and traditional classroom based on criteria such as question difficulty. However, the overall grades of the 2021 cohort of dental medicine students have shown a slight improvement. Specifically, in the chapters on the respiratory and female reproductive systems within the flipped courses, the exam scores of the 2021 cohort students have significantly increased, and this difference is statistically significant. This suggests that the flipped classroom teaching formulated through design thinking methods has a significant positive impact on the development of subject-specific skills in specific chapters. This aligns with the relevant findings of Cheng X [ 1 ], further emphasizing the instructional advantages of design thinking methods in specific topics.

Main finding

The team used DT to reveal the pain point that flexible mixed teaching can not guarantee students' participation and the realization of teaching objectives, and the application of online flip classroom teaching solved this problem well Students play a leading role in this kind of teaching, so they need to devote more time and energy to preview textbooks and consult relevant materials before class to improve their autonomous learning ability It is helpful to cultivate team spirit in flip teaching in the form of group, which is helpful to cultivate team leadership and management ability. The main requirements of mixed teaching are to integrate pre-recorded videos into the course as a whole and provide online learning resources to supplement face-to-face teaching in an organized and selective way [ 27 ] As assessment expert Mag says, if you are teaching something that cannot be assessed, you are already in an awkward position-that is, you can't explain the teaching content clearly [ 28 ] Therefore, reasonable teaching objectives in mixed teaching can make teachers and students reach a common understanding and consensus on learning results, enhance emotional communication and resonance between teachers and students, and jointly promote the implementation of curriculum teaching. The successful implementation of online flip class needs certain network and students' enthusiasm and cooperation At the same time, teachers need to be particularly familiar with the curriculum to design lectures and targeted comments [ 29 ].

Limitations and future research

In this study, the respiratory system and female reproductive system in HE were selected as subjects for conducting flipped classroom teaching. The examination results shoe that although the overall course performance has not significantly improved, the accuracy of the chapter test questions in flipped classrooms significantly improved, which demonstrates that this teaching method can improve students' learning performance while cultivating their various abilities. It is worth expanding the scope of implementation to more chapters. However, not all chapters are suitable for flipped classroom teaching. Because the two chapters involved in this paper belong to the "organs and systems" module, it does not fully reflect the applicability of this research in this course. Some chapters of the basic tissue module and embryogenesis module are also the scope of our future teaching research In addition, what is the highest proportion of total course hours converted to flip teaching? All these problems need further study in the future. What is the most appropriate ratio of total course hours to convert into flipped teaching? These issues need to be further studied in the future.

When DT is introduced into education, evaluating students' learning and development becomes more important than evaluating students' design products or knowledge and ability. Changes in consciousness and attitude include whether they can fully participate in current cognitive activities, learn independently, communicate and cooperate, and continuously monitor and adjust themselves. By clarifying this guidance, we can formulate or select appropriate evaluation criteria through a literature review during the implementation of the project and adjust the subsequent research conditions in a timely manner according to the evaluation results.

Online flipped teaching is an effective way to integrate DT into the flexible and mixed teaching of HE, which can effectively enhance students' learning input and cultivate students' autonomous learning ability. This research aims to reshape the method of classroom teaching through the deep integration of modern information technology into pedagogical design. Future work should appropriately expand the scope of flipped teaching content and explore the appropriate proportion of course content. In the course design, various forms of cross-professional cooperation with clinical doctors should be increased as much as possible, and the contents of flipped classroom should be expanded from basic knowledge to clinical skills.

Through the application of design thinking in the teaching of histology and embryology courses, we have gained a deeper understanding of its positive impact on innovative teaching strategies, improvement of students' learning experience and academic performance, and the potential value it holds in medical education. We have discovered that the "product" developed through design thinking, namely online flipped teaching, serves as an effective and flexible blended teaching method. It not only enhances students' engagement in learning and fosters their autonomous learning abilities but also encourages both teachers and students to cultivate their innovative capabilities and reshape classroom teaching approaches. Moving forward, further exploration should be undertaken to determine the optimal balance for expanding the content of flipped teaching, to continually uncover its potential in medical education.

Availability of data and materials

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations

Histology and Embryology

Design Thinking

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Research on Target Value Assessment Method Based on Attention Mechanism

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Under the condition of informatized joint combat system, the traditional target value analysis method based on human judgment is no longer able to quickly and accurately judge the target value from the massive battlefield information. In this paper, combining with the attention mechanism model, we propose a dual-driven target value assessment framework based on target and data, and construct data-driven and purpose-driven attention mechanism models respectively. By selecting multiple features and calculating the saliency of cue targets, the results of the two models are fused to screen out the noticed cue targets and further expanded to form a high-value target set. The experimental results show that the proposed target value assessment model based on attention mechanism is effective, and the matching rate between the actual strike targets and the high-value targets obtained by the model reaches 92%, which is in line with the actual situation of combat and can reflect the cognitive process of the commander to some extent.

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Luo, G., Zhao, D., Guo, X., Zhou, H. (2024). Research on Target Value Assessment Method Based on Attention Mechanism. In: Pan, L., Wang, Y., Lin, J. (eds) Bio-Inspired Computing: Theories and Applications. BIC-TA 2023. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 2062. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2275-4_11

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Original research article, optimal design of gas injection development method for enhanced recovery in terrestrial shale oil reservoir.

• 1 Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing, China
• 2 PetroChina Daqing Oilfield Co., Ltd., Daqing, China
• 3 School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China

This study investigates the shale oil drainage characteristics from the Gulong Sag, The objective is to clarify the development method for effective recovery enhancement of terrestrial shale oil. The investigation employs elastic depletion, CO 2 displacement, and CO 2 huff and puff coupled with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and numerical simulation methods. The study found that the elastic depletion, CO 2 displacement, and CO 2 huff and puff utilization efficiencies were 17.4%, 18.87%, and 21%, respectively. The study evaluated the oil drainage efficiency of different pore sizes in elastic depletion and CO 2 huff and puff modes. The results demonstrated a clear trend in the order of micropore, mesoporous and macropore, with micropores exhibiting the highest oil drainage efficiency due to gas channeling during CO 2 displacement. The use of CO 2 huff and puff has been shown to improve oil drainage efficiency by 6.02%∼9.2% for different pore sizes. The numerical simulation optimization results suggest an injection volume of 3,000 t per round per well, an injection rate of 100 t/d, and a soaking time of 20 d for optimal CO 2 huff and puff injection. This will increase oil production by 65,000 m³, resulting in an overall improvement of 24%. The study results provide a strong theoretical foundation for improving the recovery rates of terrestrial shale oil and gas through injection.

1 Introduction

China’s terrestrial shale oil is mainly distributed in the Songliao Basin, Ordos Basin, Junggar Basin, Sichuan Basin and Jianghan Basin, etc., which are widely distributed and have huge resources, The use of natural energy development suffers from rapid pressure drop and diminishing producation. Gulong shale oil is the most typical in situ terrestrial shale oil and the reservoir is characterised by tight lithology and high clay mineral content compared to domestic and foreign shales dominated by marine or saline lake basin deposits; The storage space is a nano-matrix pore with a pore throat diameter of 10 nm–50 nm; Porosity ranges from 2.1% to 12.0% and permeability is less than 0.01 mD ( Wang et al., 2021 ; He et al., 2023 ). Due to the characteristics of tight lithology, low porosity and low permeability, effective development is a major challenge and studies have shown that unconventional reservoirs can be effectively developed by gas injection to improve recovery ( Fu et al., 2023 ).

Tao conducted an experimental study of cyclic gas injection in the Eagle Ford Shale using a simulation method, and the results showed that cyclic gas injection in hydraulically fractured shale reservoirs can increase the total oil recovery rate by 29% ( Tao et al., 2013 ). Ao carried out high pressure PVT tests and long thin tube alternation flooding experiments to carry out the indoor evaluation study of gas injection and CO 2 flooding to improve recovery. Through the analysis of crude oil physical properties and oil displacement efficiency, it shows that the continuous injection of rich gas and alternating injection can improve the recovery rate by more than 28% ( Ao et al., 2016 ). Zhao carried out CO 2 –formation crude oil contact experiments, core seepage experiments and indoor displacement experiments to describe the two-phase seepage characteristics of CO 2 –formation crude oil, to analyse the CO 2 flooding mechanism and displacement characteristics, and to conduct mine experiments in the Jingbian extra-low permeability oil reservoir. Research has shown that the gas injection capacity of extra-low permeability reservoirs is twice that of water injection, and that gas injection can quickly and effectively replenish formation energy and increase oil production, with daily liquid and oil production in the test area increasing overall ( Zhao et al., 2018 ). Yao carried out an experimental study of CO 2 displacement using one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology evaluation methods with Ordos Basin Chang 7 Shale core samples. The results show that the relative volume fraction of free oil in the replacement is over 50% ( Yao et al., 2023 ). Kong took Hailar oilfield as the research object to carry out CO 2 injection gravity oil repulsion experiments, and the CO 2 flooding efficiency could reach 55.9% when injecting 1.2 PV of CO 2 at the original formation pressure of 10.57 MPa ( Kong et al., 2023 ). In recent years, many scientists at home and abroad have conducted research on different injection media, influencing factors and the degree of shale oil recovery.

In this paper, the core samples of the Gulong Sag were taken as the research objects, and the indoor experiments of elastic depletion, CO 2 displacement and CO 2 huff and puff were carried out based on the formation temperature and pressure conditions, so as to clarify the degree of utilization of different pore spaces and the efficiency of different development methods. The effect of different huff and puff parameters on enhanced recovery were further investigated with numerical simulation methods to provide a theoretical basis for the efficient development of shale oil in the Gulong Sag.

2 Materials and methods

The indoor experiments in this paper are based on NMR experimental methods with elastic depletion, CO 2 displacement and CO 2 huff and puff co-examination. In order to simulate the actual reservoir conditions, the experimental temperatures and pressures were consistent with the formation, and the oil used for the experiments was wellhead degassed crude oil. The utilization efficiency and the percentage of utilization pores of different sizes under different development methods were quantitatively characterised by NMR T 2 spectral analysis. Numerical simulation experiments were carried out to determine the optimum values of each parameter by optimising the design of the three main parameters.

2.1 Sample information

The mineral composition of the shale in the Gulong Sag is mainly dominated by clay minerals, quartz and feldspar, followed by calcite and dolomite. The specific parameters of the core samples are given in Table 1 .

Table 1 . Parameters of shale cores in the Gulong Sag.

2.2 Experimental setup

The experimental setup includes a MesoMR3-060H-I NMR instrument, drying apparatus, saturation device, loading device, high temperature and high pressure MR-dd displacement device, data acquisition and RF device, and hand pump. Where the NMR experiments have an echo interval of 0.2 ms and a waiting time of 3,000 ms.

2.3 Experimental methods

The following three experimental scenarios are based on the parameters of 41 MPa boundary pressure, 35 MPa pore pressure, 118.5°C actual reservoir temperature, 38 MPa reservoir pressure, 30% RH humidity and CO 2 with a purity of 99.95% or more as the displacement/huff and puff medium.

2.3.1 Elastic depletion experiments

The samples were vacuumed and saturated with formation crude oil after deoiling and drying, and then the sample pore pressure was increased by injecting crude oil at both ends of the sample under 41 MPa confinement pressure conditions, and the depletion pressure were set to 5 MPa, 15 MPa, 25 MPa, and 35 MPa, respectively. During the oil-saturation process, the confinement pressure was maintained unchanged and the T 2 spectrum of the NMR signal was monitored in real time, and when the NMR T 2 spectrum was stable, the saturation pressure was stopped and the pore pressure released. Once the pore pressure had been completely released and the NMR T 2 spectrum had stabilized, the T 2 spectrum of the sample’s NMR signal was measured at this point and the experiment was terminated.

2.3.2 CO 2 displacement experiments

The dried core samples were vacuumed and saturated with formation crude oil until the cores were fully saturated with formation crude oil to test the NMR T 2 spectra at this point. The confinement pressure was kept constant by the core holder and the T 2 spectra of the NMR signals were measured at displacement pressures of 5 MPa, 10 MPa, 15 MPa, and 20 MPa respectively and the NMR maps were plotted and the results analysed.

2.3.3 CO 2 huff and puff experiments

After deoiling and drying, samples were treated with evacuated, saturated formation crude oil and tested for NMR signals at this point. The T 2 spectrum of the NMR signal was tested under 35 MPa pore pressure and reservoir temperature conditions for 10 h, followed by pressure release and oil drainage for 5 h. The steps of CO 2 huff and puff, soaking and pressure release and oil drainage were repeated to test the NMR T 2 spectra with different rounds and to analyse the experimental results.

2.4 Numerical simulation methods

The results of the indoor experiments demonstrate that the CO 2 huff and puff mode has a high utilization efficiency. A CO 2 huff and puff mode was established based on the real reservoir characteristics in the Gulong Sag to investigate the impact of individual CO 2 huff and puff parameters on recovery improvement. The CO 2 huff and puff mode is presented in the table below. The numerical simulation model parameters were formulated based on the optimised design of the single-round injection volume of a single well, the injection rate, the soaking time, and the three main parameters (as shown in Table 2 ), using the basic parameters from Table 3 . The analysis of huff and puff oil production was conducted under various parameter conditions with confidence.

Table 2 . Range of optimisation parameters.

Table 3 . Basic model parameters.

3 Results and discussion

Figures 1A–C clearly demonstrates the NMR T 2 spectra for different conditions: elastic depletion mode, CO 2 displacement mode, and CO 2 huff and puff mode. The results unequivocally indicate that the degree of oil drainage varies depending on the pore size and elasticity. Pores with greater elasticity are significantly more effective in promoting oil drainage. The spectral samples clearly demonstrate that the pore structure of core samples (a) is relatively simple, while that of core samples (b) and (c) is relatively complex, as evidenced by their classification into single-peak and double-peak states.

Figure 1 . (A–C) show the NMR T 2 spectra of the samples during elastic depletion, displacement, and huff and puff modes, respectively.

3.1 Utilization efficiency in utilizing various development models

Figure 2 displays the utilization efficiency of four samples exhibiting the elastic depletion mode under different differential pressures. The figure clearly demonstrates that all four samples exhibit an increasing trend in utilization efficiency with increasing differential pressure of the depletion. This indicates that as the differential pressure of the depletion increases, the compressed fluid’s expansion energy in the pore space also increases, thereby promoting oil discharge. The results demonstrate that the utilisation efficiency of the samples varies significantly with differential pressure. The lowest efficiency was observed at 5 MPa, while the highest was achieved at 35 MPa, reaching an impressive maximum of 21.2%. Notably, utilisation efficiency increased rapidly as the differential pressure increased from 5 MPa to 15 MPa, and continued to gradually increase from 15 MPa to 25 MPa. Although the increase in utilisation efficiency was slower and less pronounced when the differential pressure increased from 25 MPa to 35 MPa, the overall trend indicates a clear relationship between differential pressure and utilisation efficiency. The elastic depletion mode resulted in an average utilization efficiency of 17.4% at a differential pressure of 35 MPa.

Figure 2 . Shows the utilization efficiency of four core samples in the elastic depletion mode at differential pressures.

As shown in Figure 3 , the utilization efficiency of CO 2 displacement mode samples increases with the differential pressure. All four samples exhibit an increase in utilization efficiency, with a maximum of 24.94%. Specifically, the efficiency increases by 8.55% at 10 MPa, 4.81% at 15 MPa, and 1.73% at 20 MPa. Increasing the differential pressure of the displacement from 5 MPa to 20 MPa results in a significant increase in average utilization efficiency. Notably, the CO 2 displacement mode with a 20 MPa differential pressure achieves an impressive average utilization efficiency of 18.87%. Overall, these findings demonstrate the clear benefits of increasing differential pressure in displacement processes.

Figure 3 . Shows the utilization efficiency of four core samples in CO 2 displacement mode at differential pressure of the displacement.

Figure 4 displays the utilization efficiency of CO 2 huff and puff mode samples during various rounds. The figure illustrates a gradual increase in utilization efficiency during huff and puff rounds 1–4, with an average increase of 7.3%. Utilization efficiencies for rounds 5 and 6 are slightly higher or lower. It is evident that increasing the number of huff and puff rounds can expand the swept volume and effectively improve the recovery rate. However, after a certain number of rounds, a small amount of oil in the pore is displaced, and the remaining oil becomes difficult to use or may not be used at all. The average utilization efficiency was 21.67% for 4 rounds and 21.84% for 6 rounds.

Figure 4 . Shows the utilization efficiency of four core samples in CO 2 huff and puff mode with different huff and puff rounds.

3.2 Utilization efficiency of utilising pores of different sizes under various development modes

Numerous studies have shown that NMR T 2 values correspond well with pore size distribution ( Maniesh et al., 2019 ; Sun et al., 2022 ; Du et al., 2023 ). Liu analysed the frequency of pore throat distribution in Gulong shale cores using nuclear magnetic and mercury intrusion methods. They calculated a conversion factor of 0.008 μm/ms between shale nuclear magnetic T 2 value and pore throat radius through statistical analysis ( Liu et al., 2023 ). The experimental core pores were classified using the pore classification method of the International Union of Pure (Chemical) and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) . This method defines pore sizes of less than 2 nm as micropore, 2 nm–50 nm as mesoporous, and greater than 50 nm as macropore ( Gregg and Sing, 1983 ; Sing, 1985 ), with a conversion factor of 0.008 μm/ms. Figure 5 the utilization efficiency of pores of different sizes follows the order of macropore > mesoporous > micropore, from large to small. The higher percentage of free crude oil in the large aperture pore is due to smaller capillary resistance and comparable thickness of the adsorption layer in the large and small aperture pores. The free oil is able to release elastic energy during compression, which facilitates effective discharge.

Figure 5 . Pore utilization efficiency of different pore sizes in elastic depletion mode.

Figure 6 demonstrates that macropores are the primary contributors to oil drainage during CO 2 displacement, followed by micropores and mesoporous, according to the pore classification basis. The oil discharge contribution rate is expected to increase in the order of micropores, mesoporous, and macropores. However, the gas channeling effect prevents oil discharge under air pressure. As a result, the inefficiency of oil discharge increases with pore size, In fact, in some cases, the discharge efficiency of oil from micropores is even higher than that of mesoporous. In the T 2 spectrum shown in Figure 1B , the signal of the peak on the right for a 5 MPa displacement pressure difference is higher than that of saturated oil, This confirms the occurrence of gas channeling.

Figure 6 . Pore utilization efficiency of different pore sizes in CO 2 displacement mode.

Figure 7 in CO 2 huff and puff mode, the utilization efficiencies of different pores are in descending order: macropore > mesoporous > micropore. In CO 2 huff and puff mode, the driving force of crude oil discharge relies on the elastic force generated by the expansion of compressed fluid in the pore space. The efficiency of oil discharge in different pore space sizes increases significantly by 6.02%, 9.2%, and 8.16%, respectively, compared to that of the elastic depletion mode. This is due to the expansion of crude oil volume and the decrease in fluid viscosity caused by CO 2 dissolution.

Figure 7 . Pore utilization efficiency of different pore sizes in CO 2 huff and puff mode.

3.3 Optimisation of parameters for the numerical simulation of CO 2 huff and puff

3.3.1 optimisation of the injection volume.

Tang took the Jimusar shale as a research object and used numerical simulation method to optimise the CO 2 huff and puff scheme, and the results showed that there is an optimum value which can both improve the oil production and maximise the economic benefits ( Tang et al., 2022 ). Figure 8 clearly demonstrates the relationship between injection volume and cumulative oil production and oil exchange rate for a single well. The data shows that increasing injection volumes from 600 t to 9,600 t results in a corresponding increase in both cumulative oil production and oil exchange rate. The graph of cumulative oil production clearly shows that increasing the injection volume leads to an increase in oil production. This indicates that a higher injection volume results in more gas being dissolved in the crude oil, leading to improved gas swept efficiency and supplementing formation energy. As a result, huff and puff oil production is significantly increased. However, there is a turning point at 2,400 t ∼3,000 t for single injection volume of a single well, and the increase slows down after that. The oil change rate curve shows that the oil change rate decreases as the injection volume increases, and the combined oil production and oil change rate suggests a single injection volume of 3,000 t for a single well in a single round.

Figure 8 . (A) Relationship between different injection volumes and oil production and oil change rate (B) Cumulative oil production curves at different injection volumes.

3.3.2 Optimising the injection speed

Accelerating the injection rate can significantly improve oil production by enhancing injection pressure, shortening injection time, and increasing the efficiency of smaller hole slit waves. It is important to note that a very high injection rate may lead to gas scrambling, which should be avoided. Cao analyzed different injection rates and recovery rates by simulation, and the results showed that as the injection rate increased, the recovery factor showed a tendency to increase and then decrease ( Cao et al., 2017 ). In this paper, seven different injection rates are set to compare and analyse with the corresponding oil production. As seen from Figure 9A , as the injection rate increases, the oil production shows a sharp increase and then a stable increase or slight decrease. The oil yield sharply increases and then stabilises before reaching an injection rate of 100 t/days. However, beyond this point, the oil yield plateaus or slightly decreases. Figure 9B shows that the oil production curve does not exhibit a significant increase beyond an injection rate of 100 t/days. Additionally, it is not expected that the oil production will increase after 2027, and an injection rate of 200 t/days displays a decreasing trend. Compared the cumulative oil production at different stages, it is suggested that the injection rate is 100 t/days, which corresponds to 30 days of gas injection time.

Figure 9 . (A) Relationship between different injection rates and oil production (B) Cumulative oil production curves at different injection rates.

3.3.3 Optimising soak time

The soaking time is a crucial aspect of huff and puff production, the purpose of which is to bring the injected gas into full contact with the crude oil on the one hand, and to increase the gas coverage on the other, and the appropriate soaking time can effectively improve oil production. As can be seen in Figure 10A , oil production tends to increase as the soaking time of the well increases, but after a certain node is reached, production no longer increases. Based on the data, it is clear that oil production experiences an increase before 20 days of well soaking time, but reaches a turning point at 20 days. Beyond this point, the increase in cumulative oil production slows or declines ( Figure 10B ). The production progress and oil production indicators strongly suggest that the optimal well soaking time is 20 days.

Figure 10 . (A) Relationship between different well soaking times and oil production (B) Cumulative oil production curve under different well soaking times.

3.3.4 Predicting the impact of huff and puff on development

The overall injection and extraction parameters were optimised for a single well with a single round injection volume of 3,000 t, an injection rate of 100 t/days and a soaking time of 20 days ( Table 4 ).

Table 4 . Parameter optimisation results.

Optimisation results in a 3% improvement in oil production compared to elastic depletion in the first year, as shown in Figure 11 . After 5 years, oil production can be increased by 36,000 m³ compared to depletion with CO 2 huff and puff, resulting in an overall improvement of 24%. It is expected that CO 2 huff and puff will increase oil production by a total of 65,000 m³. This method can extend the gas reach and effectively supplement formation energy, leading to improved recovery. Additionally, the combination of CO 2 flooding and geological storage is expected to be a future development trend, CO 2 injection strengthens oil and gas extraction while also promoting carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).

Figure 11 . Comparison of oil production between elastic depletion and CO 2 huff and puff mode.

4 Conclusion

The study clearly elucidated the exploitation efficiencies of various development modes through indoor experiments and numerical simulations. Additionally, it quantitatively characterized the exploitation efficiencies of pores of different sizes and investigated the impact of key parameters on huff and puff oil production. Based on the findings, the study established optimal injection and extraction parameters and drew definitive conclusions.

(1) The average utilization efficiency of 35 MPa depletion pressure in elastic depletion mode is 17.4%, the average utilization efficiency of 20 MPa differential pressure in CO 2 displacement mode is 18.87%, and the average utilization efficiency of 6 rounds in CO 2 huff and puff mode is 21.84%, which is comparatively higher among the three modes.

(2) Macropores exhibit the highest oil discharge efficiency in elastic depletion mode, followed by mesoporous and micropores. Similarly, in CO 2 displacement mode, macropores have the highest oil discharge efficiency, followed by micropores and mesoporous. It is worth noting that micropores have a greater oil discharge efficiency than mesoporous due to gas channeling. The study confidently recommends adopting CO 2 huff and puff mode for reservoirs with more developed mesoporous. This mode increases the utilization efficiency of different pore sizes by 6.02%–9.2% compared to elastic depletion. The contribution of different pore sizes to oil discharge is in the order of macropore > mesoporous > micropore, with the utilization efficiency of mesoporous being 9.2% higher than that of elastic depletion.

(3) Among the injection volume, injection rate and soaking time, the single-well single-round injection volume has the greatest influence on cumulative huff and puff oil production. In this study, the optimum single-well single-round injection volume is 3,000 t, the injection rate is 100 t/days and the soaking time is 20 days.

(4) Compared with depletion development, the total oil production of CO 2 huff and puff can be increased by 24%, and it is estimated that the oil can be increased by 65,000 m³, and the huff and puff can effectively improve the recovery rate.

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Author contributions

XC: Writing–original draft, Data curation, Methodology. ZC: Writing–review and editing, Data curation. RW: Investigation, Writing–review and editing. YH: Methodology, Data curation, Writing–review and editing. XH: Writing–review and editing, Investigation. ZL: Methodology, Writing–review and editing.

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U22B2075).

Conflict of interest

Author XC, ZC, XH, and ZL were employed by PetroChina. Author RW was employed by PetroChina Daqing Oilfield Co., Ltd.

The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: terrestrial shale oil, gas injection, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), enhanced oil recovery, numerical simulation

Citation: Cui X, Chen Z, Wang R, Han Y, He X and Lei Z (2024) Optimal design of gas injection development method for enhanced recovery in terrestrial shale oil reservoir. Front. Energy Res. 12:1397417. doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2024.1397417

Received: 07 March 2024; Accepted: 25 March 2024; Published: 11 April 2024.

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Copyright © 2024 Cui, Chen, Wang, Han, He and Lei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Zhengdong Lei, [email protected]

This article is part of the Research Topic

Production Technology for Deep Reservoirs