Milligan, S., & Morelock, J. R. (2025, March), WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi. 10.18260/1-2--54203

\bibitem{asee_peer_54203}
  Milligan, S., \& Morelock, J. R. (2025, March), \emph{WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi.
  10.18260/1-2--54203

Sierra Milligan and John Ray Morelock.  "WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching".  2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/54203 Internet.  28 Apr, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_54203}
  Sierra Milligan and John Ray Morelock.
  "WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching".
  \emph{2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/54203 Internet.  28 Apr, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_54203
author = "Sierra Milligan and John Ray Morelock"
title = "WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE Southeast Conference "
year = "2025"
month = "March"
address = "Mississippi State University, Mississippi"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/54203}
number = {10.18260/1-2--54203}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper shares findings from the first part of a two-part study on the impact of two different course design approaches in a biomedical engineering lab. Common course designs in engineering labs often focus on hands-on learning to connect theory and practice. These include demonstration-based, collaborative, inquiry-based, and experiential learning. [University]’s Biomedical Engineering lab currently uses a demonstration-based approach, where specific tasks and experiments illustrate theoretical concepts. However, this method offers limited transfer of knowledge between experiments, reducing students' ability to apply lab concepts to real-world problems. We propose that transitioning to an integrated, project-based approach would promote deeper knowledge transfer and increase student confidence in their ability to apply lab knowledge to the real world.

This study aims to examine the impact of project-based learning, where students work on a single project that integrates course concepts throughout the semester, in comparison to the current, demonstration-based approach. By comparing learning outcomes, this study aims to assess how these methods affect students’ self-efficacy, teamwork and collaboration skills, and knowledge communication. These findings will provide insight into the effectiveness of these approaches in enhancing learning outcomes.

To investigate, the first author will teach the course using both methods, we will track student self-efficacy and learning outcomes. In Fall 2024, students in the course followed the current demonstration-based approach, conducting separate experiments on lab basics, bacteria, and antifouling. In Spring 2025, the course will shift to the project-based model. Students will work on a biomedical engineering project, conducting various tests on a medical device to determine its efficacy. This approach will integrate topics such as lab basics, biomechanics, bacteria, antifouling, and cytocompatibility, with each experiment building on the previous one to simulate real-world research and development. In both semesters, students submit (1) final reports evaluated on understanding, communication, and formatting standards; (2) a pre- and post-course questionnaire on their topic knowledge and self-efficacy; and (3) regular teamwork evaluations via the CATME peer evaluation survey.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to analyze the data. Quantitative analysis will include basic statistics and comparisons to evaluate changes in student outcomes, while qualitative analysis will focus on recurring themes in open-ended responses to capture broader impacts of the teaching methods. This mixed-method approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of how the two course designs affect student learning, teamwork, and self-efficacy.

The significance of this research lies in its comparison of traditional demonstration-based learning with project-centered learning. By analyzing how each approach influences learning, self-efficacy, and teamwork, the study aims to identify the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two course design approaches for improving student outcomes. We hypothesize that project-based learning will enhance students' self-efficacy, teamwork, and communication skills, and we are also interested in results that contradict this hypothesis. This research could lead to improved engineering education laboratory teaching practices, better preparing students for real-world engineering challenges and informing future curriculum development.

AU  - Sierra Milligan
AU  - John Ray Morelock
CY  - Mississippi State University, Mississippi
DA  - 2025/03/09
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - WIP: Evaluating the impacts of an integrated, project-based approach to biomedical engineering laboratory teaching
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/54203
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--54203
ER  -