, engagement and knowledge retention. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025WIP: Impact of Metacognition Focused Activities on Development of Learning Habits in PhysiologyIntroductionThe ability to monitor and assess one’s own knowledge and skills plays a pivotal role in learning[1]. Several have previously described the beneficial effect of this type of metacognitive toolthrough interventions such as exam wrappers, reflections and self-surveys [1-3]. Unfortunately,bioengineering curricula often do not give students sufficient practice developing these tools. Formany students, it can be easy to fall into the trap of implementing ineffective learning strategiesrepeatedly
Director of the Engineering Communication Program, and an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington.David James Kelaita, University of Colorado BoulderTanya Ivanov ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025Work in Progress: A Novel Project-Based Molecular Biology Experimentation and Design Lab Course Using Participatory Design to Promote Student EngagementIntroductionTraditionally, instructors have designed courses without substantial input from undergraduatestudents. However, recent work has shown that participatory design of curriculum results inmore engaging, effective courses [1] and that students who engage in participatory design reporta
students to learn howto engage with stakeholders can be challenging with only a few case studies published in thisarea. In Fall 2023, a novel student-stakeholder interaction model was implemented as theBiomedical Stakeholder Café, with a successful second iteration in Fall 2024. The paper presents(1) an overview of key improvements to the stakeholder café interaction model and (2) ananalysis of student and stakeholder perspectives of the café experience in Fall 2024 compared toFall 2023.Key improvements implemented in Fall 2024 include changes to timing and number ofconversations, increased communication of expectations to stakeholders, and integrating a noveladaptation to the Relevance, Authority, Date, Appearance, and Reason (RADAR) framework
recovery monitoring and prediction in patients implanted with a ventricular assist device before moving into the current role. His research interests are in developing new teaching methods, understanding the inter-personal dynamics among engineering students, gasme theory, and control engineering.Prof. Jonathan T. Butcher, Cornell University ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Work in Progress - Understanding the Biomedical Engineering Student: Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsModern engineering classes have struggled to engage students since the pandemic began[1-5].Changes in teaching methods during this time have burdened students. Online classes, a lack
scaffolding of projects with sub-deadlines for reporting on achievement ofspecific deliverables are utilized to engage students sooner and feed into beginning of classdiscussions concerning “pain points” and methods to ameliorate them. This also serves toidentify struggling students and provide additional guidance, whether through the discussion ofmethods utilized by peers or through instructor-led discussion. Maintenance of a Google Doc bystudents will be utilized to document their ongoing progress and for reporting of time spentworking on the individual projects and project reflection for productivity. These activities helppromote steady progress and foster self-directed learning [1-4]. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Zone ofProximal Development [5,6] and
signalprocessing. BME students typically find signals and systems courses difficult because theyrequire an intuitive understanding of calculus, differential equations, circuit analysis, andprinciples of human physiology. In addition, signals and systems courses require application ofmathematical formulas to model and analyze signals as well as cognitive flexibility in switchingbetween time and frequency domains [1]. MotivationSignals and Systems for BME is a required three-credit senior-level course at WentworthInstitute for biomedical engineering students. Over the past eight years, this instructor has taughtthe course to 15 cohorts, with enrollments ranging between 35 and 70 students per year. Earlyon, the
. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025Introduction There is a need for biomedical engineers to address health disparities (HD), which aredefined as preventable health differences among historically marginalized groups (i.e., racial andethnic minorities, women, rural communities, low-income individuals, older adults, etc.). Amyriad of problems create HD, such as economic factors, healthcare access, environmentalfactors, education, and poor quality of care [1]-[4]. Although significant progress has been madetowards improving people’s health and well-being, the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic andworld crises have further widened HD [5]. Biomedical Engineering (BME), which has alwaysplayed a key role in the healthcare system
curriculum[1]. As a result ofambiguity in their academic training, it has been reported that BME graduates can experiencebarriers to career attainment as compared to those majoring in other engineering disciplines[2],[3].In light of these barriers, many students pursue a BME master’s program to gain deeperknowledge into a specific sub-field of BME and learn new skills associated with this subfield[4].This enhanced knowledge can help students attain their career goals, whether it is advancementin industry positions or pursuing advanced degrees such as the MD and PhD. However, there is agap between the knowledge and skills BME master’s graduates gain during graduate study andthe expectations of potential employers in both industry and academia
to externalize theirresearch. These assessments are used to ensure that students not only grasp engineeringprinciples but can also apply them in a meaningful and innovative way. The increasingsignificance of innovation-oriented skills in STEM fields, particularly biomedical engineering,highlights the necessity to explore how teaching methods can improve students' innovativecapabilities [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. In IBL environments, students often experience cognitive dissonance (CD)—apsychological discomfort arising from conflicting ideas or beliefs when faced with novel andambiguous tasks. CD occurs when individuals encounter information or situations that challengetheir knowledge, beliefs, or expectations. Transitioning to an
. Warren was a Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. He directs the KSU Medical Component Design Laboratory, a facility partially funded by the National Science Foundation that provides resources for the research and development of distributed medical monitoring technologies and learning tools that support biomedical contexts. His research focuses on (1) plug-and-play, point-of-care medical monitoring systems that utilize interoperability standards, (2) wearable sensors and signal processing techniques for the determination of human and animal physiological status, and (3) educational tools and techniques that maximize learning and student interest. Dr. Warren is a
developthe skills and mindset needed to tackle complex, real-world challenges in biomedical design. Weaim to address the question of how the middle years of college (sophomore and junior years)serve as a bridge between foundational learning and advanced application of BME designattitudes, beliefs, mindsets, and skills.This course is designed to guide students in reflecting on their strengths, areas for growth,interests, and past experiences while creating an online resume. Through weekly 50-minutesessions, the seminar addresses ABET Student Outcomes 1–7, fostering a reflective approach tolearning in BME. However, the course’s impact has been limited by insufficient engagementwith real-world biomedical engineering challenges and the biodesign process
academic librarian onboarding and orientation.Prof. Amanda R. Lowery, Vanderbilt University Amanda Lowery is a Professor of Practice at Vanderbilt University Department of Biomedical Engineering. She has been working in the field of accessibility and service learning for 8 years. Her specific interests are in early childhood mobility and toy accessibility. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Work in Progress: Building Information and Data Literacy Skills in Biomedical Engineering Laboratory CoursesBackground: Engineering educators regard the ability to find, evaluate, and synthesize technicalinformation as a core competency for engineering undergraduates [1], [2]. However
for Learning in Biomedical Engineering CoursesIntroductionStudents are more frequently engaging with the virtual world for courses [1-3]. Studies show thatonline resources significantly and equitably improve students’ performance in courses [4,5].Additionally, online resources are comparable to traditional learning resources, such as textbooks,in terms of student course performance [6]. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) provides evenmore opportunities for improved learning in courses [7]. Identifying how students use onlineresources and AI is especially critical for the field of biomedical engineering (BME), whosemultidisciplinary scope may require students to use online resources not necessarily createdspecifically for BME audiences
Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His research interests are engineering faculty and students beliefs about knowledge and education with a special focus on how those beliefs interact with engineering education as a culture. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Developing an AI/ML activity for a BME physiology courseIntroductionThe current employment landscape is likely to undergo significant changes as the prevalence of data-drivenwork increases. The types of engineering jobs available and the skills required for these jobs will be affected[1]. Rather than the traditional computational skills (e.g. writing code, data
Paper ID #48307Changing the Grading Narrative in a Sophomore Biomechanics CourseDr. Jennifer Currey, Union College ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025 Changing the Grading Narrative in a Sophomore Biomechanics CourseIntroductionThe history of grades in education can feel a bit mythical. Some sources state that grades cameabout with the industrialization of education in the US. Assessment of student learning movedfrom oral or written assessments in the era of one room school houses to more systematic waysof communicating students’ learning with the advent of larger school systems [1]. Our currentsystem of ABCDF was
Characterization of Musculoskeletal Tissues Jenni M. Buckley PhD1-3, Aisley Bergdoll1, Kyle Crawford1, Nikos Demetriou1, Laura Weinstein1, Chelsea Davis, PhD1, Sarah Rooney, PhD1, Amy Posch, MS4, Amelia Lanier-Knarr, PhD3, Elise Corbin, PhD1 1 University of Delaware, College of Engineering 2 University of Delaware, College of Education and Human Development 3 The Perry Initiative | 4Sawbones - Pacific Research LabsBackground & MotivationBioengineering undergraduate programs feature one or more courses that stress core concepts inMechanics of Solids and Materials Science so that students are able
bioinspired designs [1]. Softrobots can safely interface with humans. Compared to traditional robots, soft robots replace rigidlinkages with programmed polymers and flexible electronics [2]. The popularity of soft roboticsas a research field is a recent phenomenon since the early 2010’s [3]. In this time soft roboticsprinciples have been applied to the development of bioinspired designs [1], soft grippers ofdelicate fixtures [4], wearable robots [5], and implantable devices [6]. We previously showedthat biomedical and bioengineers are growing contributors to this area, contributing more thanthey do in traditional robotics research [7]. Providing opportunities for undergraduates to learnabout the field at scale in courses can cultivate interest and
, focusing on exploration and testing of technologies such as Google Glass, smartphone technologies that make up the Digital Doctor’s bag, Virtual and Augmented Reality, 3D Printing, and now Butterfly iQ handheld ultrasound machines. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025IntroductionWith the rising need for hospitals to deliver higher quality care, healthcare innovation hasaccelerated rapidly within recent years [1, 2]. This is due to the incorporation of newtechnologies such as artificial intelligence, wireless health, and personalized medicine throughgenomics [3, 4, 5]. Physicians need to be involved as active participants in healthcare innovation,as their input and “buy-in” can catalyze and sustain
approvals and 510(k) clearances) artificial intelligence(AI) and machine learning (ML)-enabled medical devices by January 2014 to over 1,000 bySeptember 2024 [1], machine learning has seen explosive growth in biomedical engineering(BME). Besides AI/ML-enabled medical devices which focus on biomedical signals andimaging, ML is actively influencing BME research in areas such as drug design [2], tissueengineering [3], biomaterials [4], and medical diagnostics [5]. AI/ML-based products, especiallyin large language model (LLM)-based chatbots, are quickly integrated into the currenteducational environment [6]. Although initial investigations of using these chatbots such asChatGPT or Perplexity AI in an academic context seemed underwhelming [7
project that challenges students to solidify these concepts in practice. Thisactive learning model is collectively using project-based, problem-based, gamification [1], peerinstruction, and tokenized learning models. IBL is a multidimensional approach to developingknowledge, innovative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills [2].IBL courses are conducted virtually and on campus using Microsoft Teams Meetings. Studentsare encouraged to attend in-class meetings, and remote students can attend either synchronouslyover video call or asynchronously, by watching a recording of the class sessions.Within the IBL program, students can take various courses ranging between subjects such asanatomy and physiology to engineering courses covering
students have access primarily to text-based tools totake notes (e.g., writing/drawing with pen and paper or typing text on a laptop). We askedwhether there is an equity gap for students without access to devices such as iPads, which allowstudents to both draw and write text by hand using a stylus.We are concerned about how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) may be negatively impactedby any differences in student ability to: (1) take notes effectively or (2) afford note-takingdevices such as iPads. Any disparity in note-taking ability among groups of students is likely todecrease achievement or engagement, as note-taking is essential for learning and rememberingcourse material as well as being engaged during class [1-2].The impetus for our
Engineering Coursework on Biomedical Engineering Students’ Career Expectations and Goals.BackgroundBiomedical Quality Engineers (QEs) are oftentimes the last line of defense to ensure the safetyand reliability of crucial medical devices. Their biomedical engineering (BME) backgroundequips them with a cross-disciplinary education that traverses topics like instrumentation,biomechanics, and laboratory skills. This foundation creates a flexibility in cross-functionalteams that few other engineers have, making them the ideal Quality Engineer in the medicaldevice industry [1]. We define Quality Engineering careers according to the job titles theAmerican Society for Quality consider Quality Engineering, such as
their curriculum to allow students to observe and interact with physicians and gain anunderstanding of identifying the clinical needs of patients and providers first-hand. In the classroom,students are taught the technical skills necessary for biomedical device design. Through exposure toreal-world clinical experiences, the students have the opportunity to understand how these skills canbe translated into solutions to the needs of both healthcare providers and their patients [1-2]. Toencourage students to utilize a user-centered approach, our program introduced the concept of human-centered design to students before participating in clinical visits. Human-centered design is anapproach that places the user at the center of the design process and
the opportunity to shadow physicians, observe surgical procedures,engage in discussions, and participate in identifying healthcare needs and proposed solutions.The primary objective is to give students a deeper understanding of the clinical setting andworkflow and to utilize engineering principles ultimately to address medical needs and problemsin patient care through innovation. In 2023, Guilford, Kotche, and Schmedlen published a survey of clinical experiences inbiomedical engineering [1]. This study summarizes many of the outcomes and provides manydescriptive statistics of these immersive programs. “Outcomes [of immersion in clinical environments] that have been reported include gains in critical-thinking and
need for biomedicalengineers is expected to increase substantially from the current 19,700 biomedical engineersreported to be employed in the United States as of 2023 [1]. The growth of this field warrants theattention of not only industry employers, but institutional BME departments at the undergraduatelevel to equip students with the specific skills and tools needed to be successful in professionalpractice. Inspired by this ongoing issue to prepare the future generation of BME students, and theexploration of the many factors that contribute to the development of a successful engineer, thisWIP focuses on the significance of metacognitive skills in preparing students. This exploratoryqualitative WIP seeks to explore how students currently make
Design in Biomedical Engineering”) has supported a number of similar clinicalimmersion experiences across the nation. Several of these, as reported over the past decade, arediscussed here with a focus on implementation methods and efficacy in an effort to motivate theprogram structure discussed in Section 3.Programs offer a wide range of co-curricular engagement opportunities and methods ofconnecting the clinical observation experiences to biomedical engineering practice. Sing, A., etal., developed a program focused on needs finding and problem identification during clinicalvisits as part of a senior level biomechanics course [1]. Kadlowec, J., et al., developed a summerclinical immersion program to teach needs finding and provide a pipeline for
participants signed theconsent form before participating.Theoretical Framework and Interview Protocol Development. The development of ourinterview protocol was informed by the Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory of motivation(Pintrich, 2004; Pintrich & Zusho, 2002; St. Clair, 1999; Sund & Bignoux, 2018), which providesa framework for understanding students’ decision-making processes regarding class attendance.SRL theory (Figure A.1) posits that learners are active agents who set goals, employ strategies,and navigate challenges to achieve desired outcomes, even in the face of setbacks and challenges(Pintrich, 2004; Pintrich & Zusho, 2002). As students self-regulate, they develop a sense of agency(Kipp & Clark, 2022; Pintrich, 2004
Paper ID #48187research interests are in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Specifically, the work of herresearch group focuses on three general areas: (1) design and evaluation of biomaterials for therapeuticpurposes; (2) application of materials for engineering tissue systems; and (3) advanced engineeringstrategies for developing in vitro models and culture systems. Dr. Gomillion is committed to the integrationof her biomedical interests with education research endeavors, with a specific focus on evaluating classroominnovations for improving biomedical engineering student learning and exploring factors that facilitatesuccess for diverse graduate students. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2025