A Vertically Integrated Design Program Using Peer Education

Ross Aaron Petrella; Lianne Cartee; Devin K. Hubbard; Kenneth Donnelly; David A. Zaharoff; George T. Ligler

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Intro to Biomedical Engineering and Vertically Integrated Curriculum (Works in Progress) - June 23rd
Tagged Division: Biomedical Engineering
Page Count: 5
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--34080
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/34080
Download Count: 366

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Paper Authors

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Ross Aaron Petrella University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering orcid.org/0000-0003-2760-0084

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Dr. Petrella received his B.S. in biomedical engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.
He joined the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering first as a postdoctoral research scholar and is now an assistant teaching professor where he teaches biomedical engineering design. His research interests include engineering education, biomedical design, bioelectrics, biomedical applications of pulsed electric fields, and biomedical applications of antennas.

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Lianne Cartee University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

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Lianne Cartee is Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University.

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Devin K. Hubbard University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

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Kenneth Donnelly University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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David A. Zaharoff University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

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David A. Zaharoff is an Associate Professor in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Eshelman School of Pharmacy.

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George T. Ligler University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

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George T. Ligler is the Dean's Eminent Professor of the Practice in the UNC Chapel Hill/NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Proprietor of GTL Associates, a computer system engineering consulting firm, and an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering. He joined the Joint Department in August 2018 after 41 years in industry and led the academic year 2018-2019 Strategic Planning Core Group for the Department's Design Curriculum. He holds a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Furman University and M.Sc. and D.Phil. degrees in Mathematics--Computation from the University of Oxford, where his studies were supported by a Rhodes Scholarship.

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Abstract

A yearlong capstone project for fourth year undergraduate engineering students is often put forward as the model for experiential learning. However, in most undergraduate engineering curricula, there are typically limited opportunities for second or third year students to practice the design skills employed in a capstone project. These skills include engaging in project-based learning with a scope beyond a one semester course, developing physical prototypes using an iterative process, and performing verification and validation testing on a self-designed prototype. With the aim of exposing second and third year students to these skills prior to for a fourth year capstone project, a vertically integrated design program using peer education is being implemented. In practice, the vertically integrated design takes place via a three week immersion experience in which both second and third year students are temporarily and sequentially embedded in a fourth year capstone project. As a precursor to the capstone immersion, both second and third year students participate in technical skills modules required as part of the design courses. The currently-offered topics for technical skills modules are computer-aided drafting, embedded systems, 3D printing, laser cutting, machining, and mammalian cell culture. Additional modules are also planned. At the conclusion of learning a technical skill, the second and third year students are integrated with the fourth year capstone team to apply the newly acquired skill. Throughout the immersion, capstone students function as peer educators for second and third year students. Fourth year students are responsible for providing context to the technical skills and instructing underclass team members in the implementation of deliverables for the project. The anticipated enhancement of learning outcomes from the vertically integrated design program include second, third, and fourth year students. As part of the vertically integrated experience, second year students create technical drawings, develop embedded systems, culture human or bacterial cells, and participate in prototype fabrication of either complete designs or subsystems all within a framework of a meaningful application. These students will gain mastery through repetition, practice translation between abstract representations and physical products, implement quality management systems, and observe the bio-design process. Third year students will primarily be tasked with verification and validation of designs. They will execute good engineering practice while taking part in risk assessment, experimental design, prototype testing, systems integration, and/or data analysis. Outcomes from fourth year students are principally management and leadership training. They will have the opportunity to serve in the capacity of a project manager whose responsibility is to establish and communicate training, deliverables, and schedules.

Citation
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Petrella, R. A., & Cartee, L., & Hubbard, D. K., & Donnelly, K., & Zaharoff, D. A., & Ligler, G. T. (2020, June), A Vertically Integrated Design Program Using Peer Education Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--34080

TY - CPAPER
AB - A yearlong capstone project for fourth year undergraduate engineering students is often put forward as the model for experiential learning. However, in most undergraduate engineering curricula, there are typically limited opportunities for second or third year students to practice the design skills employed in a capstone project. These skills include engaging in project-based learning with a scope beyond a one semester course, developing physical prototypes using an iterative process, and performing verification and validation testing on a self-designed prototype. With the aim of exposing second and third year students to these skills prior to for a fourth year capstone project, a vertically integrated design program using peer education is being implemented.
In practice, the vertically integrated design takes place via a three week immersion experience in which both second and third year students are temporarily and sequentially embedded in a fourth year capstone project. As a precursor to the capstone immersion, both second and third year students participate in technical skills modules required as part of the design courses. The currently-offered topics for technical skills modules are computer-aided drafting, embedded systems, 3D printing, laser cutting, machining, and mammalian cell culture. Additional modules are also planned. At the conclusion of learning a technical skill, the second and third year students are integrated with the fourth year capstone team to apply the newly acquired skill. Throughout the immersion, capstone students function as peer educators for second and third year students. Fourth year students are responsible for providing context to the technical skills and instructing underclass team members in the implementation of deliverables for the project.
The anticipated enhancement of learning outcomes from the vertically integrated design program include second, third, and fourth year students. As part of the vertically integrated experience, second year students create technical drawings, develop embedded systems, culture human or bacterial cells, and participate in prototype fabrication of either complete designs or subsystems all within a framework of a meaningful application. These students will gain mastery through repetition, practice translation between abstract representations and physical products, implement quality management systems, and observe the bio-design process. Third year students will primarily be tasked with verification and validation of designs. They will execute good engineering practice while taking part in risk assessment, experimental design, prototype testing, systems integration, and/or data analysis. Outcomes from fourth year students are principally management and leadership training. They will have the opportunity to serve in the capacity of a project manager whose responsibility is to establish and communicate training, deliverables, and schedules.

AU - Ross Aaron Petrella
AU - Lianne Cartee
AU - Devin K. Hubbard
AU - Kenneth Donnelly
AU - David A. Zaharoff
AU - George T. Ligler
CY - Virtual On line
DA - 2020/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - A Vertically Integrated Design Program Using Peer Education
UR - https://peer.asee.org/34080
DO - 10.18260/1-2--34080
ER -