Improving Programming Content Delivery in an Introductory Biomechanics Course Using a Blended Classroom Approach

Jeffery Ethan Joll; W. David Merryman

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Conference: 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual Conference
Publication Date: July 26, 2021
Start Date: July 26, 2021
End Date: July 19, 2022
Conference Session: Improving the BME Classroom on the Ground and Virtually
Tagged Division: Biomedical Engineering
Page Count: 20
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--37308
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/37308
Download Count: 338

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Paper Authors

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Jeffery Ethan Joll II Vanderbilt University

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Ethan is in the final year of his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University where he works under Dave Merryman. His laboratory work investigates the mechanobiological underpinnings of calcific aortic valve disease and post-menopausal osteoporosis. His education research focuses on blended learning strategies to improve content delivery in undergraduate biomedical engineering courses. He is investigating careers in educational research, instructional design, and educational technology.

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W. David Merryman Vanderbilt University

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W. David Merryman, PhD is the Walters Family Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Pharmacology, Medicine, and Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University. He is also Associate Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research interests are cardiovascular and pulmonary mechanobiology with a particular focus on developing new therapeutic strategies, cell and soft tissue biomechanics, and bioengineering ethics. Prior to his arrival at Vanderbilt, Dave was an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and prior to that, a Research Associate of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellow. Dave has been awarded the Early Career Award from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association, the NSF CAREER Award, the K Award from the National Institutes of Health (NHLBI), and the Y.C. Fung Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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Abstract

MATLAB programming projects are assigned in (omitted) University’s Introductory Biomechanics course to strengthen coding skill and demonstrate application of theory to practice. In course evaluations, students consistently rate these projects as the most challenging and difficult to grasp, citing the inefficacy of the traditional (lecture-only) course in merging programming with biomechanics content. Moving material online is an intuitive solution to this computation-based instructional challenge. Literature has shown that blended classes (30-80% online) can improve academic performance compared to in-person or online classes alone. While very few studies have analyzed blended learning in biomedical engineering contexts, research in related fields indicates students in blended engineering courses have improved attendance, motivation, and collaboration. We hypothesized that restructuring to a blended course would improve coding confidence and competence over the traditional course. Two courses were compared: one traditional course and another with programming content moved to weekly online modules. A programming project was assigned after completion of the coding material in each class. Modules were created using a backwards design approach. The desired coding competencies were identified as: pseudocode, loops, matrix operations, and data visualization. Modules for each of these subjects contained review, practice, and reflection components. Review and practice materials were designed by the authors or gathered from online coding resources and students reflected on the material by writing short responses speculating how the technique could be used to solve biomedical engineering problems. Following the modules, a project was assigned to assess coding skill by solving a hypothetical exercise biomechanics problem (resolving moment and angle about the elbow during a bicep curl) and displaying the solution graphically. To begin assessing the efficacy of the blended class method, students were surveyed on module effectiveness and their coding confidence. While responses indicated a lukewarm reception to the blended course, students in the blended class reported significantly increased coding confidence based on pre- and post-project surveys. Furthermore, students in the blended course reported significantly higher confidence using loops, performing matrix operations, and visualizing data compared to traditional course students. To assess coding ability, projects were re-graded by a teaching assistant using a standardized rubric to assess general code quality. While overall scores were similar between classes, students in the blended course had improved code readability. Students in the blended course also tended to write shorter code, indicating a blended class may improve students’ ability to write well documented, organized, and efficient code. The results of this study provide evidence that blended content delivery can improve student programming confidence and performance compared to a traditional introductory biomechanics course. Increased student performance through blended coursework is especially impactful today as teaching methods in higher education are reevaluated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors should consider utilizing this blended approach to provide more class time for addressing critical course concepts and flexibility for students to complete material at their own pace.

Citation
Format

Joll, J. E., & Merryman, W. D. (2021, July), Improving Programming Content Delivery in an Introductory Biomechanics Course Using a Blended Classroom Approach Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37308

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - MATLAB programming projects are assigned in (omitted) University’s Introductory Biomechanics course to strengthen coding skill and demonstrate application of theory to practice. In course evaluations, students consistently rate these projects as the most challenging and difficult to grasp, citing the inefficacy of the traditional (lecture-only) course in merging programming with biomechanics content. Moving material online is an intuitive solution to this computation-based instructional challenge. Literature has shown that blended classes (30-80% online) can improve academic performance compared to in-person or online classes alone. While very few studies have analyzed blended learning in biomedical engineering contexts, research in related fields indicates students in blended engineering courses have improved attendance, motivation, and collaboration. We hypothesized that restructuring to a blended course would improve coding confidence and competence over the traditional course. Two courses were compared: one traditional course and another with programming content moved to weekly online modules. A programming project was assigned after completion of the coding material in each class. Modules were created using a backwards design approach. The desired coding competencies were identified as: pseudocode, loops, matrix operations, and data visualization. Modules for each of these subjects contained review, practice, and reflection components. Review and practice materials were designed by the authors or gathered from online coding resources and students reflected on the material by writing short responses speculating how the technique could be used to solve biomedical engineering problems. Following the modules, a project was assigned to assess coding skill by solving a hypothetical exercise biomechanics problem (resolving moment and angle about the elbow during a bicep curl) and displaying the solution graphically. To begin assessing the efficacy of the blended class method, students were surveyed on module effectiveness and their coding confidence. While responses indicated a lukewarm reception to the blended course, students in the blended class reported significantly increased coding confidence based on pre- and post-project surveys. Furthermore, students in the blended course reported significantly higher confidence using loops, performing matrix operations, and visualizing data compared to traditional course students. To assess coding ability, projects were re-graded by a teaching assistant using a standardized rubric to assess general code quality. While overall scores were similar between classes, students in the blended course had improved code readability. Students in the blended course also tended to write shorter code, indicating a blended class may improve students’ ability to write well documented, organized, and efficient code. The results of this study provide evidence that blended content delivery can improve student programming confidence and performance compared to a traditional introductory biomechanics course. Increased student performance through blended coursework is especially impactful today as teaching methods in higher education are reevaluated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors should consider utilizing this blended approach to provide more class time for addressing critical course concepts and flexibility for students to complete material at their own pace.
AU  - Jeffery Ethan Joll II
AU  - W. David Merryman
CY  - Virtual Conference
DA  - 2021/07/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Improving Programming Content Delivery in an Introductory Biomechanics Course Using a Blended Classroom Approach
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/37308
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--37308
ER  -