Semi-structured design and problem-based experiential learning in a first-year biomedical engineering laboratory course

A first-year biomedical engineering laboratory course was created using a problem-based approach, introducing students to the interplay of engineering design and biology in biomedical engineering. Open-ended problems were central to each laboratory module, and were designed to enhance students’ development of high-order learning skills. Although the value of problem-based learning in engineering laboratory courses has been recognized, its implementation in the first-year engineering program presents unique challenges for students who are unfamiliar with the unstructured approach and who are in their early stages of developing discipline-specific knowledge. Immediate feedback scaffolding strategies, including interactive pre-laboratory assessments and team-based quizzes, were implemented in the second iteration of the course to support students’ achievement of learning outcomes, and to improve their perception of their learning experience in a problem-based laboratory. According to preliminary survey results, students attributed the value of problem-based laboratory activities to the acquisition of technical skills, engineering design skills, as well as the development of self-directed ability, and a growth mindset. Results from the second iteration of the course also revealed that students perceived the interactive pre-laboratory assessments and team-based quizzes to be highly valuable. Taken together, our study thus far has underlined the importance of immediate feedback as an effective scaffolding strategy for supporting semi-structured experiential learning in a first-year engineering laboratory course.