Improving Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Learning Through Use of Online Graduate Engineering Courses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jessica E Nesmith; John W Hickey; Eileen Haase

doi:10.1007/s43683-020-00041-w

Improving Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Learning Through Use of Online Graduate Engineering Courses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Biomed Eng Educ. 2021;1(2):317-324. doi: 10.1007/s43683-020-00041-w. Epub 2021 Jan 4.

Authors

Jessica E Nesmith^#¹, John W Hickey^#¹, Eileen Haase¹

Affiliation

¹ Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

In order to provide undergraduate students with a full, rich online learning experience we adapted pre-existing online content including graduate courses from Johns Hopkins University Engineering for Professionals (JHU EP) program. These online courses were designed using published methodologies and held to a high level of rigor of a Masters-level curriculum. Adapting pre-existing online course material enabled us to more rapidly adapt to the COVID-19 shutdown of in-person education. We adapted content to meet the majority of lab-based learning objectives rather than generating self-recorded lecture material and allowing us to focus faculty time on addressing student needs. Here we discuss benefits, challenges, and methods for replicating these courses, and lessons to be applied in future offerings from this experience.

Keywords: Biomedical engineering; COVID-19; Experiential learning; Graduate education; Laboratory; Online teaching; Rapid course adaptation; Student feedback; Undergraduate education.