Increasing the effectiveness of Student Research in a Biomaterials Course Drexel Engineering Perspectives Dr.
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Transcript Increasing the effectiveness of Student Research in a Biomaterials Course Drexel Engineering Perspectives Dr.
Increasing the effectiveness of Student Research in a
Biomaterials Course
Drexel Engineering Perspectives
Dr. Elisabeth Papazoglou
Dr. Donald McEachron
Siddharth Gadkari
Chetana Sunkari
Jay Bhatt
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Workshop: Measuring the Lifelong Learning Outcome in Terms of Information Literacy Components
Engineering Libraries Division, ASEE 2007
User needs and users’ skills
To understand what our users want, we must know
Who our users are
What their information needs are
Use Drexel’s Engineering Programs as an example /
case study
Describe our efforts to meet their needs
Improve through user feedback
User community
Understanding the user community
Undergraduate and Graduate Students
(today Drexel educates 17000 students)
Co-op students
International students representing several
countries
Awareness of new initiatives helps in projecting
new emerging information needs
Meetings with Department Heads
University Web Sites
Newsletter articles
User community
Doctoral programs are growing
Number of doctoral students increased by 40% in
the last five years
Faculty members: As new programs evolve, more
faculty are hired.
75 new faculty members hired in the last three
years
So …..more users than ever before….
What do they want?
How do they let us know what are they looking
for?
Drexel’s Engineering Programs
All major engineering disciplines
Biomedical engineering, Science, and Health
systems
Interdisciplinary focus is increasing
(Nanotechnology, Biomaterials,
Bionanotechnology, Biomechanics, etc.)
Undergraduate Research
Graduate Research
Case Study - Biomaterials
Course Sequence
3 Quarters = 2 Semesters
Challenges
Interdisciplinary Field
Diverse Student Background
Lack of appropriate textbooks
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials I – Fall Term
Prof. Papazoglou teaches the three course
sequence
60-70 students
Biomaterials properties
Various types of materials such as polymers,
hydrogels, ceramics, and glasses
Controlled Drug Release systems
Nanotechnology
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials I – Fall Term
Research intensive courses
Students need to search across a variety of
literature
Type of literature students need to consult
Handbooks
Encyclopedias
Books at the library
Electronic books
Standards such as those from ASTM or ISO
Scientific Literature
Skills targeted
Develop basic understanding of various types of
biomaterials, their properties and their biomedical
applications
Develop awareness of both print and electronic
resources to find information on Biomaterials
Use library blogs efficiently to successfully find
information needed for assignment questions
Locate relevant research papers by using a variety of
but appropriate resources
Find patents and Intellectual Property for biomedical
devices
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials I – Fall Term
Dr. Papazoglou’s email earlier in the Fall term
shows what problem she and her students were
facing
Problems
Several Students were not familiar with a number of databases
and resources available through the library
Google appeared to be the choice even when the specific property
of a particular material was needed
Some students thought they knew about the resources but what
they knew was only about 20% of what they actually can use
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials I – Fall Term
Information Needed
Biomaterial Properties – Handbooks.
Find inventions reported in news
Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe medical news
Follow up research on new inventions
(find research papers)
RSS feeds and alerts from databases
Use Refworks or Endnote( required to create a
bibliography)
ABET Criteria met by Biomaterials courses
Criterion k (Outcome)
Ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern
engineering tools necessary for engineering
practice
Criterion i (Outcome)
Recognition of the need for, and ability to engage
in, life-long learning
These Outcomes were further mapped into
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria for Outcome ABET i
(ABET i) Recognition of the need for, and ability
to engage in, life-long learning
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Ability to use library and online resources for
research purposes – addressed here directly
Membership and participation in professional
organizations
Ability to identify and take advantage of learning
opportunities – addressed here indirectly
Performance Criteria for Outcome ABET k
(ABET k) Ability to use the techniques, skills, and
modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice
PERFORMANCE CRITERION
Ability to use computers and computer software for
analyzing and solving problems – addressed
indirectly
Performance Criterion Rubric relevant to
library resources for Outcome ABET i
Performance
Criterion
Pt
s
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
online resources; Exceeds
Uses library and online
Uses library and online
Is unable to effectively use
minimum requirements for
resources; Meets minumum
resources if directed to do so;
library or online resources;
Ability to use library and
references in classroom papers
requirements for references in
Does not always meet minimum
Seldom meets minimum
online resources for
and projects; Asks questions
classroom papers and projects;
standrads for references in
standrads for references in
research purposes
based upon outside sources
Occassionally asks questions
classroom activities; Seldom
classroom activities; Never
and actively seeks out more
based on outside sources.
asks questions based upon
asks questions based upon
outside resources
outside resources
TOTAL POINTS ()
Regularly uses library and
than minimum required
knowledge
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials I – Fall Term
What did we do?
Library Instruction Session
Blog web site
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Research Guides
Online tutorials – Ei Compendex, Knovel, RSS feeds,
Refworks
Consultations
Biomaterials courses – Biomaterials I – Fall Term
Biomaterials courses – Biomaterials I – Fall Term
How students communicated
Email questions
Personal visits
Appointments (consultations)
Virtual chat using IM
Instruction during lecture time (classes)
Informal communication
Frequently asked by users even while walking on
campus
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials II – Winter Term
Patents and Intellectual property
Students needed to use what they learned in the Fall
term as well as search for patents
Cancer nanotechnology as an example
Group Projects
Blog site for patents
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials II – Winter Term
Information Needed
List 5 patented technologies for controlled drug
delivery of cancer chemotherapy (last 7 years)
List any patent on drug delivery based on
nanotechnology for drug delivery of cancer
chemotherapy (last 5).
Determine uniqueness of each patent
Find research literature using sources learned
during the Fall term
Biomaterials courses –
Biomaterials III – Spring Term
a)
List 3 FDA approved devices for artificial valves
b) List 3 FDA approved devices for stents and drug eluting
stents
c) Intellectual property protection for 2 of the artificial valves
d) Intellectual property protection for 2 of the drug eluting
stents
e) Select the valve with the best chance of success – discuss
reasons in detail
f) Select a drug eluting stent with the best chance of success –
discuss in detail
Biomaterials courses – Biomaterials II – Winter Term
Assessment – Objective II
Familiarity of use of electronic and other library
resources in order to complete an independent
Biomaterials project
At the beginning of the class = 20% of students
At the end of the class = 88% of students
Assessment – Open Question
Do you feel knowledgeable and comfortable in
transferring what you learned from the
Biomaterials / library use modules to your
research?
Question was asked at the end of the term:
62% of students answered – Very Comfortable
28% of students answered – Comfortable
10% of students answered – Need more practice
Conclusion
Interaction between students, faculty and the librarian
promotes increased awareness about the sources of
information.
Information seekers must utilize the help provided to
take maximum advantage of the library resources.
Last but not the least, collaboration of the users and
the library personnel would reduce effort and increase
the effectiveness of information search.
Students have shown increased use of relevant library
resources as evident from their interaction with the
librarians and faculty members
Conclusion
Continued learning environment is a lifelong skill that
can help the graduating students succeed in the fast,
competitive global environment.
Drexel has a quarter system. Quarter was just finished
last week.
Some data evaluation still needs to be done
Proactive approach for faculty collaboration is
essential
Faculty members’ Information Literacy awareness is
crucial in order for such collaboration to succeed.
Thank You!
Our contact information:
Dr. Elisabeth Papazoglou
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University
[email protected]
Dr. Donald McEachron
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University
[email protected]
Jay Bhatt
W. W. Hagerty Library, Drexel University
[email protected]
Suggestions and recommendations most welcome!