Abstract
This paper addresses challenges that arose during the on-going coronavirus pandemic and methodologies implemented in teaching a Biomechanics course in the Biomedical Engineering program (Biomedical and Electrical Engineering Discipline, Faculty of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia). We aimed to address the requirements for a quick transition of the entire curriculum to efficient remote delivery of the course, which involved: (i) providing authentic learning experiences; (ii) keeping students motivated and engaged with their classes and team projects; and (iii) preventing students from cheating when completing online assessments. The specific tools, software packages and approaches employed to support the remote teaching and learning are presented and discussed in this paper. Effective and on-going communication with students was crucial for managing their expectations, engagement with the course materials and teaching team, retaining positive learning experiences and for their overall well-being. The Socratic approach used in developing the online assessments was able to promote students’ critical thinking, problem solving and self-reflection and assisted the teaching team in minimising online cheating.
Highlights
These concepts had a particular focus on how the anatomy and musculoskeletal systems work in humans under different conditions, and to use force analysis and mechanics of human movements
Laboratory sessions were conducted in smaller groups to acquire knowledge and develop skills in using engineering software and analytical tools applied in biomechanics to assist in the development of the evaluation study
Besides active and collaborative learning approaches, the key elements of this student-centred learning approach involve, but are not limited to, fostering a supportive learning environment with a focus on the enhancing learners’ experiences, promoting deep learning, and understanding through engagement with knowledge derived from their life experiences, as well as applying ideas and information they encountered in problem solving in class and beyond the classroom (Jacobs and Renandya 2019; Sweetman 2017). These key elements of active and student-centred learning underpinned the approach we developed in the Biomechanics course to address the new challenges to existing pedagogy of fully remote and online teaching and learning that coronavirus pandemic thrust upon us
Summary
Using the interactive model, teaching staff encouraged students to participate in face-to-face learning activities during the delivery of key biomechanics concepts. These concepts had a particular focus on how the anatomy and musculoskeletal systems work in humans under different conditions, and to use force analysis and mechanics of human movements. In the collaborative discovery learning, students were required to work in groups to solve real-life problems drawing on their own experience and key biomechanics concepts. Laboratory sessions were conducted in smaller groups to acquire knowledge and develop skills in using engineering software and analytical tools (such as Vicon Motion Systems and NexusTM) applied in biomechanics to assist in the development of the evaluation study
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