Process for Faculty-Driven, Data-Informed Curriculum Continuity Review in Biomedical Engineering

Abstract

Gaps, redundancies, and bottlenecks in undergraduate curricula can markedly affect faculty teaching courses and the successful preparation of students for the professional biomedical engineering workforce. Anecdotal observations from faculty of potential curriculum deficiencies, the rapidly changing landscape of biomedical engineering education, the changing workplaces of professional biomedical engineers, and accreditation agencies’ mandates to continuously improve provide the impetus to review curriculum continuity. A robust framework for curriculum review is required. This paper presents a seven-step Curriculum Continuity Checkup Process (C3P). The faculty-driven, data-informed process involved multiple stakeholders and qualitative and quantitative data over a 12-month period. During the C3P, course learning outcomes were clarified, a comprehensive set of curriculum outcomes developed, and a curriculum map developed to assess gaps, redundancies, and bottlenecks in a process-oriented fashion. Implications of results on curriculum revision and conclusions about the use of the C3P for the biomedical engineering education community are discussed.