Learning by Researching - Students enhance perfusionist's workplace with data glasses in internships

Abstract

A new internship for the module human factors engineering of the study course biomedical engineering was developed on the concept of learning by researching combining the transfer of knowledge with gathering new and publishable findings. Students pass the research cycle, investigating whether perfusionists strain can be reduced by utilizing data glasses. Corresponding to the concept of cooperative learning, students (n = 40) are divided into teams of five, giving each member a predefined expert role. Each expert is responsible either for physiological measurements, the perfusionists workspace, planning of usability tests, data glasses applications or team leading. Following the research cycle, milestones are set at which the teams present partial results to the entire group. Initially, students immerse in the field of research by reviewing literature. They prepare and present research hypotheses and select one for their investigation. Proximately, each team develops and introduces their research design. Teams organize themselves with planning test days and inviting subjects (n ≥ 10 each team). Finally, results are presented in group and collated by each team in a scientific paper. Every team reviews a scientific paper from another team and returns it before they are send in for grading. Evaluation shows higher workloads for students, but also relevant and interesting input. Two groups publish their papers in scientific journals.