Alex J Barker’s research while affiliated with Children's Hospital Colorado and other places

Biofluids comprises a core topical domain for modern biomedical engineering education. Like other biomedical topic areas, biofluids education must address highly inter-disciplinary and applied topics. Concept/problem based active learning approaches can provide effective avenues to teach such diverse and applied topics. However, with the heterogeneity within biofluids topics across cellular, physiological, and/or extra-organismal scales, it is important to develop active learning content that enables students to explore concepts with appropriate context. This challenge is further complicated by the need to administer such content remotely (due to the Covid-19 pandemic). Here, we outline our design process and implementation experience for simulation-based active learning modules for a newly developed physiological biofluids course. We share the overall design approach, with two example cases of simulation based concept exploration: (a) arterial Windkessel effects and lumped parameter hemodynamic analysis; and (b) curvature induced helical flow in human aorta illustrated using 4D flow MRI. Evidence from student survey ratings, student comments and feedback, and monitoring student performance for course deliverables indicate positive student response towards these modules, and efficacy of the modules in enabling student learning. Based on our design and implementation experience, we argue that simulation-based approaches can enable active learning of biofluids through remote and online learning modalities.