Degree integration projects in biomedical engineering: design of a didactic sequence to promote learning

L. M. FIGUEROA GALLO; M. F. LENCINA; F. A. LUCIANNA; R. E. MADRID

CABA

Congreso; Congreso de Bioingeniería y Jornadas de Ingeniería Clínica 2023; 2023

The paper discusses the transformation of the Biomedical Engineering Graduation Project (GP) at the Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología de la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (FACET-UNT). The new approach in-corporated social, environmental and economic aspects in alignment with the United Nations sustainable development objectives and the new accreditation standards in Argentina. It focused on strengthening "soft" or transversal skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership and critical thinking, which are vital for biomedical engineers to face multidisciplinary challenges. A didactic sequence composed of workshops on complementary topics is detailed. The de-sign of the workshops was based on constructivist learning strategies and the in-tegration of prior knowledge. They encourage active participation, collaboration, and reflection, fostering an open and equal learning environment. The positive impact of the workshops on academic performance and completion of the student's degree is highlighted. Implementation challenges, the suggestion to implement new prerequisites to start the GP as well as training sessions for tutors to provide better support to students, are also mentioned. Finally, it is highlighted that it seeks to prepare students to face future challenges in the field of biomedical engineering due to the growing demand for professionals in this area, thus contributing to meet the demands of the industry and the welfare of society.