An In-depth Analysis of Open-ended Biomedical Engineering Design Problems and the Role of Metacognition in Their Solutions

摘要

The need to build problem solving skills in STEM undergraduates has been widely reported. In biomedical engineering specifically, the application of problem solving skills to engineering design problems is especially desired. This is due to both the increasing demand from industry as well as the growing expectation that biomedical engineers will continue to play a significant role in the growth and innovation of new biomedical technologies. Significant curricular efforts have been made to strengthen these skills throughout our department's undergraduate experience, which includes both paper-based and prototype-based design activities centered on the engineering design process. The impact of these efforts however on the development and use of problem solving in the context of design, or design thinking skills, has yet to be determined.