A Virtual Project-Based Learning Sandbox for Mimetics and Medically Inspired Classroom Engineering (MiMICRE)

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Abstract: The US has many more health science STEM jobs available than qualified workers to do them. We also lag other OECD nations in math and science skills. Better STEM education is needed that engages, prepares, and inspires K-12 students—especially under-represented groups. 21st Century STEM jobs require solid STEM content knowledge along with problem-solving/critical thinking skills and teamwork. Collaborative, game-based bioengineering learning experiences have the potential to meet these STEM-related needs and to prepare more people of all types for health science jobs. However, innovations are required to boost implementation, reduce cost, and enhance authenticity/realism and K-12 student engagement. A key aspect of our STEM deficit is our failure to give students foundational math/science skills and to convey their real-world relevance. Project-based learning (PBL) and engineering in K-12 can achieve this, but is currently limited by instructional time, teacher training, project resource costs, and difficulty in evaluating engaging, project-based experiences. Research shows that team STEM collaboration and application to community problems improve STEM outcomes—especially for under-represented groups. Yet access to programs and experiences that meld these two features with instruction is limited; common PBL lacks sufficient realism for upper-level high school learning; and innovative, cost-effective solutions that are self-paced, easy to implement, and that support collaboration are not yet available. In response to these needs, this multi-phase SBIR project will capitalize on strong preliminary work/data to develop, validate, and commercialize a game-based bioengineering tool called Mimetics and Medically Inspired Classroom Engineering (MiMCRE). As envisioned, it will employ applied math and science in the design, analysis, and simulation of bioengineering- and biomimicry-focused projects. Students will collaboratively design prosthetics, apply math and science models to evaluate them, and then 3D-print and test outcomes in the real world. MiMICRE will be sold into high school, post-secondary, and informal Ed. markets. Our STEM application team will work with bioengineering, diversity, and evaluation consultants and engineering software industry partners to pursue three proof-of-concept Phase I Aims: 1) Show the feasibility of integrating commercial tools for CAD and computational analysis with a game-based bioengineering environment for STEM; 2) Show the functionality of a biomedical engineering project in MiMICRE to engage teams of students, support prototyping, and connect to NGSS and CCSS math standards; and 3) Test MiMICRE with students. Success in verifying usability via a System Usability Score, feasibility of implementation by completing challenges during typical class sessions, and time, support for effective collaboration using group interaction and digital design- sharing, and improved outcomes with statistically significant knowledge increases will set the stage for a larger Phase II demonstration—during which we will add to the diversity of biomimetic/bioengineering projects, add support for post-secondary applications, refine the prototype, and conduct more-rigorous MiMICRE evaluation.