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The Neuro-inspired LA: A Novel Neuroscience Approach to Implementing a Learning Assistant Program for Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Students

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Abstract

The Learning Assistant (LA) model trains undergraduate student leaders to enhance student learning and engagement by supporting the classroom with research-based instructional strategies. Many disciplines in the life sciences that implemented the LA model reported increased learning gains and decreased performance gaps. However, the model is rarely implemented in engineering disciplines whose students would benefit immensely from having LA guidance in hands-on engineering courses. We illustrate Biomedical Engineering (BME), an engineering discipline whose students struggle to find cohesion between the courses and develop the learning habits they need for a successful career. The two main innovations of our work are (1) the implementation of a discipline-specific LA program for BME students and (2) the development of a neuroscience-inspired pedagogy course to introduce and push students to consider the neural underpinnings of their learning process. We report the implementation mechanics of the program and present preliminary data as success indicators. First, we qualitatively captured the pedagogy course’s impact on the trained LAs using the classroom activities they developed and a self-reflection assignment. Second, we conducted a pilot pre-post-thematic analysis, which revealed increased self-awareness, motivation to learn, and a shift from self to students and team-based learning. Third, we also measured the program’s initial impact on the students who attended LA-supported classes through surveys. The student surveys showed an overall improvement (p < 0.05, n = 217) in the socio-emotional measures contributing to career preparedness, like the sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and STEM identity. All program participants reported a transformative experience in their learning practices, study habits, and classroom dynamics.

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Data Availability

Program details and teaching material are available upon request from the corresponding author.

Code availability

Not applicable.

Notes

  1. The students enjoyed this lab period immensely and spread their experience across campus, prompting faculty members to inquire about the buzz around an escape room game in BME!.

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Funding

OR-DRPD-ARJ2020 (PRO00035251) Cultivating equity in STEM classrooms at UF: A multidisciplinary collaboration to create a training course in inclusive, antiracist teaching practices for Learning Assistants (LAs) in STEM courses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Biomedical Sciences Bldg. J289, 1275 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    May M. Mansy, Walter Lee Murfee, Sarah C. Furtney, Brianna Pawlyshyn, Natalie Thurlow & Jean-Pierre Pierantoni

  2. School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Pavlo Antonenko

  3. Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Christine Davis

  4. Department of Physics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Sujata Krishna

Authors
  1. May M. Mansy
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  2. Pavlo Antonenko
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  3. Walter Lee Murfee
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  4. Sarah C. Furtney
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  5. Christine Davis
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  6. Sujata Krishna
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  7. Brianna Pawlyshyn
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  8. Natalie Thurlow
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  9. Jean-Pierre Pierantoni
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Contributions

May Mansy designed and developed the LA program in the Biomedical Engineering department. Christine Davis, May Mansy, Sujata Krishna, and Pasha Antonenko contributed to the development of four lessons of the pedagogy course focused on anti-racism, inclusivity, and culturally responsive pedagogy. The rest of the pedagogy course was developed by May Mansy. Christine Davis and Sujata Krishna shared prior experience with LA programs in Biology and Physics, respectively. Sarah Furtney and Lee Murfee provided administrative support to launch the program in the Biomedical Engineering department. Brianna Pawlyshyn, Natalie Thurlow, and Jean-Pierre Pierantoni are BME LAs who developed one or more of the learning activities reported in the article. All authors contributed to the article’s writing or reviewed and approved the final version.

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Correspondence to May M. Mansy.

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Data collection and analysis were approved by the Internal Review Board at the University of Florida (IRB202002325).

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Mansy, M.M., Antonenko, P., Murfee, W.L. et al. The Neuro-inspired LA: A Novel Neuroscience Approach to Implementing a Learning Assistant Program for Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Students. Biomed Eng Education 4, 109–127 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43683-023-00123-5

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