Engineering Studio Pedagogy – First Experience in Integrating Novel Studio Sessions in Biomedical Engineering Courses

This innovative practice full paper describes the first experience introducing Engineering Studio Pedagogy in Biomedical Engineering courses at Cornell University. Biomedical Engineering is undergoing a thorough introspection to improve the curriculum and teaching methods for undergraduate courses. Innovations in teaching techniques have been shown to impact student learning positively. With many evolving needs in preparing tomorrow's biomedical engineers, identifying key skills is paramount to a successful program. At Cornell University, following the adaptations that were necessitated due to the events at the turn of the decade, an initiative by the University was taken up to foster active learning amongst students. Our biomedical engineering program aimed at providing a pedagogical method that would challenge students with real-world “open-ended” engineering problems, promote teamwork and in a low-stakes setting. We called this pedagogical method the Engineering Studio Pedagogy. This paper summarizes the experience of implementing this as a pilot at Cornell University in Fall 2023, outlining how these studios were designed, the student experience obtained through surveys, and the instructional team's experience. The studio sessions demonstrated noticeable improvements in students' learning, teamwork, and motivation, particularly in a low-stakes setting. However, the results for tackling “open-ended” engineering problems were more mixed.