Active learning in a real‐world bioengineering problem: A pilot‐study on ophthalmologic data processing

Abstract

Active learning is a format alternative to the conventional lecture/recitation/laboratory; research results have reported that it is suitable to encourage student inquiry and foster peer mentoring. Although the availability of computer‐based learning materials in biomedical sciences is increasing, there are relatively few studies aimed to integrate traditional methods of teaching with inquiry‐based approaches utilizing these Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools. This paper describes a pilot‐study on a comprehensive active laboratory course about digital ophthalmologic signal classification, experienced by a group of undergraduates in Bio‐Electronic Engineering. During the activity, the students became able to discriminate healthy subjects from patients affected by two retinal pathologies: Achromatopsia or Congenital Stationary Night Blindness. The study was based on the analysis and classification of the electroretinograms, that record the retinal response to a light flash. To process electroretinographic data, a software based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition and an Artificial Neural Network was used. Our findings indicate that this laboratory experience can be considered effective in improving student's reasoning skills and that students acting as investigators achieve a better outcome, presumably because this activity satisfies their psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Inquiry-based environments for bio-signal processing training in engineering education

“…This activity allowed our small group of participants to achieve the following benefits: (i) to improve the comprehension and retention of material concerning bio-signal analysis; (ii) to develop investigation and critical thinking skills; (iii) to improve communication and teamwork skills. 22…”

“…Eight students, attending this course in Academic Year 2016–17 were engaged in this bio-electronic laboratory learning experience. 22 The participants had previously attended a focus session, lasting 8 hours, about the ERG features and the different techniques for data processing, such as the Fourier Transform, the Wavelet Analysis, the Principal Component Analysis, etc. 23 During the regular lectures, a procedure based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) coupled with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), was explained to the students; this technique is very effective and adequate for processing ophthalmologic data.…”

“…The analysis of the final marks relative to students attending the courses of Structure of Matter and Medical Physics of the last three years, held by the same instructor, shows that the performance of the students who attended this pilot study was rather better with respect to those who did not. 22 For example, the percentage of students who joined this laboratory experience obtaining the highest grade was 38%, while it reduced to 10% when they did not. This approach of exposing engineering students to a problem in a clinical learning environment enhanced the adaptive and experiential learning capabilities of the course.…”

“…Three of them were associated with the raw time-series; the others were extracted from the empirical mode processed signals. 22 The learners conducted different kinds of analysis during the ANN training phase: i) hold-out validation, ii) multi k-fold cross-validation, iii) leave-one-out cross validation.…”

“…Despite the limitation due to the small number of students involved in the learning experience, mostly related to the class size at graduate-level in Engineering education, the analysis of the answers to the questionnaire seems to indicate a satisfactory and active engagement of the students in the learning environment, and a great appreciation of their activity and awareness of the acquired knowledge. 22 Very few graduate-level courses have a laboratory component. This study examines the impact on learning of adding inquiry-based experiences to a graduate-level course.…”