Jacquelynn Horsey, a senior biomedical engineering student, pursuing research in the field of engineering education.
Author: Jacquelynn Horsey | Major: Biomedical Engineering | Semester: Fall 2023
Jacquelynn Horsey is a senior biomedical engineering student, pursuing research in the field of engineering education, under Dr. Mostafa Elsaadany of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. This blog details her research for the Fall 2023 semester and plans to further her research during the remainder of her undergraduate career.
My research is centered on engineering education. I am working primarily on tracking and evaluating the efficiency of a junior-level, biomedical, clinical observations and needs finding course. This entails the quantitative analysis of pre-and post-course surveys in addition to the qualitative analysis of open-ended questions. What we learn from these surveys allows us to make changes to the course to generate the best experience for the students.
I began pursuing research with Dr. Elsaadany in the fall of 2022. As a biomedical engineering student, I had taken a course taught by Dr. Elsaadany so I had an established relationship. Around this time I was looking for a lab to participate in, and he was also looking for a research assistant. Dr. Elsaadany’s work focuses on engineering education and biomaterials research. When I began working with him I began analyzing data from course surveys. The purpose of this project is to track the effectiveness of a required, junior-level biomedical engineering course. In Clinical Observations and Needs Finding, students spend the first half of the semester participating in clinical experiences, with a focus on problem identification. During the second half of the semester, students learn how to develop a solution and present this idea at the end of the course. One of the objectives of this course is for students would understand and participate in the development of biomedical products from ideation to production. Other course objectives focus on intellectual property creation and protection, and the understanding of federal rules and regulations as related to biomedical products. To evaluate the efficiency of this course, I am analyzing the differences between students’ pre- and post-course survey responses. The survey questions can be generally categorized as questions related to self-efficacy, questions related to connections, value-creation, and curiosity, and questions related to general interests.
Over the past semester, I have performed quantitative data analysis using Microsoft Excel. Since I am experienced in Excel, this was a task I was fairly comfortable performing. However, I was also tasked with performing qualitative analysis using a software called NVivo. This is a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software that takes an input of qualitative data, auto codes the data to fit into themes and outputs quantitative information. The usage of this software has entailed a steep learning curve, from how to import the data, to how to manually code it, to exporting visuals. With practice and research, I have learned more about this tool, but still have room to grow. Another challenge I have faced over the last semester is where to start when it comes to an overwhelming project. I have learned that the best way to attack one of these projects is to put in work every day. Whether that means writing a few sentences of analysis, or performing a section of statistical analysis, working every day will build a habit. One of the best pieces of advice I have received from my mentor is this – “you cannot edit a blank page.” This advice reminds me that when it comes to writing, you simply have to begin somewhere, and you can always return to edit.
Dr. Elsaadany has been a great mentor over the past year. During our weekly meetings, he holds me accountable for the tasks for the week, and I update him on my progress. Dr. Timothy Muldoon has also been incredibly helpful with this project, as he is the professor for the Clinical Observations and Needs Finding course. We have worked closely with him to distribute and obtain data from his students. During the summer of 2023, we traveled to the American Society for Engineering Education’s annual conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
During the spring of 2024, I will finish the written report to accompany my research from the fall of 2023. I will additionally complete a work-in-progress paper that is a related project to the primary one I am working on. I am excited to continue developing my data analysis and writing skills through this work. I am additionally grateful for a supportive group of researchers who strive to help each other and see each other succeed.