Designing and implementing a student-led collaborative biomedical project as a transdisciplinary course

Abstract

Introduction: It is often challenging to truly achieve perhaps the two most pedagogically challenging HKU undergraduate aims of ‘tackling novel situations and ill-defined problems’ and ‘leadership and advocacy for the improvement of the human condition’ through regular course-based models. Student-led teaching models which are more collaborative, inquiry-based and relevant to real-world challenges are more capable to achieve these deeper aims of undergraduate curricula. Here, we designed and implemented a student-led transdisciplinary team project (TTP) which connects students across disciplines to work collaboratively on a biomedical project with potential for impact in society. Method: This TTP was implemented as a pilot course under HKU’s Common Core Curriculum with course teacher(s) acting as supervisors throughout students’ project. A team of 6 students from varying disciplines collaborated in identifying wider societal concerns and developed projects by critically questioning how biomedical science could impact the community. Within the team, some students were engaged in lab-based research, others in public health study, and knowledge exchange with community – all these done while building local and international collaborations to strengthen their study. TTP was quantitatively evaluated by questionnaire with constructs of experience, preparation, assessment and outcomes. Qualitative evaluation was performed with exploratory focus group meetings and individual interviews. Impact on student learning was further evaluated through fulfillment of student project deliverables and assessing how students’ team project outputs align with course learning outcomes. Findings: Evaluation indicated positive impact in enabling students to acquire good research and project management skills. Students participated well in transdisciplinary collaboration to create inquirybased solutions to the challenges of early Hepatitis C diagnosis and communicated their research findings to the stakeholders of their research. Conclusion: A well-implemented transdisciplinary team project creates a mechanism for student learning in the highest cognitive domain – conduct, collaborate and create solutions to wider societal concerns.