A Student-Led Transdisciplinary Team Project (TTP) in Biomedical Research: Development, Implementation and Evaluation

Abstract

Background and Aims: Traditional teaching agendas allow students achieve predictable learning outcomes but disregard flexible and inquiry-based thinking that characterises true discoveries. Student-led teaching models that are more inquiry-based and collaborative would enable meaningful outcomes and groom students to be agents of positive change, in alignment with the scholarship of engagement. Here, we developed, implemented and evaluated a student-led transdisciplinary team project (TTP) which brings together students from varying disciplines to work collaboratively on a common goal with projects having a biomedical angle and potential for impact in wider societal concerns. Within the team, some students are engaged in direct research, others in service work, knowledge exchange with community, or building local and international collaborations. The course aims to create a mechanism for student learning in the highest cognitive domain - conduct, collaborate and create solutions to realworld challenges. Methods: The pilot study of this TTP was quantitatively evaluated by a questionnaire with constructs of experience, preparation, assessment and outcomes in order to probe different aspects of student learning and identify difficulties encountered by students during the enactment of TTP. This TTP was also qualitatively evaluated by exploratory focus group meetings and individual interviews. The qualitative evaluation included open-ended questions with constructs guided by data emerging from prior questionnaire. Evaluation of impact on student learning was determined by assessing student teams' project outputs in alignment with course learning outcomes and fulfillment of specific student project deliverables. Results: Student evaluation indicated positive impact in the scholarship of engagement. Students are able to identify unmet societal concerns by engaging with the community and addressing these in their research projects. The educational experience from TTP enabled students to acquire good research skills while upholding the highest standards of ethics. Students collaborated effectively across disciplines to create inquiry-based solutions to real-world challenges and communicated their research findings to the stakeholders of the research. Conclusion: Transdisciplinary team project experience allowed students to not only develop good research, communication and project management skills but acquire the sense of ownership in addressing the needs of society around them.