Integrating Web-Based Learning Modules into a Traditional Course

Interactive delivery of content and assessment enhance learning for many students.Delivery of concepts solely through lectures and textbook readings limits interactivity and does not meet the needs of all learning styles.When interactive web sites are integrated into learning modules as part of a traditional course (for homework or laboratory assignments), students are provided a more engaging experience.Moreover, practicing engineers interact with large web-accessible databases for an increasing number of activities directly related to their engineering projects.Examples include databases related to patents, journal articles, genomic sequences, protein structure, or tables of empirically measured values.Leading students through structured experiences with such databases develops skills essential for productive utilization and work.We have selected and utilized web sites to be used as part of assignments for a biomedical engineering course in physiology.One module for this course utilized a web site that explained aspects of neural signaling using animations, artwork and text.Another module utilized web-based tutorials that required students to utilize genomic databases to investigate genes related to a ligand receptor interaction.In another module, the students investigated three-dimensional structures using a protein database.Other modules had the students read selected journal articles, answer questions, and look up related articles.These techniques could be applied to other engineering courses to utilize web resources within learning modules as a way to enhance student learning.