About the VaNTH REU
Goals: The VaNTH Engineering research center is a multi-institutional consortium dedicated to the study and development of educational technologies in the field of bioengineering. Materials developed in VaNTH are already in use in classrooms from K-12 through graduate levels; however, more materials are needed. Each year experts within VaNTH create, test and adapt new materials utilizing the latest in Learning Science theory and tools designed by our in-house Learning Technology experts. Assessment experts then help the scientists evaluate the effectiveness of the materials.
The goal of the REU program is to provide a rich summer research experience for undergraduates from varied educational backgrounds. The program is designed to expose students to the latest developments in teaching technology such as the theory and practice of challenge-based education, efficient module construction, simulations and animations in bioengineering, biological/physiological property database development, blended instruction techniques that mix synchronous and asynchronous modes of instruction, efficient integration of text, simulations, figures and other module objects.
Research: Each student will have a research project (project descriptions) and will be supervised by faculty and graduate students from the learning sciences and engineering. The research topic will be suited to the students' education and interests, based on their stated interests and the needs of the VaNTH researchers. Each student will be expected to be part of a team including experts in several fields.
Learning Opportunities: Students will have many learning opportunities, the most obvious being the area of their research. Imbedded in the individual projects are other opportunities as engineering students are expected to master concepts related to Learning Science such as challenge-based education. Science education students can expect to be challenged by new scientific material or placing known material into new contexts. Beyond the projects, students will have the opportunity to participate in several field trips. Finally, each student will participate in Technical Communications and Bioethics components during the summer.