2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Biomedical engineering (BME) plays an important role in addressing real-world health problems. While STEM fields are rapidly evolving and new jobs are emerging, there remains a shortage of qualified workers because too few students pursue STEM careers. Engineering is included in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and supported by initiatives such as Engineering is Elementary, yet there is still limited research on teaching engineering in elementary schools, especially in biomedical contexts. STEM education, particularly engineering, develops problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity, but BME is rarely integrated into classroom lessons or school programs.
To address this gap, early exposure to engineering, especially biomedical engineering (BME)—is important to foster interest and build foundational skills among students. We implemented a BME activity focused on the spine and the design of prosthetic disc replacements with 24 elementary students (grades 3–5) in an afterschool science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) club. Drawing on prior research on engineering learning and authentic practice of professional engineers, we grounded both the design of the activity and our analysis of learning in distributed cognitive and constructionist learning theories. The session began with a pre-survey assessing students’ knowledge of biomedical engineering, career attitudes, and familiarity with spinal anatomy and prosthetics, followed by a brief lecture introducing the role of biomedical engineers and explaining disc degeneration, supported by a physical model. Next, students were asked: What would you do as a biomedical engineer if someone needed a disc replacement? Each student received a kit to build a spine using Styrofoam, playdough, and balloon wire, along with materials for designing a prosthetic disc using cardboard endplates and core components of different stiffness, such as wood or 3D-printed discs. Students performed compression and bending tests, recording and comparing results to determine which materials worked best. They then completed a post-survey. We also video recorded their learning throughout the activity using a stationary room camera, and wearable chest or visor-mounted cameras.

Our research questions were:(1) How does a biomedical engineering activity influence elementary students’ understanding of biomedical engineering concepts and practices?(2)In what ways do elementary students demonstrate an emerging engineering mindset through prosthetic disc design and testing? (3)How does participation in the engineering activity affect elementary students’ interest in pursuing engineering?

Post-survey results showed gains in students’ understanding of BME (10% to 90%) and interest in engineering careers (30% to 60%). On a math-based worksheet, students answered 73.3% of items correctly (SD = 33.5) and 2.7% incorrectly. Video analysis highlighted four themes: (a) developing an engineering mindset, (b) embodied anatomical learning, (c) exploring material properties, and (d) peer collaboration and feedback.
Our work demonstrates how teachers can implement a low-cost, accessible activity to introduce biomedical engineering at early stages, increasing students’ interest and awareness. Using a distributed, constructionist approach, we show how such activities engage K–12 students in authentic engineering practices while integrating health-related contexts. This provides teachers with a concrete model for connecting students’ natural interests in the human body with the development of problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making.