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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
Published on: September 28, 2022
Hands-on curriculum teaches biomedical engineering concepts to home-schooled students
Ann M Sagstetter1, Amit J Nimunkar, Willis J Tompkins
1Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. sagstetter@wisc.edu
Abstract:
University level outreach has increased over the last decade to stimulate K-12 student interest in engineering related fields. Home schooling students are one of the groups that are valued for engineering admissions due to diligent study habits and high achievement scores. However, home schooled students have inadequate access to science, math, and engineering related resources, which precludes the development of interdisciplinary teaching methods. To address this problem, we have developed a hands-on, STEM based curriculum as a safe and comprehensive supplement to current home schooling curricula. The ultimate goal is to stimulate university-student relations and subsequently increase engineering recruitment opportunities. Our pre and post workshop survey comparisons demonstrate that integrating disciplines, via the manner presented in this study, provides a K-12 student-friendly engineering learning method.

