Effective Engagement of Minority Students in an Introductory Biology Course through an Experimental Centric Pedagogy (ECP) That Utilizes an Analog Device to Measure Heart Rate

With external funding, an evidence-based experimental centric pedagogy (ECP) is being implemented in Biology at a historically black university. This is the first of its kind where the ECP is being extended to several STEM disciplines after its successful implementation in Electrical Engineering to promote motivation as well as enhance academic achievement of minority students. During Spring and Summer semesters of 2020, ECP was developed and implemented in an introductory biology course. In Spring 2020, an analog measuring device was used to measure students heart rate, while in Summer due to COVID-19, in the remote class setting, monitored non chemical use, inexpensive home-based hands-on learning activities were developed to effectively engage the students. Research results show that the outcomes of the adaptation and use of the analog measuring device to detect and measure pulse rates at the tips of the fingers compared favorably to those obtained from the use of commercially available wrist monitors previously used for the experiments. Further, the various steps of the ‘process of science’ that the experimental design was meant to teach was equally achieved, and students were highly motivated as well as demonstrated interest in Biological related fields.