Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 2002. 4:29–48 doi: 10.1146/annurev.bioeng.4.091701.125502 Copyright c  2002 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved ROLES FOR LEARNING SCIENCES AND LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION: A Review of Recent Advances Thomas R. Harris 1 , John D. Bransford 2 , and Sean P. Brophy 3 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, VanderbiltUniversity, Nashville, Tennessee 37235; e-mail: thomas.r.harris@vanderbilt.edu 2 Department of Psychology and the Learning Technology Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235; e-mail: john.bransford@vanderbilt.edu 3 Department of Biomedical Engineering, VanderbiltUniversity, Nashville, Tennessee 37235; e-mail: sean.brophy@vanderbilt.edu Key Words biomedical engineering curriculum, educational challenges, educational programs, computer instruction ■ Abstract Education in biomedical engineering offers a number of challenges to all constituents of the educational process—faculty, students, and employers of graduates. Although biomedical engineering educational systems have been under de- velopment for 40 years, interest in and the pace of development of these programs has accelerated in recent years. New advances in the learning sciences have provided a framework for the reexamination of instructional paradigms in biomedical engineering. This work shows that learning environments should be learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered. In addition, learning tech- nologies offer the potential to achieve this environment with efficiency. Biomedical engineering educators are in a position to design and implement new learning sys- tems that can take advantage of advances in learning science, learning technology, and reform in engineering education. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 30 STATE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ...................................... 30 What is Biomedical Engineering? ....................................... 30 Growth in Educational Programs in Biomedical Engineering ................. 31 Reform in Engineering Education ....................................... 34 ADVANCES IN LEARNING SCIENCES RELEVANT TO BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ........................................ 35 1523-9829/02/0815-0029$14.00 29