The Grand Challenge: Fix the Hip Challenge
Students are presented with a hip challengeCopyright https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_dysplasia
This lesson introduces the Bone Module Grand Challenge question. Students individually write their initial responses to the question. Then they brainstorm ideas with another student. Then the ideas are shared with the class and recorded. It is important for students to gather information to decide whether or not this condition is hereditary. Next, students watch two videos about osteoporosis. Grand Challenge Question: When you get home from school, your mother grabs you, and you rush to the hospital. Your grandmother fell and was rushed to the emergency room. The doctor tells your family your grandmother has a fractured hip, and he is referring her to an orthopedic specialist. The orthopedic doctor decides to perform a DEXA scan. The result showed her bone mineral density (BMD) was -3.3. What would be a probable diagnosis to her condition? What are some possible causes of her condition? Should her family be worried that this condition is hereditary, and if so, what are possible prevented measures they could take to prevent this from happening to them? What statistical method did you use to determine if the condition is hereditary?
Biomedical engineers and researchers are in the process of developing new procedures to test bone strength. Bone density testing is the most common way to test BMD (bone mineral density), which is believed to have some correlation to bone strength. New development in NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) is allowing researchers to use magnetic imaging to view bone. By using mechanical 3-point bend testing and NMR images, researchers are hoping to make a direct correlation to the force required to cause mechanical failure and the image produce by the NMR. Researchers want to be able to use this method in the future to diagnose osteoporosis.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain the challenge problem.
- List what information might be needed to answer the problem.
- Understand, using statistics, whether or not the condition is hereditary.
- Group together similar areas of knowledge needed to answer the challenge.