Dr. Sylvia Oliver
PLTW Biomedical Science Affiliate Director
WSU Spokane
olivers@wsu.edu
PLTW: 21st Century Model for Education
 Students can see the relevance of what
they are learning — academics made real.
 Students are prepared for both college and
career — in whatever order they choose, in
whatever combination.
 Students gain the knowledge and skills in
order to compete in the 21st Century global
economy — both academic and technical.
Students Learn to:
• Communicate effectively, both orally
and in writing
• Think critically
• Practice professional conduct
• Work effectively in teams
• Design experiments
• Understand the interdisciplinary
nature of science, healthcare,
mathematics and English language
arts.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM:
GATEWAY TO TECHNOLOGY
Basic GTT:
 Design and Modeling
 Automation and Robotics
 Energy and the Environment
Advanced GTT:
 Flight and Space
 The Science of Technology
 The Magic of Electrons
HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM:
PATHWAY TO ENGINEERING
Pathway to Engineering
Foundation Courses:
 Introduction to Engineering Design™
 Principles Of Engineering™
Specialization Courses:




Aerospace Engineering™
Biotechnical Engineering™
Civil Engineering and Architecture™
Computer Integrated
Manufacturing™
 Digital Electronics™
Capstone Course:
 Engineering Design and
Development™
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES PROGRAM
The PLTW Biomedical Sciences
Curriculum Engages and Prepares
Students for Careers in Medicine,
Healthcare and Science.
Biomedical Careers
• Physician
• Research Scientist
• Nurse
• Health Information
Manager
• Dentist
• Dental
Hygenist
• Veterinarian
• Pharmacist
• Paramedic
• Dietician
• Medical Technologist
• Medical Technical Writer
• Physician Assistant
• Biomedical Engineer
• Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing Engineer
Biomedical Science Program
Principles of the Biomedical
Sciences
Human Body Systems
Medical Interventions
Biomedical Innovation/Capstone
Course
Course #1: Principles of the
Biomedical Sciences
 Students investigate the human body
systems through various disease conditions
including: heart disease, diabetes, sicklecell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and
infectious diseases.
PBS Skills and Topics:
 Literary research skills
 Human body systems
 Basic chemistry
 Structure and function of DNA
 Bioinformatics
 Protein structure
 Causes of infectious diseases
 Grant proposals
Course #2: Human Body Systems
 Students study basic human physiology,
especially in relationship to human health.
 Students use data acquisition software to
monitor body functions and use the
Anatomy with Clay® Manikens™ to study
body structure.
HBS Topics:
 Relationship between structure and
function
 Maintenance of health
 Defense against disease
 Communication within the body and
with the outside world
 Movement of the body and of
substances around the body
 Energy distribution and processing
HBS Activity
This is the Maniken
from Anatomy in
Clay used
throughout the
Human Body
Systems course for
students to build
body systems and
parts using clay.
Course #3: Medical Interventions
 Student projects investigate various
medical interventions that extend and
improve the quality of life including:
diagnostics, surgery, bio-nanotechnology,
pharmacology, prosthetics, rehabilitation,
and life style choices.
Medical Interventions
Students investigate the variety of interventions involved
in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease as
they follow the lives of a fictitious family.
MI Topics:
 Molecular biology and genetic
engineering
 Design process for pharmaceuticals
and medical devices
 Medical imaging, including x-rays, CT
scans, and MRI scans
 Disease detection and prevention
 Rehabilitation after disease or injury
 Medical interventions of the future
Biomedical Innovation Capstone Class
• Students apply knowledge and skills to
answer questions or solve problems
related to the biomedical sciences.
Students design innovative solutions for
the health challenges of the 21st
century as they work through
progressively challenging open-ended
problems.
Student Outcomes
PLTW Alumni Data
Rochester Institute of Technology
378 former PLTW students
91.9% Retention (first year)
81.3% Retention (fourth year)
Average PLTW GPA is 0.10 higher
(past 3 years)
San Diego State University
12 former PLTW students
100% Retention
Marquette University
62 former PLTW students
97% Retention (first year)
University Affiliate:
WSU Spokane
Affiliate responsibilities
•Program Administration
•Dr. Sylvia Oliver – Affiliate Director
•Dr. Joan Kingrey – K-12, Business & Community Outreach
•Gay Lynn James – Administrative Coordinator
•College Credit
•Credit options for teachers and eligible students
•Program Quality
•Technical assistance and school certification
•Professional Development
•Core Training: begins summer 2011
•Rural Outreach
•PLTW as an exemplary recruitment program for rural
students
For More Information:
• Sylvia Oliver, PhD,
• PLTW BMS Affiliate Director
olivers@wsu.edu
• Project Lead The Way Website
www.pltw.org