CSI NDB: Reflection

Hello again! Today I will be talking about a biology project that I completed along with my classmates.

 

As the title suggests, we had to create a mystery for the rest of the class to solve, like in CSI. We had to use various tools and forms of technology to create a story line, have clues, evidence, analysis and all the necessary tools to solve the murder mystery. We then presented this in class, showing the videos, giving storylines, letting the “investigators” (fellow classmates) perform tests and figure out how Wilbur the pig died. To add a level of difficulty, we had to have a cause of death related to a certain system, we had the endocrine system, and at the end of the presentation the rest of the class should be able to guess what system was compromised.

 

The basis for our CSI mystery is Wilbur the pig is found dead in his home and there are various suspects, including his wife and boss, because of the suspicious circumstances. We showed the class video interviews between the police and each of the suspects, as well as the doctor looking at Wilbur’s body. Through this information and various pieces of evidence presented in class, like a urine analysis test and items found in a trash can, the class had to determine who killed Wilbur, how he was killed and what system was effected. The class was able to successfully determine who did it, the wife, and at the end we had a quick review of the endocrine system and its various parts.

 

Overall, I thought it was a very creative and different project where we were able to learn about body systems while also group work, technology and fun! I would definitely support doing this project for a future AP Biology class, as it is enjoyable, informative and also forces you to learn about how the body systems work together. It was great seeing what other people did for their project as well and trying to solve the mystery definitely adds a level of interest and interaction. CSI NDB was a success and if you’re in a different AP Biology class, I would definitely recommend doing something similar that integrates the content into a real life situation!

 

Thank you for reading this post and make sure to check out my other blog posts!

 

 

Concussion in Youth Sports: Design Thinking Project

Hello again! Today I will be discussing the Design Thinking Project I created, the process I went through and what I’ve found after creating it!   First, let me explain Design thinking. Design thinking is a way of coming up with a solution to a problem. The process, which can be viewed in the picture below, consists of five steps (empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test). I used these steps to address the issue of concussions in youth sports. Untreated concussions are a prevalent problem in youth sports, so, using this process, I decided to make a solution that coaches can easily pull out and use to identify concussions quickly. Here’s the process I went through, which uses the example of heart disease rather than concussions. I first researched to find out more informations about the issue and concussions in general. I found statistics, numbers and basic information on what actually happens when a concussion occurs.  There are not many protocols surrounding concussions in youth sports, even in sports that are at higher risk for getting concussions, like hockey or football. Most people know that concussions are a problem and sometimes the symptoms are easy to spot, however, not all athletes get treatment or rest because they do not tell their coaches. Because concussions are brain injuries that can result in brain damage, it is very important coaches are aware of the major damage concussions can cause. This brings me to the next step, define.

Below there’s a quick video by a doctor from OSU explaining concussion basics.

Most coaches and athletes have a difficult time quickly identifying whether they have a concussion or not on the field or shortly after the athlete was it. This lack of identification results in athletes continuing to play, when they shouldn’t, and having an increased chance of brain damage. If identification of concussions was quick and accurate, the amount of un-reported concussions and permanent brain injuries from concussions would decrease. So, I started thinking of solutions to increase the likelihood that coaches will identify a concussion quickly, accurately and get the proper help.

Source: Stuart Seeger

I came up with a couple potential projects, such as a pocket checklist, an app that you can put your symptoms in and it will indicate whether a concussion is likely or even some sort of programmable bracelet that takes heart rate, vital signs and monitors brain activity for any irregularities, such as a concussion. All of these I thought would benefit people greatly, however, realistically, the pocket checklist is the easiest and most efficient way to achieve the goal of quick identification by coaches. So then I started to create.

Source: Patrick J. Lynch

I created a simple pocket checklist, using Piktochart, where I put a little statistic in the corner, some instructions and the symptoms of a concussion. A coach would take it out, check off which symptoms the athlete has then refer to the bottom for an estimation of severity and advice on where to go from there. It is simple, graphic and there are very few words. I found lists of symptoms through various credible sources, like here and here. I then took this list and applied it to the prototype. This prototype can be found here, and I have a couple picture of it below.   As for testing this info graphic, I have a couple of coaches and trainers that I talk to on a daily basis. Because I know coaches of non-contact sports, I wasn’t able to collect data of them actually using the chart in a real situation. However, generally the consensus was that it is a good idea that could use some improvement for the bottom row with identifying concussion type. I am no doctor, so this makes as my interpretation of concussions (mild vs severe) is based solely on research, thus, for this chart to be more accurate and useful, more research and knowledge should be gained.

If youth concussions are to be addressed, treated and prevented, we must actively try to change protocols, identification and treatment to keep the athlete’s health as the main priority. I hope that with further tweaking and research, my prototype could potentially be useful to help correct this problem!

Make sure to look further into youth concussions, as it could always use more awareness and solutions. Also, check out my other blog posts for more Sports Medicine and Biology related topics! Thanks for reading!