Breaking Out From Tradition: Redesign of Large Physiology Lecture Increases Engagement, Inclusion, and Student Outcomes

Abstract

Mounting evidence suggests that traditional lecturing is less effective, less engaging, and less inclusive than active learning. However, transitioning to active learning, particularly in a large science course, presents unique administrative and pedagogical challenges. In this study, we present the results of our recent effort to redesign and restructure our large human anatomy and physiology course at the University of Connecticut.In place of a traditional lecture, we developed an active instructional model that subdivided hundreds of students into “break out” groups of no more than five students. Breakout groups met concurrently in multiple classrooms during the scheduled lecture time to work through modules in the renal and digestive systems with an undergraduate peer facilitator. Modules were designed with input from undergraduate facilitators, with attention to scientific teaching techniques (active learning, inclusive teaching, assessment). Students concept mapped the molecular basis of urine formation in nephrons and the regulation of acid secretion in the gastric pit; worked through an interrupted case study on ulcer formation and modified think‐pair‐share question sets on renal and gastric pharmacology; and practiced critical reflection on the clinical and socioeconomic factors influencing the incidence and treatment of disease.At the end of the semester, students registered in the redesigned course were compared to peers registered in another section, taught by the same instructors, that followed a traditional large lecture format. This assessment involved an analysis of student performance on paired exam questions of varied difficulty, a modified SALG (Student Assessment of Learning Gains), and solicited and unsolicited student feedback. Our results indicate that, on average, students in the redesigned course performed better on exam questions related to the renal and digestive systems. Furthermore, many of these questions were found to be less “discriminating”, indicating less disparity between higher performing and lower performing students. The vast majority (95%) of students gave positive feedback on the redesigned classes, and nearly 90% reported learning gains related to the major concepts from the digestive and renal system. Summarily, our study describes and evaluates a new instructional model for large, undergraduate anatomy and physiology courses that has been developed and implemented using undergraduate students. Most importantly, we offer preliminary evidence supporting the conclusion that this model is more inclusive, more effective, and better liked than traditional lecturing.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.