Bring Your Own Device Initiative to Improve Engagement and Performance in Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II Laboratories

Abstract

At the University of Mississippi, just 4.93% (2014) and 6% (2015) of Human Anatomy and Physiology students responding to an informal, opinion survey stated that their favorite lab activity was using microscopes. In addition, performance on lab practical questions involving the identification of specimens under a microscope is low with the average percent correct being as low as 31.85% and no higher than 41.94%. These numbers are troubling in that Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II are required courses for students desiring entry into many allied health professions where knowledge of tissues, obtaining samples for biopsy, and interpreting microscopic specimens are critical to their job performance. To increase students’ interest and engagement with microscopy and tissue examination and performance on laboratory practicals, we purchased microscope adapters that simultaneously connect students’ smartphones to the ocular lens of a microscope. These adapters allow students to take high quality pictures through the microscope with their mobile devices by aligning the focal points of the smartphone’s camera lens with the microscope’s ocular lens. These pictures could then be used by the student as a resource to study for the histological questions on the lab practical. To assess effectiveness of the adapters used with students’ smartphones, aggregate scores (i.e., percent correct) for tissue questions on lab practicals were compared between semesters where adapters and smartphones were used and semesters where they were not used. Two surveys with Likert-style questions were used to assess student’s levels of engagement in each semester. Results from survey responses shows that the use of microscope adapters in the laboratory along with students’ smartphones to take pictures of specimens through a microscope has the potential to improve student engagement in the laboratory. Results show that lab practical scores were higher in semesters where microscope adapters and smartphones were used compared to semesters where they were not used, but the increase in scores was not significant. The use of students’ smartphones along with microscope adapters in the laboratory has the potential to improve student engagement, but the role that it plays in student performance is still unclear.