Concept mapping in an Online Undergraduate Pathology Course: Integrating etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical aspects of disease

Abstract

Concept mapping has proven to be a useful tool in science education by helping students make connections between facts thereby establishing hierarchies of knowledge. These hierarchies enable students to assimilate information into meaningful reference memories. During the COVID pandemic, classroom activities were severely limited, creating a lack of classroom engagement. Online classes replaced in-class lectures, decreasing opportunities for student contact. To address this pedological shortcoming, concept maps were utilized in an asynchronous online pathology course for pre-health profession undergraduate students. Students asked to create a concept map for a disease, connecting the disease’s pathophysiology, etiology, and clinical considerations. Rough drafts of maps were given feedback to improve connections and flow of the maps. Maps were graded using a rubric modified from several sources, and points were awarded when connections were made within and between the three main pillars of pathology. There were many types of creative maps. Course evaluations indicated that students enjoyed concept mapping as a learning alternative to standard class assignments. The overall goal was to provide a precursor activity that would enhance students’ abilities to utilize algorithms in clinical settings. No support was required. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.