Undergraduate Physiology Course Research Articles

Positive Student Outcomes from Embedding Mental Wellness Trainings in an Advanced Undergraduate Physiology Course

Despite the rising prevalence of reported mental illness among college students, mental wellness programs delivered to college students show improvements in distress, depression, and anxiety. However, participation in these programs is often quite low and the long-term effcacy is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if a course-based mental wellness program administered to undergraduate physiology students would improve academic and overall perceived stress during the intervention and at longitudinal follow up the next academic year. We hypothesized the intervention would improve self-reported academic and overall perceived stress of undergraduate physiology students. Methods: In spring 2022, students (n=167) enrolled in a junior level undergraduate advanced physiology course (Course 1) were given six 30-minute training sessions by campus clinicians during class time. At the start of the following semester (fall 2022), a subset of these students (n=44) enrolled in a rigorous, senior level pathophysiology course (Course 2) and received one 30-minute refresher training session. All students completed the Perception of Academic Stress Scale (including subdimensions for perceived academic expectations, faculty workload expectations, and self-perceptions of academic stress) and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale at the start and end of both semesters. Statistical analysis included 2x2 repeated measure ANOVAs to compare trends in survey scores across the semester based on eventual grade in Course #1, as well compare semester-wide trends in Course #1 and Course #2 in students that completed both courses. Pairwise comparisons were corrected using Tukey HSD. Results: In Course 1, there was a significant decrease across the semester in academic stress (54.94 ± 0.94 vs. 57.18 ± 0.94, p<0.001), including students’ self-perceptions of academic stress (21.22 ± 0.38 vs. 22.48 ± 0.38, p<0.01). This decrease was driven primarily by A/B students (p<0.05), while C/D students reflected no change. Compared with C/D students, A/B students in Course 1 reported lower academic stress (p<0.01), including lower perceived academic expectations, faculty workload expectations, and self-perceptions of academic stress post semester (p<0.01), and overall perceived stress (p<0.05), at both timepoints. Students who continued to Course 2 reported significantly lower overall stress (p<0.05) and academic stress (p<0.05) at the start of Course 2 compared with the start of Course 1. Conclusion: Mental wellness training embedded into rigorous physiology courses can positively impact undergraduate physiology students’ mental wellbeing, which may persist into the next academic year and may be mediated by academic success (i.e., course grades). Division of Exercise Physiology, WVU. 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.

Exploring student perceptions of course resources in an undergraduate animal physiology course

There has been a significant shift in student learning needs and strategies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (Becker et al., 2022). In this context, traditional resources and approaches may not be suffcient to satisfy the new needs of students. This study, set in the post-pandemic landscape, focuses on an undergraduate physiology course where students struggled with learning despite having access to the same resources as before the pandemic. Our main objective was to understand students’ experiences with the existing course resources in the post-pandemic era and gather their suggestions for improvements. Using focus groups, we garnered insights into the student experience and perceptions in a second-year animal physiology course. The analysis of focus group interview data indicated that students faced various challenges utilizing the existing resources for understanding concepts and preparing for exams. The focus group also provided recommendations on how the resources related to the lecture content, assessment, and lab operation can be improved to enhance student learning experiences. Results from this study will be used to inform the development of innovative teaching resources to satisfy student demands in undergraduate-level physiology learning. University of Toronto Faculty of Arts and Science Pedagogical Research Grant. 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.

Integrating Health Policy Into Undergraduate Physiology: A Pedagogical Framework

Evidence-based health policies save lives. Rising to meet the global health challenges of the 21st century (e.g., the climate crisis, infectious diseases, health inequity) will require more scientists to participate in the policymaking process. However, few opportunities exist for STEM students to learn how their scientific knowledge can be applied to policy, or how they can shape the policies that govern science in the United States. Additionally, although scientific expertise is necessary to create effective health policies, it is not suffcient. For example, many scientifically sound policies (e.g., masking, vaccination) fail in the implementation phases because they are not communicated effectively to their intended audience. Here we share a pedagogical framework for integrating health policy into existing undergraduate physiology courses using examples from Anatomy and Physiology, Physiological Model Systems, and Public Communication of Physiology. This framework empowers students to develop procedural knowledge about state and federal policymaking, discuss examples of biomedical scientists and healthcare workers contributing to policy and rulemaking, link course curricula to current legislation proposed at the state or federal level, and advocate using their scientific knowledge and lived experiences as scientists. It also incorporates foundational science communication training that goes beyond the commonly used deficit framework (i.e., “educating the public”), and instead emphasizes dialogue (e.g., listening to stakeholders), rhetorical strategy (e.g., storytelling), trust-building, discrete goal setting, and positionality. Lastly, we provide preliminary evidence that using this health policy toolbox leads to student empowerment in policy and advocacy, development of practical communication skills applicable to their future careers, and deep affective connections to their physiology coursework. This project was supported by the Alan R. Bennett College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Public Health Policy Research Fund at the University of Connecticut. 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.

Experimental evidence on a "light-touch" personalized email intervention in an online, undergraduate physiology course.

In large physiology classes, there is a demand for low-effort, or "light touch," strategies that faculty can use to connect with students and promote increased academic performance and student engagement. The purpose of this study was to compare personalized versus standardized emails following unit quizzes on student perceptions of faculty engagement, participation in academic resources, and academic performance in a junior-level, online physiology course. Students completed the online unit quiz and received a subsequent feedback email from the course director. Students were randomized into the Control (n = 101) or the Experimental (n = 104) group for general or personalized performance feedback emails, respectively. Students completed start and end of semester surveys capturing demographics, course expectations, self-reported use of resources, and impressions of the faculty. Final exam and course grades were collected. Perceptions of faculty were similar between groups, and receiving professor feedback after quizzes did not make the Experimental group more likely to use any of the available academic support services. There was no difference in final exam grades (Control: 73.9 ± 14.1%; Experimental: 73.4 ± 15.3%) or final course grades between groups (Control: 79.2 ± 13.1%; Experimental: 78.7 ± 13.3; P > 0.05). Personalized performance feedback from light-touch emails did not improve student perceptions of faculty engagement, self-reported participation in academic resources, or academic performance compared with a standardized email in a junior-level, online physiology course. Overall, this study does not support the use of personalized emails regarding quiz performance in an online physiology course.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Personalized performance feedback from light-touch emails did not improve student perceptions of faculty engagement, self-reported participation in academic resources, or academic performance compared with a standardized email in a junior-level, online physiology course.

Asynchronous student-generated flip videos facilitate student learning and assessment in a large-enrollment introductory human physiology course.

Oral demonstration of knowledge is an effective learning and assessment strategy. It has been shown that generating explanations to oneself, or self-explaining, can improve student understanding of information. This can be achieved via student-generated videos. The quantitative effects of student-generated videos on learning and assessment in postsecondary education are unknown. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the effects asynchronous student-generated videos have on student learning and assessment in a large-enrollment (∼400 students), undergraduate physiology course. Students were charged with making self-generated videos discussing major physiological concepts and uploading these videos to Flip for assessment. Flip is an online, social education platform for asynchronous video-based discussion. In the present study, we combined four semesters (n = 1,100 students) of Flip data and analyzed the effects it had on student examination performance. Specifically, we first analyzed how students performed on exam questions corresponding to their Flip prompts in comparison to students not assigned those prompts [25/44 (57%) were statistically significantly different]. Second, we analyzed the association between Flip prompt score and performance on corresponding exam questions [39/44 (89%) were statistically significantly different]. Third, we analyzed the association between cumulative Flip score and performance on all corresponding, and noncorresponding exam questions. Finally, we analyzed the association between cumulative Flip score and averaged exam performance. There was a positive association (r = 0.54). Taken together, our data suggest that asynchronous student-generated Flip videos can facilitate student learning and assessment in a large-enrollment, undergraduate physiology course.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Oral demonstration of knowledge is an effective learning and assessment strategy. Student-generated videos have been shown to improve learning and assessment in secondary education. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the effects asynchronous student-generated Flip videos have on student learning and assessment in postsecondary education. The results of the present study suggest that asynchronous student-generated Flip videos can facilitate student learning and assessment in a large-enrollment (∼400 students), undergraduate physiology course.

Use of a Short, In-Class Drawing Activity to Assess Student Understanding of Core Concepts of the Cell Membrane in an Undergraduate Physiology Course.

Students in an animal physiology course are required to have completed prerequisite cell biology and genetics courses that include discussion of basic properties and functions of the cell membrane. However, while many students remember basic information about membrane structure, they often have difficulty relating that structure to membrane functions, such as vesicular transport, active transport, osmosis, and current flow across the membrane. To better understand what students recall about the cell membrane, students were given an open-ended prompt to draw what they know about the structure and function of the animal cell membrane. This activity was repeated 1-2 weeks after finishing discussion of the cell membrane in class, with an emphasis on the concepts of membrane transport and a related core concept, flow along gradients. Student responses were analyzed using the conceptual framework for the "cell membrane" core concept published by Michael and Modell. Prior to covering this content in class, the majority of submissions included representation of the cell membrane as a phospholipid bilayer, and a high percentage also included membrane proteins or the fluid mosaic model. Similar percentages of students included these concepts in the post-coverage drawing. However, other components of the conceptual framework were included less frequently or not at all prior to covering the content in class, but improved dramatically afterwards. This activity provides information about what students recall from prior coursework and which concepts need to be revisited, and it can provide a complementary assessment of student understanding of core concept of the cell membrane.

Developing effective written communication skills across undergraduate physiology courses

Professional skills are defined as broad, cross-disciplinary skills that facilitate collaboration and innovation. These skills are valued by employers and professional/graduate programs. Recently, the Physiology Majors’ Interest Group (PMIG) subcommittee on professional skills developed a consensus list of professional skills for undergraduate physiology students. These consist of four general competencies (1. Think Critically, 2. Communicate Effectively, 3. Behave in a socially and scientifically responsible manner, 4. Demonstrate Laboratory Proficiency). These competencies are subdivided into 2 – 3 measurable skills. These measurable skills allow undergraduate physiology educators to design teaching practices that develop student proficiency in these skills in parallel with the development of physiology knowledge and skills. Evaluating and sharing teaching practices with other physiology educators may improve the effectiveness of those practices. This, in turn, may improve student proficiency and long-term retention of these professional skills.The purpose of this process was to evaluate teaching practices intended to develop written communication skills in undergraduate physiology courses within a kinesiology program. Students in this program take Mammalian Physiology (BIO129/L) and Exercise Physiology (BIO134/L) consecutively. In both courses, effective written communication skills are among the course learning outcomes. To develop these skills, a series of assignments was developed. This consisted of an abstract (BIO129L), a short report (BIO129L), a manuscript over a prescribed laboratory experiment (BIO129L), and a manuscript over a student-designed research project (BIO134L). Students were provided extensive rubrics for each assignment and received written feedback on their work before they submitted the next assignment.Initially, student work exhibited beginner-level proficiency and progressed little over the assignment sequence. In response, the assignment sequence was refined. Refinements included: (1) providing students an additional opportunity to practice each assignment, while also providing students structured, specific feedback; (2) reviewing exemplars of each written form of writing; and (3) streamlining the rubrics to highlight key criteria for each assignment.Based on feedback from students and observations of student performance, providing additional opportunities to practice improved long-term understanding of each form of scientific writing. Reviewing exemplars improved students’ understanding of the purpose of abstracts versus manuscripts. Revision of rubrics also improved student comprehension of each form of writing, resulting in improved clarity and logic in students’ written work. However, the impact of altering feedback strategy is unclear, and evaluation of this practice is ongoing. This process highlights the interative nature of teaching practices designed to develop professional skills. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 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.

Using Test Question Templates to teach physiology core concepts.

The past ∼15 years have seen increasing interest in defining disciplinary core concepts. Within the field of physiology, Michael, McFarland, Modell, and colleagues have published studies that defined physiology core concepts and have elaborated many of these as detailed conceptual frameworks. With such helpful definitions now in place, attention is turning to the related issue of how to maximize student understanding of the core concepts by linking these "big ideas" to concrete student-facing resources for active learning and assessment. Our practitioner-based view begins with the recognition that in many if not most undergraduate physiology courses assessment drives learning. We have therefore linked published conceptual frameworks to Test Question Templates (TQTs), whose structure promotes transparent assessments as well as the active learning needed to prepare for such assessments. We provide examples of conceptual framework-linked TQTs for the physiology core concepts of Homeostasis, Flow Down Gradients, the Cell Membrane, and Cell-Cell Communication. We argue that this deployment of TQTs has at least two distinct benefits for the teaching and learning of core concepts. First, documenting the connections between conceptual frameworks and TQTs may clarify coverage and assessment of the core concepts for both instructors and students. Second, misconceptions about core concepts may be directly targeted and dispelled via thoughtful construction, arrangement, and iteration of TQTs. We propose that the TQT framework or similar approaches may be applied fruitfully to any sufficiently articulated physiology core concept for high school, undergraduate, or graduate students.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our students often focus on the grades they need to advance through academic programs. How can instructors harness this understandable interest in grades to help students gain a true understanding of core concepts? The new framework of Test Question Templates (TQTs) shows promise in linking student priorities like test scores to instructor priorities like core concepts.

Reflections on a Plague Academic Year: A Multiyear Comparison of Student Engagement, Investment, and Performance in Undergraduate Physiology Courses During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic continues to alter the landscape of higher education in the United States – even in highly vaccinated states like Connecticut. For example, in Fall 2020, the University of Connecticut operated remotely with most courses being offered in a distance learning format. In Fall 2021, students returned to campus for in person classes. Although there has been a great deal of speculation shared by students and faculty, the long‐term impact of these abrupt transitions on student learning is largely unknown. In the present study, we begin to explore the impact of the pandemic on student engagement, investment, and performance in several undergraduate physiology courses by comparing student data from the Fall 2020 and Fall 2021 semesters. We analyzed the time students spent accessing synchronous and asynchronous learning materials, the frequency of student‐instructor interactions, and scores on matched summative assessments. Furthermore, we explore the impact of course modality on these same metrics by comparing a flipped anatomy and physiology course to other courses offered in a traditional lecture and hybrid format. Our preliminary results indicate that while the overall student investment was comparable despite the instructional format, students engaged more consistently after returning to campus. However, the increased engagement does not correlate with assessment scores or other measures of student success (e.g., DFW rates). Our results contradict a widespread misconception that students were not adequately engaged by online learning during the 2020‐2021 academic year. As pressure mounts to undo student support measures put in place during the pandemic, they may also serve as a warning to academic departments, graduate programs, and other stakeholders that the effects of the pandemic on students are ongoing, despite strong institutional desires for normalcy.

Use of a Short, In‐Class, Free Response Activity to Assess Student Understanding of Core Concepts of the Cell Membrane in an Undergraduate Physiology Course

Students in an upper division, stand‐alone animal physiology course at Missouri Western State University are required to have completed a freshman‐level introductory cell biology course and a sophomore‐level genetics course as prerequisites. These prerequisite courses include discussion of the eukaryotic cell membrane and basic properties and functions of the membrane. However, many students remember the basic information about membrane structure but have difficulty relating that structure to membrane function and related topics in our physiology course, including vesicular transport, primary and secondary active transport, osmosis, and current flow across the membrane. To gain a better understanding of what students recall about the cell membrane before covering membrane structure and function in class, students were given an open‐ended prompt, “What do you know about the structure and function of the animal cell membrane?” The students were allowed to work in small groups or alone, and could generate their response as drawings, written statements, or both. They were given 10 minutes to construct a response. These student responses were analyzed using the conceptual framework for the “cell membrane” core concept recently published by Michael and Modell (Adv Physiol Educ 2019). This activity was repeated 2 weeks after finishing discussing of the cell membrane. Prior to covering this content in class, 100% (19 out of 19) submissions included a drawing or description of the cell membrane as a phospholipid bilayer, and 84% of submissions included integral and peripheral membrane proteins. Similar percentages of students included these concepts in the post‐coverage assessment. However, other components of the “cell membrane” conceptual framework were included much less frequently or not at all prior to covering the content in class, but improved dramatically afterwards. In the pre‐assessment, only 11% of responses included solute concentration gradients or selective permeability, while 70% of responses in the post‐assessment included this concepts. In the pre‐assessment less than 10% mentioned vesicular transport, receptors, or channel proteins; after covering the content in class, these topics were included by 15%, 45%, and 35% of student responses, respectively. This quick activity provides valuable information about what students recall from prior coursework and what concepts need to be revisited before moving into more detailed discussion of cell membrane function. When used in addition to objective exam or assignment questions, this free‐response activity can also provide a complementary view of student understanding of core concepts of the cell membrane.

Cumulative oral examinations in undergraduate human physiology: process, student perceptions, and outcomes.

Assessment methods vary widely across undergraduate physiology courses. Here, a cumulative oral examination was administered in two sections of a 300-level undergraduate physiology course. Student performance was quantified via instructor grading using a rubric, and self-perceptions (n = 55) were collected via survey. Overall, students affirmed that the oral examination assisted in their learning, specifically by leading them to begin preparation for their final written exam earlier than they otherwise would. The instructor considered the oral exam useful for student learning by providing a scaffold to the written final exam and a way to connect with students before a high-stakes final exam. Specific details of the examination format and suggestions and considerations for those considering this assessment approach are provided.

Implementing An Active Learning, Large‐Enrollment Online Physiology Course During The COVID‐19 Pandemic

The Department of Neurobiology & Behavior at Stony Brook University offers a large‐enrollment gateway undergraduate physiology course, BIO 203 ‐ Fundamentals of Biology: Cellular and Organ Physiology. BIO 203 is a required course in the biology and biochemistry majors and in the pre‐health curriculum, and undergraduates typically register for BIO 203 in their sophomore year. Since Fall 2015, BIO 203 has been offered in two formats, traditional PowerPoint‐based lectures presented twice per week (80 min / session) in a 570‐seat auditorium with individual fixed seats and a flipped, active‐learning format delivered once per week (113 min / session) in a 250‐seat auditorium with shared desks and rotating chairs. Students in both sections had equal access to prerecorded lectures and online activities (content quizzes, journal activities and thought questions). The focus of the lecture section was content delivery while the flipped section emphasized active group learning facilitated by instructors and experienced undergraduate teaching assistants. Student learning was evaluated by performance on common high‐stakes multiple choice exams. On average, students in the flipped section exhibited better performance on the common exams than students in the lecture section (Fall 2019 exam total, p < 0.05 in two sample t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test). As a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, Stony Brook University required large‐enrollment courses to switch to online instruction starting in March 2020 and continuing through the Fall 2020 semester. The BIO 203 instructors implemented a synchronous online version of BIO 203 based on the active‐learning curriculum developed for the flipped section. In Fall 2020, this synchronous online version of BIO 203 was offered simultaneously to two sections. Students in both sections had access to the same online resources (recorded lectures, content quizzes and activities) and were evaluated using low‐stakes quizzes (administered during scheduled class time) and a common cumulative final exam (administered during a common final exam period). The primary difference between the two sections was the frequency and duration of the synchronous online meetings with instructors and teaching assistants. Section 01 (595 students) met twice a week for 80 min per session, whereas section 02 (257 students) met once a week for 130 min. A preliminary analysis of the scores on the common final exam indicates that students in section 01 (two meetings per week) performed better than students in section 02 (1 meeting per week) (p < 0.05 in two sample t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test). These preliminary findings are consistent with the hypothesis that student learning is enhanced by frequent engagement in active learning.

The Pen is Mightier: Online Write‐To‐Learn Activities in Large‐Enrollment Classes

Writing is a core skill of many biomedical professions. Writing can also help students think through key concepts or ideas presented in a course (Reynolds et al. 2012). Although many instructors can appreciate the learning opportunities offered by written assignments, those of us who teach large undergraduate classes face practical barriers to incorporating writing in our curricula. A major hurdle is managing the logistics of grading and providing constructive, timely feedback to individual students. One way to overcome this hurdle is to have students provide feedback to each other through peer-review, rather than requiring feedback from the instructor or teams of graders. The process of reviewing the work of others, in addition to receiving feedback about one's own work, is thought to benefit learning and improve scientific communication skills (Reynolds et al. 2012). Our objective in this study was to evaluate how peer-review of written assignments influences learning in a large-enrollment undergraduate physiology course. We hypothesized that students who reviewed other students’ written assignments would improve their understanding of physiological processes, compared to students who completed the same written assignments that were graded by teaching assistants. To test this hypothesis, we assigned the same writing activity to two sections of an introductory physiology course (Section 1 enrollment = 558 students; Section 2 enrollment = 242 students) offered in Fall 2019. The writing activity was a short response (3-5 sentences) to a prompt that asked the students to evaluate or explain a statement related to physiology. All aspects of this activity were conducted online. In exchange for a small amount of bonus credit (equivalent to 0.25% of the final grade), students in Section 2 were encouraged to participate in the peer-review activity. The peer-review process was graded solely on participation, not based on the quality of response. These students submitted their responses to a web-based peer-review software package (EliReview.com), and then each student reviewed the work of four anonymous peers. Once the reviews were completed, the student viewed the anonymous reviews that he/she received and constructed a revision plan to improve the original submission. All written assignments in Sections 1 and 2 were graded by a teaching assistant, but only students in Section 2 were able to participate in the peer-review activity. We found that 57% of students enrolled in Section 2 submitted their written assignment to the web-based peer review system. Of the students who submitted writing, 85% completed four reviews of their peers’ work and 68% completed revision plans based on the peer feedback they received. Students who completed the peer-reviews and the revision plans performed better on exam questions related to topic of the written assignment, compared to students who did not participate in peer-review. Overall, our data indicate that writing activities are feasible in a large-enrollment undergraduate physiology classroom, that these activities can be carried out entirely online, and that peer-review and revisions benefits student learning more than grading by teaching assistants.

A biomedical Engineering Laboratory module for exploring involuntary muscle reflexes using Electromyography

BackgroundUndergraduate biomedical engineering (BME) students interested in pursuing a career in research and development of medical or physiological monitoring devices require a strong foundation in biosignal analysis as well as physiological theory. Applied learning approaches are reported to be effective for reinforcing physiological coursework; therefore, we propose a new laboratory protocol for BME undergraduate physiology courses that integrates both neural engineering and physiological concepts to explore involuntary skeletal muscle reflexes. The protocol consists of two sections: the first focuses on recruiting soleus motor units through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), while the second focuses on exploring the natural stretch reflex with and without the Jendrassik maneuver. In this case study, third-year biomedical engineering students collected electromyographic (EMG) activity of skeletal muscle contractions in response to peripheral nerve stimulation using a BioRadio Wireless Physiology Monitor system and analyzed the corresponding signal parameters (latency and amplitude) using the MATLAB platform.Results/protocol validationElectrical tibial nerve stimulation successfully recruited M-waves in all 8 student participants and F-waves in three student participants. The students used this data to learn about orthodromic and antidromic motor fiber activation as well as estimate the neural response latency and amplitude. With the stretch reflex, students were able to collect distinct signals corresponding to the tendon strike and motor response. From this, they were able to estimate the sensorimotor conduction velocity. Additionally, a significant increase in the stretch reflex EMG amplitude response was observed when using the Jendrassik maneuver during the knee-jerk response. A student exit survey on the laboratory experience reported that the class found the module engaging and helpful for reinforcing physiological course concepts.ConclusionThis newly developed protocol not only allows BME students to explore physiological responses using natural and electrically-induced involuntary reflexes, but demonstrates that budget-friendly commercially available devices are capable of eliciting and measuring involuntary reflexes in an engaging manner. Despite some limitations caused by the equipment and students’ lack of signal processing experience, this new laboratory protocol provides a robust framework for integrating engineering and physiology in an applied approach for BME students to learn about involuntary reflexes, neurophysiology, and neural engineering.

Use of a short, in‐class, open‐ended free response activity to assess student understanding of the cell membrane in an undergraduate physiology course

With an ever‐increasing body of information about human and animal physiology, it can be difficult for an instructor to decide what topics to focus on and what students exiting a single, stand‐alone physiology course should have learned. One valuable tool to assist in making these decisions is the set of 15 core concepts in physiology published by Michael and McFarland (Adv Physiol Educ 2011). Students in the upper division, stand‐alone physiology course at Missouri Western State University are required to have completed a freshman‐level introductory cell biology course and a sophomore‐level genetics course, but no other prerequisites are required. The prerequisite courses include discussion of the eukaryotic cell membrane and basic properties and functions of the membrane. However, many students remember the basic information about membrane structure but have difficulty relating that structure to membrane function and related topics in our physiology course, including vesicular transport, primary and secondary active transport, osmosis, and current flow across the membrane. To gain a better understanding of what students recall about the cell membrane before beginning in‐class discussion about membrane structure and function, students were given an open‐ended prompt, “What do you know about the animal cell membrane? Include structural characteristics and functions.” The students were allowed to work in small groups or alone if they preferred, and could generate their response as drawings, written statements, or both. They were given 10 minutes to construct a response. These student responses were analyzed using the conceptual framework for the “cell membrane” core concept recently published by Michael and Modell (Adv Physiol Educ 2019). 100% (19 out of 19) submissions included a drawing or description of the cell membrane as a phospholipid bilayer, and 84% of submissions included integral and peripheral membrane proteins. However, other components of the “cell membrane” conceptual framework were included much less frequently or not at all. While 58% of the responses listed diffusion or osmosis, only 32% listed active transport, and less than 10% mentioned vesicular transport, cell‐cell or cell‐matrix junctions, maintenance of solute concentration inside versus outside the cell, or cell‐to‐cell communication. No responses explicitly included simple diffusion of lipid‐soluble molecules, membrane receptors, ion channels, or physical separation/compartmentalization of the cell. Several responses had errors, such as incorrect labeled of the fatty acid tails of phospholipids as hydrophilic. This quick activity provides valuable information about what students recall from prior coursework and what concepts need to be revisited before moving into more detailed discussion of cell membrane function.

Writing to Learn Physiology: Leveraging Peer Review to Enhance Learning in a Large Enrollment Undergraduate Physiology Course

A significant challenge in STEM education is to transform undergraduate students from memorizers of scientific facts to critical, conceptual, scientific thinkers. Although increasing evidence supports the use of “Writing to Learn” (WTL) activities to promote higher‐level conceptual thinking ( Reynolds et al. 2012), WTL activities are not yet widely implemented in undergraduate science classrooms. Several barriers prevent the incorporation of WTL activities including the feasibility of grading written assignments in large enrollment classes and the degree of student participation and active engagement in such activities. Here we report a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of and student participation in WTL activities in an undergraduate foundational physiology course with an enrollment of 250 students. The writing activity was a short response (3–5 sentences) to a prompt that asked the students to evaluate or explain a statement related to a physiological concept. The students submitted their responses to a web‐based peer‐review service ( EliReview.com), and then each student reviewed the work of four anonymous peers. Once the reviews were completed, each student viewed the anonymous reviews that he/she received and constructed a revision plan to improve the original submission. One instructor oversaw and managed this process, with technological support from Eli Review, but without TA support. Students were incentivized to participate in this activity by receiving a small number of bonus points (equivalent to 0.25% of their final grade). Primary study outcome measures were (1) student participation in the activity and (2) student perceptions of the activity. Secondary outcome measures included performance on exam questions related to the WTL activity topics, compared to students in a different section of the same course who did not participate in the WTL activities (secondary outcomes not yet analyzed at the time of abstract submission). Preliminary results of two trials of WTL activities during the Fall 2019 semester show that an average of 57% of students enrolled in the class submitted their written assignment to the web‐based peer review system. Of the students who submitted writing, an average of 85% completed four reviews of their peers’ work and an average of 68% completed revision plans based on the peer feedback they received. The average length of the peer reviews was 309 words, even though no word maximum or minimum was specified. No student reported inappropriate or disrespectful comments. In an in‐class electronic poll, 70% of students who participated in the activities agreed with the statement that “The opportunity to read and review drafts submitted by other students helped me to better understand the physiological principles related to the question”. The preliminary results of utilizing WTL activities in our 250‐student physiology class indicate that this is a feasible and time‐effective strategy to incorporate writing into the undergraduate biology curriculum, and that many students will participate and perceive a benefit from participating in such activities.Support or Funding InformationEVV and WFC were supported in part by NSF grant #1524967

Relationship Between Student Viewing of Recorded Lectures and Course Success in a Flipped Undergraduate Physiology Course

Robust evidence supports student‐centered learning, particularly in science courses. In a “flipped” classroom model, “traditional lecture” material is often presented online for students to review in preparation for class sessions. Specifically, videos of a slide set with narration are common. Providing the bulk of the content outside of formal class time creates increased opportunities for student‐centered and active learning during class sessions. While the flipped approach can improve student learning, little data exists regarding the extent to which students engage with online video materials, and whether this engagement corresponds to success in the course. To test the hypothesis that students who watched a greater percentage of video lectures scored higher on chapter quizzes, unit exams, final exam, and in the course, a 300‐level, majors‐only, human physiology course was examined. Three sections, over two academic semesters yielded data for 83 students. All recorded lectures were accessed by students via the online learning management system (Isidore, custom Sakai platform). Most chapters in the course (17/20) utilized a video provider (Warpwire) that provides the percentage of a given video watched by each student during user‐specified time frames. However three chapters utilized YouTube and thus were excluded from data collection. For each chapter, students were assigned to watch the online lecture video(s), read the related textbook chapter, and take an online, open‐book quiz, prior to coming to class. Multiple chapters were assessed via unit exams (n=5) and students also completed a cumulative final exam at the end of the semester. The percentage of each lecture video watched was recorded at three distinct time intervals: pre‐quiz, pre‐exam, and pre‐final. Correspondingly, scores on chapter quizzes, unit exams, and the final exam were also obtained. For some chapters (4/17), there were multiple videos for which viewing percentage was averaged. Average length of recorded videos was 19:30 ± 7:25 (mm:ss; mean ± s.d; range: 8:15–33:20). Overall, the percentage watched at the assigned time (prior to chapter quiz and covering content in class session) was 57.5 ± 31.0%. The percentage watched was significantly increased prior to unit exams (73.6 ± 27.4%; p&lt;0.001) and there was a small, but statistically significant increase prior to the final exam (74.4 ± 27.7%; p=0.012). When the average percentage watched for each unit was compared to the score on the unit exams, there was a modest, but significant correlation (R2=0.16, p&lt;0.001). When the average percentage watched over all chapters, at any point in the semester was compared to the score on the final exam, there was a similar relationship (R2=0.19, p&lt;0.001) that was unchanged if course grade vs final exam grade was the dependent variable. While watching the provided lecture videos is not requisite for success on unit and final exams or in the course, there is evidence to suggest that increased viewing is associated with increased performance in the course. Therefore, instructors should continue to encourage students to watch online lecture videos but must also be aware that some students may be able to successfully acquire the content in other ways (i.e. through textbook alone).

Predicting professional school performance with a unique lens: are there other cognitive predictors?

BackgroundWe investigated the associations between admissions criteria and performance in four cohorts of pre-dental MS in Oral Health Sciences (OHS) program at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. Previously we have reported that OHS serves as a successful pre-dental pipeline program for students from underrepresented groups.MethodsWe evaluated academic variables that further affect overall graduate GPA and grades in the first year dental school courses taken by OHS students at Boston University between 2012 and 2016 as part of the MS curriculum. Demographic data, region of residency, undergraduate grade point average, number of science and math credits, major of study, dental admissions test scores and undergraduate institution were collected. The competitiveness of the undergraduate institution was scored based on Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. OHS-GPA was assessed and individual grades in two first year dental school courses taken as part of the OHS curriculum were collected. Analysis of variance, the Chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact test were utilized to assess associations between academic performance parameters, successful program completion and matriculation to dental school.ResultsResults indicate that undergraduate major, age and number of science course credits taken had no impact on MS performance in the Boston University MS in Oral Health Sciences program; however, students who took an undergraduate course in Physiology performed better than those who did not (p = 0.034). This was not the case with courses in Cell Biology and Biochemistry. Students with DAT scores over 20 academic average (p = 0.001), 18 total science average (p = 0.001) and 22 reading comprehension (p = 0.004) performed better in dental school courses taken in OHS.ConclusionWe report that strong test scores, attending a mid or highly rigorous undergraduate institution and completion of an undergraduate Physiology course are positive predictors. We hope these findings will guide admission’s decisions and improve recruitment to, and future success of, graduate student’s pursuit of professional school. Understanding alternative predictors of success may help to reduce the intrinsic bias among applicants from underrepresented groups and continue to look beyond the DATs (or MCATs) to decrease the gap between professionals from underrepresented groups and those they serve.

Using case-study based modules to promote a better understanding of evolution in an undergraduate anatomy and physiology course

ABSTRACTThe impact of evolutionary processes in understanding human health and disease is an important idea for future health professionals to understand. These students, however, typically receive little to no formal instruction in the role of evolution in not only understanding human health, but its impact on how to treat human diseases. To address this issue, we developed and implemented a case-study based learning module designed with a learning cycle implementation as part of a larger evolution across the curriculum program. The module focused on the evolution of skin color to illustrate that natural selection occurs in humans, and that the process of evolution involves tradeoffs (a balance of costs and benefits). Student understanding of the tradeoffs of natural selection was assessed through a pre- post- test design, with students answering a set of questions before instruction and again after. The modules helped improve student comprehension of natural selection, particularly for lower-performing students who were not biology majors, and for those whom reported less interest in evolution.

A survey of student engagement with multiple resources in an undergraduate physiology course: retrieve or look it up.

Retrieval practice, a deep-learning technique in which the learner attempts to recall a concept of interest from memory, has been shown to be more effective than surface-learning techniques, such as rereading a textbook. Accordingly, textbook publishers are developing supplemental resources that are purported to improve student learning outcomes by encouraging deep learning and critical thinking. The purpose of this study is to 1) survey students in a physiology course about their use of multiple course resources; and 2) assess the effect of self-reported engagement in course resources on learning outcomes, as assessed by comparing course grades. Students who had completed an undergraduate physiology course were sent an online survey about their course experience; two reminders were e-mailed. Students were asked to report their physiology course grade, satisfaction with how much they had learned, which resources they had used, and how they had completed course assignments (critical thinking exercises and online quizzes), i.e., whether they had 1) looked up answers online, 2) looked up answers in the textbook, 3) tried to figure out the answers before using the textbook, or 4) only used their recall. Categories 1 and 2 were considered nonretrieval strategies, and categories 3 and 4 were considered retrieval strategies. There was no association with the type of resource students used and course grade or course satisfaction. Students who practiced retrieval strategies achieved significantly higher course grades than students who did not for both critical thinking exercises and online quizzes.