What Do Secondary Students Really Learn during Investigations with Living Animals? Parameters for Effective Learning with Social Insects

Exemplary for social insects, Temnothorax ants allow for various hands-on investigations in biology classes. The aim of this study was to provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of secondary school students’ learning achievement after teaching units with ants lasting between one and six weeks. The questionnaires included transfer and factual knowledge tasks divided into eight fields of knowledge. Students (N = 459) from 22 classes participated in the study and received different treatments: The experimental group (n = 366) started their investigations by initial observation using stereo microscopes, while the control group (n = 93) conducted ant research without this introductory teaching unit. We investigated the influence of class level, gender and time period of participation on knowledge acquisition. Independent of class level, factual learning achievement was observed for all fields of knowledge except ecology. We did not find a positive correlation between time period of participation and basic ant knowledge acquisition. The findings suggest that ant research may be implemented within the framework of a progressive curriculum for all secondary school students. However, attentive and detailed observation of ant colonies with stereo microscopes and continuous repetition of technical terms seem to be inevitable preconditions for learning achievement.     

Student test scores are improved in a virtual learning environment

This study evaluates the effectiveness of delivering the core curriculum of an introductory neuroscience course using a software application referred to as a virtual learning interface (VLI). The performance of students in a virtual learning environment (VLE) is compared with that of students in a conventional lecture hall in which the same lecturer presented the same material. This study was not designed to determine whether grades are improved by augmenting a lecture with other information. The VLI takes advantage of audio, video, animation, and text in a multimedia computer environment. Our results indicate that raw average scores on weekly examinations were 14 percentage points higher for students in the VLE compared with those for students in a conventional lecture hall setting. Moreover, normalized test scores were over 5 points higher for students in the VLE. This analysis suggest that a core curriculum can be effectively presented to students using the VLE, thereby making it possible for faculty to spend less class time relaying facts and more time engaging students in discussion of scientific theory.     

LBL与PBL相结合的教学模式在生理学教学中的应用及效果评价

目的:探讨LBL(Lecture-based Learning)结合PBL(Problem-Based Learning)教学在生理学教学中的应用及效果。方法:以山西医科大学汾阳学院2012级影像专业本科生为研究对象,学生随机分为两个教学班(A班与B班)。A班(102人)采用LBL教学,B班(42人)采用LBL结合PBL教学。其中,B班在PBL教学中分为7个小组,每组6人。课程结束后,两班采取相同试卷考试,对考试总成绩及论述题成绩比较分析,采用DREEM量表对教育环境进行评估。结果:B班论述题成绩显著高于A班(P0.05),但两班总成绩差异无统计学意义(P0.05);DREEM量表调查显示,B班学生的学习知觉、环境知觉、社交自我知觉、教育环境评估得分显著高于A班(P0.05);两班对教师的知觉、学术自我知觉得分差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:LBL结合PBL教学可有效改善生理学教学环境,提高教学效果。     

Correlation of the summary method with learning styles

The summary is the last part of the lesson but one of the most important. We aimed to study the relationship between the preference of the summary method (video demonstration, question-answer, or brief review of slides) and learning styles. A total of 131 students were included in the present study. An inventory was prepared to understand the students' learning styles, and a satisfaction questionnaire was provided to determine the summary method selection. The questionnaire and inventory were collected and analyzed. A comparison of the data revealed that the summary method with video demonstration received the highest score among all the methods tested. Additionally, there were no significant differences between learning styles and summary method with video demonstration. We suggest that such a summary method should be incorporated into neuroanatomy lessons. Since anatomy has a large amount of visual material, we think that it is ideally suited for this summary method.     

The efficacy of interactive lecturing for students with diverse science backgrounds

Learning is an active process, and, as such, interactive lectures are considered as the educational best practice. This study investigated the efficacy of interactive lecturing in a module of eight respiratory physiology lectures in a second-year Physiology course with two distinct subcohorts: students with strong science backgrounds and those without. The comparison of student performance in the summative examinations of respiratory physiology allowed us to evaluate the efficacy of interactive lecturing for each subcohort. Formal teaching evaluations were used to gauge the students' perception of interactive lectures. To further validate our findings, we repeated the study in the following year. The introduction of interactive lecturing significantly improved learning outcomes, with this improvement being maintained for the period of this study. Furthermore, students with limited prior knowledge, who had typically performed very poorly in this module, achieved a similar learning outcome to those students with a good science background. From these summative results and the students' perceptions, we concluded that students that are alert, motivated and interested in the subject, and engaged in learning activities and that are being encouraged to think and receive constant feedback on their progress will become confident in their learning abilities and have improved learning outcomes.     

Integrating an open-source course management system (Moodle) into the teaching of a first-year medical physiology course: a case study

Educators in medical schools around the world are presently experimenting with innovative ways of using web-based learning to supplement the existing teaching and learning process. We have recently used a popular open-source course management system (CMS) called the modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (Moodle) to construct an online site (DPhysiol) to facilitate our face-to-face teaching of physiology to a group of first-year students in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program. The integration of the Moodle site into our teaching was assessed using online log activity, student examination marks, and feedback from students. The freely available Moodle platform was simple to use, helped to effectively deliver course materials, and has features that allowed cooperative learning. Students who used the CMS throughout their academic year and commented favorably regarding its use as a complement to the face-to-face classroom sessions. The group of students used the CMS obtained significantly higher scores in the final examination compared with the previous class that did not use the CMS. In addition, there was a significant correlation between student participation and performance in online quizzes and their final examination marks. However, students' overall online usage of the CMS did not correlate with their examination marks. We recommend Moodle as a useful tool for physiology educators who are interested in integrating web-based learning into their existing teaching curriculum.     

Enhancing learning objectives by use of simple virtual microscopic slides in cellular physiology and histology: impact and attitudes

The impact and perception of students on the use of a simple, low technology-driven version of a virtual microscope in teaching and assessments in cellular physiology and histology were studied. Its impact on the time and resources of the faculty were also assessed. Simple virtual slides and conventional microscopes were used to conduct the same examinations for the same students. Students performed significantly better in the examination with the virtual slide and also showed a significantly higher preference for virtual slides. The time and cost implications of conducting examinations using the simple virtual slides were reduced by >1,400%. The results reemphasize the need for the design and adoption of simple sustainable technological innovations in developing countries to bridge gaps in purposeful learning environments.     

Impact of problem-based learning in a large classroom setting: student perception and problem-solving skills

Problem-based learning (PBL) can be described as a learning environment where the problem drives the learning. This technique usually involves learning in small groups, which are supervised by tutors. It is becoming evident that PBL in a small-group setting has a robust positive effect on student learning and skills, including better problem-solving skills and an increase in overall motivation. However, very little research has been done on the educational benefits of PBL in a large classroom setting. Here, we describe a PBL approach (using tutorless groups) that was introduced as a supplement to standard didactic lectures in University of British Columbia Okanagan undergraduate biochemistry classes consisting of 45-85 students. PBL was chosen as an effective method to assist students in learning biochemical and physiological processes. By monitoring student attendance and using informal and formal surveys, we demonstrated that PBL has a significant positive impact on student motivation to attend and participate in the course work. Student responses indicated that PBL is superior to traditional lecture format with regard to the understanding of course content and retention of information. We also demonstrated that student problem-solving skills are significantly improved, but additional controlled studies are needed to determine how much PBL exercises contribute to this improvement. These preliminary data indicated several positive outcomes of using PBL in a large classroom setting, although further studies aimed at assessing student learning are needed to further justify implementation of this technique in courses delivered to large undergraduate classes.     

Students' studying and approaches to learning in introductory biology

This exploratory study was conducted in an introductory biology course to determine 1) how students used the large lecture environment to create their own learning tasks during studying and 2) whether meaningful learning resulted from the students' efforts. Academic task research from the K-12 education literature and student approaches to learning research from the postsecondary education literature provided the theoretical framework for the mixed methods study. The subject topic was cell division. Findings showed that students 1) valued lectures to develop what they believed to be their own understanding of the topic; 2) deliberately created and engaged in learning tasks for themselves only in preparation for the unit exam; 3) used course resources, cognitive operations, and study strategies that were compatible with surface and strategic, rather than deep, approaches to learning; 4) successfully demonstrated competence in answering familiar test questions aligned with their surface and strategic approaches to studying and learning; and 5) demonstrated limited meaningful understanding of the significance of cell division processes. Implications for introductory biology education are discussed.     

General practice: the DREEM attachment? Comparing the educational environment of hospital and general practice placements

The clinical learning environment is changing. General practice placements are now a fundamental part of undergraduate medical education. There is growing recognition that changes in hospital work practices are altering the breadth of exposure available to students. Surprisingly little work has been done comparing the quality of clinical placements between the hospital and community using validated tools. Such comparisons inform curriculum planning and resource allocation. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of the educational environment experienced by junior medical students during hospital and general practice placements using a widely used tool. Following the introduction of a new integrated curriculum, all Year 3 students (n=108) completed a standardised evaluation instrument, the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) at the end of each of their clinical attachments (two different hospital sites and one in general practice), giving a total of 324 questionnaires. All forms were analysed and input into Graphpad INSTAT version 3. Total DREEM scores as well as subscale scores were calculated for each site. These were compared across sites using a Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test. By comparison with international standards, clinical attachments in our new integrated curriculum were rated highly. In particular, attachments in general practice scored highly with a mean score of 156.6 and perform significantly better (P < 0.01) when compared with the mean score for hospital rotations of 149.0. Significant differences between general practice and hospital rotations exist in the domains of students' perceptions of atmosphere and students' social self-perceptions. Finally, significant differences also emerged in students' perceptions of teachers in general practice when compared to those in the hospital setting. These findings provide evidence of the high-quality educational environment afforded students in primary care. They challenge the traditional emphasis on hospital-based teaching and preempt the question - Is the community a better place for junior students to learn?     

Interactive touch-screen monitors facilitate collaborative learning of microscopy skills in an introductory-level plant biology lab

Microscopy skills are critical for many aspects of biology, yet they are notoriously difficult to teach, especially to large classes. We trialled the use of widescreen monitors with touch-screen capability connected to compound microscopes in an introductory-level plant biology lab. Working in teams, students used the screens to interpret, annotate and measure images of their sections taken through fresh leaf material. The lab progressed more rapidly than in previous years in which it was run as a traditional microscopy exercise; it was also far noisier and more congested. Students reported that they valued the size and quality of the images, and the opportunity to work collaboratively to identify the leaf’s structural features. All teams expressed a strong appreciation for the group discussions facilitated by the monitors, which presented a safe environment to bounce ideas off one another, and assisted their comprehension. The monitors were seen as an effective and time-efficient tool for collaborative learning of fundamental microscopy skills.     

Using a high-fidelity patient simulator with first-year medical students to facilitate learning of cardiovascular function curves

Students are relying on technology for learning more than ever, and educators need to adapt to facilitate student learning. High-fidelity patient simulators (HFPS) are usually reserved for the clinical years of medical education and are geared to improve clinical decision skills, teamwork, and patient safety. Finding ways to incorporate HFPS into preclinical medical education represents more of a challenge, and there is limited literature regarding its implementation. The main objective of this study was to implement a HFPS activity into a problem-based curriculum to enhance the learning of basic sciences. More specifically, the focus was to aid in student learning of cardiovascular function curves and help students develop heart failure treatment strategies based on basic cardiovascular physiology concepts. Pretests and posttests, along with student surveys, were used to determine student knowledge and perception of learning in two first-year medical school classes. There was an increase of 21% and 22% in the percentage of students achieving correct answers on a posttest compared with their pretest score. The median number of correct questions increased from pretest scores of 2 and 2.5 to posttest scores of 4 and 5 of a possible total of 6 in each respective year. Student survey data showed agreement that the activity aided in learning. This study suggests that a HFPS activity can be implemented during the preclinical years of medical education to address basic science concepts. Additionally, it suggests that student learning of cardiovascular function curves and heart failure strategies are facilitated.     

Combination of didactic lecture with problem-based learning sessions in physiology teaching in a developing medical college in Nepal

Physiology teaching as an essential part of medical education faces tremendous criticism regarding curriculum design, methods of implementation, and application of knowledge in clinical practice. In the traditional method of medical education, physiology is taught in the first year and involves little interdisciplinary interaction. The Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal (affiliated with the Kathmandu Univ.) started in 1994 and adopted an integrated curriculum drawn along the lines of the student-centered, problem-based, integrated, community-based, elective-oriented, and systematic (SPICES) medical curriculum. Here, physiology is taught for the first 2 yr of the 4.5-yr Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course. Methodology adopted is as follows. For a particular topic, objectives are clearly defined and priority content areas are identified. An overview is given in a didactic lecture class to the entire batch of 100 students. Tutorial classes are conducted thereafter with smaller groups of students (25/batch) divided further into five subgroups of five students each. In these sessions, a problem is presented to the students as a focus for learning or as an example of what has just been taught. Each problem was accompanied with relevant questions to streamline the students' thought processes. A tutor is present throughout the session not as an instructor but as a facilitator of the learning process. A questionnaire sought students' opinion on the usefulness of this approach, relevance of the combination of problem-based learning (PBL) sessions and didactic lectures in understanding a particular topic and relating clinical conditions to basic mechanisms, and improvement of performance on the university final examination. The majority of the students opined that the combination of didactic lectures and PBL sessions was definitely beneficial regarding all the above-mentioned aspects of learning. The university results corroborated their opinion. Thus it may be considered that a judicious mixture of didactic lectures and PBL sessions is beneficial as a teaching module of physiology in medical schools.     

The effect of active learning on student characteristics in a human physiology course for nonmajors

This study investigated the effect of active-learning strategies on college students' achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy in a human physiology course for nonmajors. Variables were studied via a quasi-experimental, Solomon four-group design on 141 students at a small west-Texas university. Treatment groups were taught using a continuum-based, active-learning model implemented over the course of a semester. Control groups were taught using traditional didactic lecture methods. To assess the effects of the continuum-based active learning strategies, students were administered a comprehensive physiology content exam, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and attitude surveys. Factorial analyses indicated that the treatment groups acquired significantly more content knowledge and were significantly more self-efficacious than students in the control groups. There were no significant differences in motivation. Attitude surveys indicated that students in both the treatment and control groups demonstrated a positive attitude toward active learning, believed it helped (or would help) them to learn the material, and would choose an active learning course in the future.     

Combination of didactic lectures and case-oriented problem-solving tutorials toward better learning: perceptions of students from a conventional medical curriculum

The Department of Physiology of Pramukhswami Medical College at Anand, Gujarat, India, started using problem-based learning in a modified way along with didactic lectures to improve students' understanding and motivate them toward self-directed study. After the didactic lectures were taken for a particular system, clearly defined short clinical problems related to that system were given to the students in the tutorial classes. Each tutor was assigned three to four groups of five to six students each. Problems were accompanied with relevant questions so as to streamline the thought processes of the first-year undergraduates. The tutor then facilitated the study process, and the students discussed among themselves to derive their solutions. At the end of the sessions, feedback was taken from the students through a planned questionnaire on a three-point scale. Of a total of 278 students over a span of 3 yr from 1999 to 2002, 74.4% of students favored a judicious mixture of didactic lectures and case-oriented problem solving in tutorial classes to be an efficient modality in understanding a system under study, and 84% of students stated the mixture of didactic lectures and case-oriented problem solving to be beneficial in relating a clinical condition to the basic mechanism; 82% of students believed that this module helped with better interactions among their batch mates, and 77.2% of students hoped to perform better in the university examination due to this new teaching/learning modality. They also expressed that this gave them ample motivation to do self-directed learning. It may therefore be concluded from the results of the present study that it is possible to have a problem-based learning module in the form of case-oriented problem-solving tutorials coexistent with the traditional didactic lecture module in the first year of medical education under a conventional curriculum.     

Linking cardiovascular theory to practice in an undergraduate medical curriculum

Case-based teaching (CBT) tutorials were introduced by the Physiology Department at Adelaide University to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the early years of undergraduate medical education. With the use of a clinical case-based environment, CBT aimed to achieve integration of structure-function relationships and an increase in students' capacity to apply a physiological understanding to clinical observations/symptoms and data. With peer-peer interactions in small groups, students could trial history taking and examination skills, interpret common investigations, and relate their findings to an understanding of structure and function. Here, the cardiovascular tutorials highlight the centrality of an understanding of structure and function in the evaluation of a case of syncope. An independent evaluation of the students' learning experience demonstrated that CBT tutorials were successful in their aims. The "hands-on" experience was highly rated, with students reporting that the CBT approach gave relevance to structure and function. Whatever the curriculum learning style, underpinning practice with an understanding of theory remains a desirable feature of medical education.     

Move,Stop, Learn: Illustrating Mitosis through Stop-Motion Animation

Learning about microscopic things, such as cells, can often be mundane to students because they are not able to see or manipulate what they are learning about. Students often recall learning about cell division through memorization—thus they find it tedious and dull. Few opportunities exist that allow students to explore and manipulate cells or the process of cellular division. This activity attempts to combat the monotony that is often associated with learning mitosis by engaging students in creating a stop-motion animation video using iPads. Our students found the activity fun, enjoyed it more than learning mitosis through traditional methods, and believed making the video helped them understand cell division.     

Student-generated instructional videos facilitate learning through positive emotions

The central focus of this study is a learning method in which university students produce instructional videos about the content matter as part of their learning process, combined with other learning assignments. The rationale for this is to promote a more multimodal pedagogy, and to provide students opportunities for a more learner-centred, motivating, active, engaging and productive role in their learning process. As such we designed a ‘video course’ where the students needed to produce an instructional video which could be used for university teaching. In addition to producing the video, the students needed to write a literature review of the topic of the video and a learning journal. At the end of the course the students filled a questionnaire regarding their learning and emotions during the project. Based on the students’ subjective answers, it appeared that producing a video, combined with writing the literature review can be an efficient way of learning. Most students found the project emotionally very positive and regarded it motivating to work on a video which they knew will have use in the future. This research suggests that a multimodal video project in a higher education setting enhances learning through increased motivation and positive emotions.     

Prevalence of blood circulation misconceptions among prospective elementary teachers

Research shows that misconceptions about human blood circulation and gas exchange persist across grade levels. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to investigate the prevalence and persistence of blood circulation misconceptions among prospective elementary teachers and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of learning activities for discovering what students know and can explain about blood circulation and lung function. The context was an undergraduate introduction to biology course taught by two professors across three semesters at a state university. Independent reviewers identified five categories of erroneous ideas about blood circulation. Many categories still presented problems to students at the end of the course: 70% of prospective elementary teachers did not understand the dual blood circulation pathway, 33% were confused about blood vessels, 55% had wrong ideas about gas exchange, 19% had trouble with gas transport and utilization, and 20% did not understand lung function. Results show that an interview about a drawing as a final exam was significantly better at revealing different errors and a higher frequency of erroneous ideas compared with an essay exam. There is an urgent need for instructional tools to help undergraduate students realize the discrepancies between their own ideas about blood circulation and those of the scientific community.     

Digital game design-based STEM activity: Biodiversity example

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to design a digital game design-based STEM activity for fifth-grade students learning about endangered organisms and significance of biodiversity for living. This activity was carried out with twenty students in a public school in Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey during academic year of 2018–2019 spring term. This study planned as eight-lesson time (8?×?40?minutes) and completed at this lesson time. The students were given the digital game design challenge in real-life problem context that has been created based on design-based science learning and for which they shall use their knowledge and skills in each of the STEM disciplines. During this design challenge, students worked like a scientist and an engineer. They carried out scientific research and inquiry process in the science discipline, understood the engineering design process in the engineering discipline, established mathematical relations in the mathematics discipline, learned how to make coding in the technology discipline, and used this knowledge and skills thus acquired in their suggested solutions for the design challenge. They designed a digital game by coding and presented science knowledge and skills that acquired from inquiry process.