The use of team-based, guided inquiry learning to overcome educational disadvantages in learning human physiology: a structural equation model

A multi-year evaluation of medical student performance on and perceptions of collaborative gross anatomy laboratory examinations

Collaborative testing and its benefits have been reported in diverse disciplines across different types of academic institutions. However, there has been minimal research conducted on collaborative assessments in medical schools, particularly in the gross anatomy laboratory. The objectives of this study were to explore the effect of collaborative anatomy laboratory examinations on student performance and to gauge student perceptions of this assessment format. This study examined five academic years of medical students' performance on a two-stage, collaborative anatomy laboratory examination wherein each student's overall score was a weighted combination of scores from the individual and team examination. Analyses of a descriptive survey capturing students' perceptions of the assessment method were also performed. Individual examination averages increased since implementing the collaborative assessment (p < 0.001), and team examination averages were higher than individual examination averages (p < 0.001). Teams outperformed each of their team members 98% of the time. Teams had a greater than 0.90 incidence of answering a question correctly if more than one person in the group got the answer correct on the individual portion, and a 0.66 incidence of answering correctly if only one person in their group answered correctly on the individual portion. Student feedback identified the discussions and learning that took place during the team portion to be a beneficial feature of this assessment format. Students also reported that this collaborative assessment made them feel a higher level of responsibility to perform well, and that it improved their understanding of gross anatomy.

Active learning assignment: Legos and coins to explain glucose metabolism

This article describes an assignment used in an undergraduate Advanced Exercise Physiology course for seniors. Students' backgrounds in chemistry varied from adequate to almost nonexistent. This presented several challenges for teaching and students' understanding of aerobic oxidation of a glucose molecule. This article presents an assignment for an active-learning team-based approach in the classroom and the adapted version for virtual learning. Students in active, team-based learning were asked to create a short video of glucose oxidation using Lego bricks, coins, or other toys to represent the glucose molecule, the by-products, and the enzymes involved in each pathway. During virtual learning, the assignment was modified to create a video independently in both synchronous and asynchronous course sections. Based on students' responses to an instructor-developed survey on their perceptions of the assignment, 71% reported that the assignment was helpful to understand glucose metabolism.

Winter School on sEMG Signal Processing: An Initiative to Reduce Educational Gaps and to Promote the Engagement of Physiotherapists and Movement Scientists With Science

The application of surface electromyography (sEMG) in neurology is sometimes limited by a scientific background in the use of sEMG. Students frequently use sEMG only when developing their graduate studies. To reduce these barriers, we promoted a free Winter School on sEMG to Latin American students. The school was a 3-day event with theoretical classes and computer programming in Matlab. Lectures were delivered in Portuguese and Spanish to 50 participants. All lectures were recorded and made available on YouTube®. After the School, participants completed a written exam to receive a certificate. The written exam revealed the average effectiveness of 71 ± 20% in the comprehension of topics addressed during the school. Participants rated the School as “excellent” and considered the event as having changed their thoughts about the use of sEMG. Limited mathematical skills or background were the main barriers identified to follow the lectures and to make use of sEMG. We conclude that the Winter School had a positive impact on participant's formation, especially by showing them the importance of continuous involvement with the concepts related to sEMG to become proficient in its use. From the participant's point of view, the activity was excellent and the follow up of the school on YouTube® suggests that combining face-to-face activities followed by the online availability of lectures is a valid strategy to reinforce the learning process and to reduce barriers in the use of sEMG. Whether similar results would be achieved for a paid registration event in an economically developing region, still requires further investigation.

The impact of flipped classroom andragogy on student assessment performance and perception of learning experience in two advanced physiology subjects

Flipped classroom teaching has been used by many educators to promote active learning in higher education. This andragogy is thought to increase student engagement by making them more accountable for their learning and increase time on task in the classroom. While there are several systematic reviews that point to improved student results, it remains unclear if flipped classrooms have positive learning effects in physiology education. Flipped classroom teaching was introduced in two advanced physiology subjects (advanced neuroscience, semester 1, and cardiorespiratory and renal physiology, semester 2). Changing the mode of content delivery reduced the time students needed to spend listening to lectures by one-third, without sacrificing either learning content or academic standards. Higher pass rates were observed with larger number of students earning distinction and high-distinction grades. Statistically significant improvements in final grades were observed from both subjects (semester 1: 2017, 49.28 ± 20.16; 2018, 53.29 ± 19.77, t₂₆₈ = 2.058, P = 0.0405; semester 2: 2017, 58.87 ± 21.19; 2018, 67.91 ± 20.40, t₁₁₁ = 2.306, P = 0.023). Finally, students' perception of their learning experience remained at or above the university benchmarks (median score of >80% for all iterations of the subjects). While the most frequent and persistent area that students suggested could be improved was reduction of content, equal numbers of students commented that no improvement in the subjects was required. Despite the generally positive attitude to recorded didactic teaching content, classroom attendance remained very low, and students did not engage with the active learning content. This suggest that more emphasis needs to be placed on promoting class attendance by developing better active learning content.

A conceptual model for students' satisfaction with team-based learning using partial least squares structural equation modelling in a faculty of life sciences, in the United Kingdom

PURPOSE

Students' satisfaction is an essential element in higher education. This study aimed to identify paths and predictive power of students' satisfaction during team-based learning (TBL) activities in the faculty of life sciences using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

METHODS

In 2018-2019, at the University of Sussex (Falmer, UK), 180 life science students exposed to TBL were invited to participate in the study. Team-Based-Learning-Student-Assessment-Instrument was used. A conceptual model was developed for testing six hypotheses. H1: What was the effect of TBL on student satisfaction? H2: What was the effect of lectures on student satisfaction? H3: What was the effect of TBL on accountability? H4: What was the effect of lectures on accountability? H5: What was the effect of accountability on student satisfaction? H6: What were the in-sample and out-of-sample predictive power of the model? The analysis was conducted using the PLS-SEM approach.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine students participated in the study giving a 55% response rate. Confirmatory tetrad analysis suggested a reflective model. Construct reliability, validity, average extracted variance, and discriminant validity were confirmed. All path coefficients were positive, and 5 were statistically significant (H1: β=0.587, P<0:001; H2: β=0.262, P<0.001; H3: β=0.532, P<0.001; H4: β=0.063, P=0.546; H5: β=0.200, P=0.002). The in-sample predictive power was weak for Accountability, (R2=0.303; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.117-0.428; P<0.001) and substantial for Student Satisfaction (R2=0.678; 95% CI, 0.498-0.777; P<0.001). The out-of-sample predictive power was moderate.

CONCLUSION

The results have demonstrated the possibility of developing and testing a TBL conceptual model using PLS-SEM for the evaluation of path coefficients and predictive power relative to students' satisfaction.

A combination of active learning strategies improves student academic outcomes in first-year paramedic bioscience

Bioscience is a foundational unit (subject) of undergraduate allied health degree programs, providing students the scientific basis underpinning their clinical practice. However, despite its significance, bioscience is a difficult academic hurdle for many students to master. The introduction of active learning strategies, including small team-based guided-inquiry learning approaches, has been shown to significantly reduce this hurdle and improve assessment outcomes for the learner. Guided team-based activities can aid in this approach by also building broader skills and capabilities, like teamwork and communication, as well as subject-specific knowledge and skills, thereby positively influencing student assessment outcomes. This paper details the redesign and evaluation of two first-year Bioscience for Paramedics units with the introduction of guided-inquiry learning, as well as other active learning strategies, and assesses their impact on student performance. Results indicate that active learning used within a classroom and in the large lecture theater setting improved students' grades with positive student perception of their learning experience.

Using collaborative two-stage examinations to address test anxiety in a large enrollment gateway course

Large enrollment foundational courses are perceived as "high stakes" because of their potential to act as barriers for progression to the next course or admittance to a program. The nature of gateway courses makes them ideal settings to explore the relationship between anxiety, pedagogical interventions, and student performance. Here, two-stage collaborative examinations were implemented to improve test-taking skills and address widespread test anxiety in an introductory human anatomy course. Test anxiety data were collected (using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire) before the first examination and last examination. Most students experienced decreased test anxiety over the course of the semester; however, some students may have experienced performance limiting conditions due to test anxiety at the end of the semester based on academic ability in the course (in "C" students when compared to "A" students: P < 0.00006 and "B" students: P < 0.05), overall academic ability (in academically weaker students: P < 0.025), and demographic factors (in women: P < 0.025). The strongest performances on examinations were primarily observed in already academically strong students (mean individual performance: P < 0.000, mean group performance: P < 0.000). Furthermore, changes in test anxiety were not significantly associated with the group portion of the examinations. Patterns of changes in test anxiety over the course of the semester underscore a complex interaction between test anxiety, student background, and student performance. Results suggest that pathways for test anxiety in "high stakes" courses may be separate from the mechanisms responsible for the benefits of collaborative testing. Anat Sci Educ 10: 409-422. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Student perceptions and learning outcomes of blended learning in a massive first-year core physiology for allied health subjects

Evidence shows that factors contributing to success in physiology education for allied health students at universities include not only their high school achievement and background but also factors such as confidence with their teachers and quality of their learning experience, justifying intensive and continued survey of students' perceptions of their learning experience. Here we report data covering a 3-yr period in a physiology subject that has been redesigned for blended and online presentation. Consistent with previous reports, we show that when we undertook a blended mode of delivery, students demonstrated better grades than traditional modes of teaching; however the absence of didactic teaching in this subject resulted in lower grades overall. Students have very strong positive attitudes to weekly quizzes (80% positive approval) but report ambivalent attitudes to online self-directed learning (61% negative perception), even though they had 2-h weekly facilitated workshops. Overwhelmingly, students who undertook the subject in a self-directed online learning mode requested more face-to-face-teaching (70% of comments). From these data, we suggest that there is a quantifiable benefit to didactic teaching in the blended teaching mode that is not reproduced in online self-directed learning, even when face-to-face guided inquiry-based learning is embedded in the subject.

Do collaborative practical tests encourage student-centered active learning of gross anatomy?

Benefits of collaborative testing have been identified in many disciplines. This study sought to determine whether collaborative practical tests encouraged active learning of anatomy. A gross anatomy course included a collaborative component in four practical tests. Two hundred and seven students initially completed the test as individuals and then worked as a team to complete the same test again immediately afterwards. The relationship between mean individual, team, and difference (between team and individual) test scores to overall performance on the final examination (representing overall learning in the course) was examined using regression analysis. The overall mark in the course increased by 9% with a decreased failure rate. There was a strong relationship between individual score and final examination mark (P < 0.001) but no relationship for team score (P = 0.095). A longitudinal analysis showed that the test difference scores increased after Test 1 which may be indicative of social loafing and this was confirmed by a significant negative relationship between difference score on Test 4 (indicating a weaker student) and final examination mark (P < 0.001). It appeared that for this cohort, there was little peer-to-peer learning occurring during the collaborative testing and that weaker students gained the benefit from team marks without significant active learning taking place. This negative outcome may be due to insufficient encouragement of the active learning strategies that were expected to occur during the collaborative testing process. An improved understanding of the efficacy of collaborative assessment could be achieved through the inclusion of questionnaire based data to allow a better interpretation of learning outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 9: 231-237. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Using paper presentation breaks during didactic lectures improves learning of physiology in undergraduate students

Many studies have emphasized the incorporation of active learning into classrooms to reinforce didactic lectures for physiology courses. This work aimed to determine if presenting classic papers during didactic lectures improves the learning of physiology among undergraduate students. Twenty-two students of health information technology were randomly divided into the following two groups: 1) didactic lecture only (control group) and 2) didactic lecture plus paper presentation breaks (DLPP group). In the control group, main topics of gastrointestinal and endocrine physiology were taught using only the didactic lecture technique. In the DLPP group, some topics were presented by the didactic lecture method (similar to the control group) and some topics were taught by the DLPP technique (first, concepts were covered briefly in a didactic format and then reinforced with presentation of a related classic paper). The combination of didactic lecture and paper breaks significantly improved learning so that students in the DLPP group showed higher scores on related topics compared with those in the control group (P < 0.001). Comparison of the scores of topics taught by only the didactic lecture and those using both the didactic lecture and paper breaks showed significant improvement only in the DLPP group (P < 0.001). Data obtained from the final exam showed that in the DLPP group, the mean score of the topics taught by the combination of didactic lecture and paper breaks was significantly higher than those taught by only didactic lecture (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the combination of paper presentation breaks and didactic lectures improves the learning of physiology.

Self-efficacy and relevance of bioscience for nursing, midwifery and healthcare students

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To examine nursing, midwifery and allied healthcare students' self-efficacy for science, perceived relevance of bioscience to their studies and expectations for academic success and the changes that occur after completing first-year introductory bioscience subjects.

BACKGROUND

Bioscience is a foundation subject that underpins nursing, midwifery and other allied health courses. Bioscience subjects continue to be source of anxiety for students in those courses. Raising students' self-efficacy and perceptions of the importance and utility of bioscience to practice may be a way of ameliorating students' expectations and confidence in this subject area.

DESIGN

A prospective correlational survey design.

METHODS

Students were surveyed in the first semester of first year and the commencement of the second year. Students were drawn from nursing, midwifery, public health and allied health courses. The surveys contained scales for self-efficacy for science, perceived relevance of bioscience to their course and personal expectations for success in their bioscience subject.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven and 82 students completed survey 1 and 2 respectively. Twenty-six surveys could be matched. Self-efficacy increased from survey 1 to survey 2, but expectations for academic success and task value, a measure for relevance, were lower. This was statistically significant for the matched pair sample. Using a mean split, students with high self-efficacy valued science more and had higher expectations for success in their bioscience courses than those with low self-efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Academic success in bioscience, confidence undertaking science tasks and perceiving bioscience as relevant to their course are interwoven concepts that are important for nursing, midwifery and applied healthcare students and ultimately for their professional practice.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Literature indicates practitioners may not feel confident in their bioscience knowledge. Assisting undergraduate students to develop confidence in and perceive the relevance of bioscience to their discipline may ultimately impact on clinical practice.