The dissemination of discipline-focused educational scholarship advances theory and stimulates pedagogical application. The aim of Advances in Physiology Education is to publish manuscripts that advance knowledge and inform educators in the field. This primer is tailored for individuals new to manuscript reviewing, early in their careers, or experienced in reviewing research but not educational manuscripts. Peer reviewing for basic and applied science is akin to evaluating research questions and rigor in teaching and learning studies, with differences in approach and analysis similar to those between biophysics and molecular physiology or cell and integrated physiology. Our purpose is to provide an overview of the review process and expectations. The submission and peer review process involves several steps: authors submit a manuscript, the Editor assigns an Associate Editor, who then assigns peer Reviewers. Reviewers are contacted via email and can accept or decline the invitation. Reviewers evaluate the work's strengths and weaknesses, then independently submit comments and recommendations to the Associate Editor. After review, the Associate Editor collects and weighs Reviewers' comments, sometimes garners additional reviews and input, to make a recommendation to the Editor. The Editor reviews the process, comments, and recommendations to render a final decision. Both authors and Reviewers receive an email with the decision. The editorial staff assist with communication and help track the overall process. Peer review is integral to scientific publishing, ensuring quality and rigor, and reviewing is both a privilege and a responsibility of all in the scientific community.
Many publications describe use of ultrasound imaging in teaching on clinical courses, primarily integrated with clinical applications. More recently there has been increasing numbers of papers describing ultrasound as a tool primarily for teaching basic anatomy and physiology concepts, rather than clinical applications. Of these, many described qualitative analysis with a consensus that its use was viewed very positively by students for aiding learning. Far fewer studies have attempted quantitative analysis to support this belief, and conclusions have been varied. A review of studies was conducted which included those that used ultrasound to teach physiology and anatomy concepts. Studies were excluded if they did not contain quantitative or qualitative assessment of efficacy. Medline and Embase databases were searched (16/11/22) and screened by two independent reviewers. Forty-six studies were included, with data extracted relating to cohort characteristics, ultrasound intervention, quantitative or qualitative assessments and any barriers to implementation. It was confirmed that both student and teacher opinions are extremely favourable in most cases. Although conclusions from quantitative studies were not as clear, there was evidence that ultrasound is at least as effective as more conventional teaching methods and could have significantly better performances in short-term assessments. However, varied methods of teaching intervention, experimental protocols and assessment of learning may have contributed to the lack of clarity. Within this context, some of the problems encountered with implementing ultrasound as an educational tool (such as financial and temporal constraints), and in conducting more definitive studies, are discussed.
In 1924, at the University Hospital of Jena, Hans Berger first recorded an electrical brain signal in humans. This discovery revolutionized clinical neuroscience and neurotechnology, as it contributed to both electrophysiology and the development of the electroencephalogram (EEG). The manuscript provides a historical overview of Hans Berger's seminal contributions, highlighting the importance of his early recordings, the motivations that drove him, and the scientific problems he had to initiate and solve, in a historical context of profoundly changing circumstances. He also faced low acceptance of his works initially, and only belatedly did they become accepted by the scientific community. Berger was known to be a humble but tenacious person who believed in his convictions to the core, and this strength of will is an example of passion for students and scholars of neuroscience.
Student engagement while learning a new, unfamiliar vocabulary is challenging in health science courses. A group role-play activity was created to teach students medical terminology and learn why its correct usage is important. This activity brought engagement and relevance to a topic traditionally taught through lecture and rote memorization and led to the development of an undergraduate and a stand-alone introductory course to teach students medical terminology. The undergraduate course was designed to be a fully online medical terminology course for health science students and a face-to-face course for first-year dental students founded in active learning and group work. The course's centerpiece learning activity focused on using published case studies with role-play. In this group activity, students are challenged to interpret a published patient case study as one of the members of a healthcare team. This course models the group work inherent in modern health care to practice building community and practicing professional skills. This approach gives students the capacity to work asynchronously in a team-based approach using our learning management system's wiki tool and requires students to take responsibility for their learning and group dynamics. Students practice identification, writing, analyzing, and speaking medical terms while rotating through the roles. Students in both classes self-reported a 92% to 99% strong or somewhat agreement using a five-point Likert scale that the course pedagogy was valued and helpful in their learning of medical terminology. Overall, this method has proven to be an engaging way for students to learn medical terminology.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Role-play can engage students and encourage learning in identification, pronouncing, writing, and understanding medical terminology in multiple course formats.
An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The rising prevalence of adolescent obesity necessitates innovative educational strategies that effectively engage high school students in understanding the complex physiologic mechanisms and nutrition concepts underlying its development. This submission presents a session that is designed to integrate the physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. Foundational information about the different food ingredients and physiology of the gastrointestinal organ system followed by concepts associated with the development of obesity and its complications were introduced. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches such as a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activities by two discipline experts, physiology and nutrition. This innovative approach was well received, as evidenced by high satisfaction rates among participants. While direct measures of critical thinking and practical skills development were not captured, the positive feedback suggests that students appreciated the engaging, hands-on application of theoretical concepts. The sessions fostered an awareness of personal health responsibilities, with students actively participating and connecting learned material with practical scenarios. We believe that using combined educational approaches in interdisciplinary team-teaching sessions promotes inclusiveness and interactive engagement and enhances long-life learning.NEW & NOTEWORTHY An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The session aimed to integrate physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches including a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activity that are guided by combined learning theories such as dialogism, narrative, theories of engagement, and multimedia active learning.
Laboratory practicals in life science subjects are traditionally assessed by written reports that reflect disciplinary norms for documenting experimental activities. However, the exclusive application of this assessment has the potential to engage only a narrow range of competencies. In this study, we explored how multiple modes of laboratory assessment might affect student perceptions of learned skills in a life science module. We hypothesized that while a mixture of assessments may not impact student summative performance, it might positively influence student perceptions of different skills that varied assessments allowed them to practice. This was informed by universal design for learning and teaching for understanding frameworks. In our study, in a third-year Bioscience program, written reports were complemented with group presentations and online quizzes via Moodle. Anonymous surveys evaluated whether this expanded portfolio of assessments promoted awareness of, and engagement with, a broader range of practical competencies. Aspects that influenced student preferences in assessment mode included time limitations, time investment, ability to practice new skills, links with lecture material, and experience of assessment anxiety. In particular, presentations were highlighted as promoting collaboration and communication and the quiz as an effective means of diversifying assessment schedules. A key takeaway from students was that while reports were important, an overreliance on them was detrimental. This study suggests that undergraduate life science students can benefit significantly from a holistic assessment strategy that complements reports with performance-based approaches that incorporate broader competencies and allow for greater student engagement and expression in undergraduate modules.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study suggests that undergraduate life science students can benefit significantly from a holistic assessment strategy that complements reports with performance-based approaches that incorporate broader competencies and allow for greater student engagement and expression in undergraduate modules.
The movement of air into and out of the lungs is facilitated by changes in pressure within the thoracic cavity relative to atmospheric pressure, as well as the resistance encountered by airways. In this process, the movement of air into and out of the lungs is driven by pressure gradients established by changes in lung volume and intra-alveolar pressure. However, pressure never sucks! The concept that pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes encapsulates a fundamental principle in the behavior of gases. This concept challenges common misconceptions about pressure, shedding light on the dynamic forces that govern the movement of gases. In this Illumination, we explore the essence of this concept and its applications in pulmonary ventilation. Pressure is one of the most important concepts in physics and physiology. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is equal to 1 atmosphere or around 101,325 Pascal [Pa (1 Pa = 1 N/m2)]. This huge pressure is pushing down on everything all the time. However, this pressure is difficult to understand because we do not often observe the power of this incredible force. We used five readily available, simple, and inexpensive demonstrations to introduce the physics and power of pressure. This extraordinarily complex physics concept was approached in a straightforward and inexpensive manner while still providing an understanding of the fundamental concepts. These simple demonstrations introduced basic concepts and addressed common misconceptions about pressure.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The concept that pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes challenges common misconceptions about pressure, shedding light on the dynamic forces that govern the movement of gases. In this Illumination, we will explore the essence of this concept and its applications in pulmonary ventilation. Specifically, we used five readily available, simple, inexpensive demonstrations to introduce the physics and power of pressure.
Much of the research on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students' motivation measures the relationship between student motivation and academic outcomes, focusing on the student's mindset. Our mixed-methods research takes a different approach and considers the relationship between student motivation and instructional practices. Teaching practices and student motivation were analyzed simultaneously in undergraduate Biology classes using a self-determination theory-based survey to measure students' motivation during courses that were observed using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS), and observation notes were collected to document instructor and student behaviors. Quantitative data were used to differentiate students' motivational levels, and qualitative data were collected to describe how instructors use specific teaching practices. The results provide a lens into how students' intrinsic motivation varies alongside the instructional practices and interactions in these classes. We found a correlation between higher levels of student motivation in interactive lectures and student-centered teaching profiles. This study highlights how the same practice can be implemented by multiple instructors with varying student motivation scores, pointing out the importance of fidelity to evidence-based instructional practice methods. The results of this study are discussed in the context of published empirical studies examining evidence-based instructional practices that are conceptually supportive of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Active learning practices observed in this study correlated to positive learning outcomes are discussed and may serve as a guide for instructors interested in implementing specific active learning practices. Recommendations for instructors and departments that are interested in flexible methods to monitor progress toward active learning practices in biology and other STEM disciplines by combining the COPUS and self-determination survey results are presented.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study uses a novel combination of instruments to describe students' intrinsic motivation in response to teaching practices. Findings demonstrate that active learning methods may support higher student motivation. Recommendations drawn from the study include using a variety of active learning methods, using evidence-based instructional methods with fidelity, and monitoring the students' affective response to those methods. Alignment of active learning practices to the components of self-determination may result in higher quality student motivation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.