Advances in Physiology Education最新文献

Students, accrediting bodies, and institutions are increasingly calling for educators to include planetary health (PH) in medical and health professions curricula. With the World Health Organization identifying climate change as the single biggest health threat facing humanity, health professionals must be prepared for the impacts of a changing climate, biodiversity loss, and pollution. There is an expectation that they will also need to practice sustainable and climate-resilient healthcare. Following limited beneficial outcomes in a first attempt to include PH content in an introductory Physiology subject for health sciences and medicine pathway students at an Australian university, we utilized an educational research design theory and design-based research methodology to develop, implement, and evaluate the integration of PH into a Physiology subject. Key stakeholders (students and tutors) provided ongoing feedback at regular points before, during, and at the end of the 12-week semester. Based on the findings, we offer evidence-based recommendations for integrating PH into an existing subject that avoids overloading an already busy curriculum. Recommendations include providing a clear definition of PH at the start of the semester, embedding a weekly "fact" in lecture slides, engaging learners in discussions during tutorials, linking PH concepts during hands-on practical laboratories, and establishing a dedicated PH learning objective for the subject.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Planetary health can be integrated into current medical and health professions subjects without the need to remove existing content or excessively impact staff and student time commitments. It is possible to meet student, faculty, employer, and accreditor expectations of preparing graduates to work in a changing healthcare system.

Throughout their years of education, health science graduate and professional students complete countless hours of studying and taking exams, which can elevate the stress on these students in addition to their natural strains outside of school. Identifying a method to help reduce academic stress could be critical to positively impact student health and well-being. One of the emerging methods of stress reduction in current research is the use of virtual reality (VR) with biofeedback, which is a process that allows the user to gain conscious control of otherwise unnoticed bodily functions to change autonomic nervous system control. This research aimed to investigate whether VR biofeedback could help students manage stress in an academic setting. The authors monitored the heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and self-reported stress levels in 22 health science students while they used a VR headset to complete an immersive activity that guided users in diaphragmatic breathing within a calming virtual environment. While there were no significant changes in heart rate variability (HRV) or mean arterial pressure after the VR session, participants self-reported decreased stress levels. The participants also positively evaluated the experience with the VR headset and noted that the session was calming and engaging. Future research could use a similar process to evaluate participants directly before they take an exam or complete another stressful task and assess the effect of using biofeedback on academic performance.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as an effective tool for reducing stress but has not been tested among trainees experiencing high academic pressures. Flowborne is a free VR application that guides users in diaphragmatic breathing within a calming virtual environment. Rhythmic breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to lower heart rate, anxiety, and stress. This study suggested that participants perceive VR biofeedback as a promising tool for enhancing relaxation in an academic setting. .

Due to regulatory and logistical challenges, traditional hands-on endocrine labs can be difficult to implement. Here, we provide a flexible, dry-lab/classroom data analysis activity that eliminates the need for direct blood sampling and instead focuses on teaching analytical skills and theoretical knowledge. This article presents a dry-lab/classroom-ready dataset and teaching approach that allows students to analyze the endocrine regulation of metabolism following the consumption of foods predominantly composed of fat, protein, or carbohydrates. By examining real data on blood glucose and insulin responses, students gain a deeper understanding of how macronutrient intake influences metabolic pathways. A pilot set of data (originally collected with appropriate ethical approval) is provided, showing blood glucose and insulin levels from 15 participants randomly assigned to consume a food primarily composed of either fat, protein, or carbohydrates. This dataset is intended for in-class data analysis, where students predict and interpret changes in blood glucose and insulin using statistical tests. Postprandial glucose and insulin levels increased most dramatically after carbohydrate intake, whereas protein and fat intake produced more modest increases with minimal insulin changes. These findings align with expected endocrine responses and provide a rich dataset for student exploration of metabolic regulation. Shifting from direct laboratory work to data-driven classroom analysis offers an accessible way to teach endocrine metabolism. By using real-world data, students can practice experimental design skills, interpret statistical findings, and better understand how diet influences blood glucose and insulin levels.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This teaching approach offers a dry-lab/classroom exercise style activity, presenting real-world postprandial glucose and insulin data after distinct macronutrient foods. Students can use these data to hone their analytical, critical thinking, and statistical skills, while reinforcing their conceptual understanding of endocrine regulation in a flexible classroom setting.

Frogs serve as valuable model organisms for studying physiological responses of nerve, skeletal muscle, and the heart in undergraduate biology labs. Induced hypothermia before pithing is the traditional method of euthanasia, but some veterinary guidelines discourage this practice and recommend chemical anesthesia instead. However, the most commonly used anesthetic, MS-222, may negatively interfere with physiology experiments. We sought an alternative anesthetic and tested the hypothesis that eugenol anesthesia is compatible with classroom nerve and muscle experiments on frogs. Bullfrogs were euthanized after eugenol anesthesia or chilling. Additional groups of frogs were soaked in eugenol for extended durations of 30, 60, or 90 minutes beyond reflex loss. The sciatic nerve was stimulated while the gastrocnemius force was measured using an isometric force transducer. The threshold voltage eliciting a muscle contraction and the peak isometric twitch force were recorded at 15-minute intervals for 2 hours. Eugenol reliably induced loss of reflexes in approximately 20 to 35 minutes. While eugenol increased the threshold voltage required for a muscle contraction and decreased force production, neuromuscular preparations maintained the ability to respond adequately to electrical stimulation, supporting eugenol's viability as an alternative anesthetic for classroom experiments. To further characterize the anesthetic's effects, isolated sciatic nerves were soaked in eugenol solutions and evaluated for compound action potential amplitude and action potential threshold voltage. Eugenol reduced maximum compound action potential amplitude and increased the action potential threshold voltage, with inhibitory effects dependent on the duration of exposure and reversible upon soaking in Ringer's solution.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Prior studies, including Medler in 2019 (Adv Physiol Educ 43: 69-75, 2019), have shown that the primary anesthetic used in fish and other aquatic vertebrates, MS-222, blocks nerve and muscle function and thus interferes with classroom neuromuscular physiology demonstrations in frogs. In this study, we show that eugenol anesthesia is practical and effective for classroom experiments, and we characterize the effect of eugenol on neuromuscular physiology over different anesthetic durations.

In respiratory physiology, students must have a good idea about Dalton's Law to understand the effect of water vapor pressure on the partial pressure of the respiratory gases. This illumination has two aims: the first is to introduce a student's misconception about the application of Dalton's Law in respiratory physiology, and the second is to explore the potential effect of previous incomplete knowledge on the formation of this misconception. A survey about student feedback on these topics showed that this misconception is very common, hidden, and needs to be corrected to help students learning.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Dalton's Law may provide a good example for students to highlight the existence of misconceptions and their effect on gaining new knowledge. The awareness of students about this misconception may improve their learning styles.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming educational practices, particularly in assessment. While AI may support the students in idea generation and summarization of source materials, it also introduces challenges related to content validity, academic integrity, and the development of critical thinking skills. Educators need strategies to navigate these complexities and maintain rigorous, ethical assessments that promote higher order cognitive skills. This article provides practical guidance for educators on designing take-home assessments (e.g. research-based assignments) in the AI era. This guidance was developed through a collaborative, consensus-driven process involving a consortium of three educators with diverse academic backgrounds, career stages, and perspectives on AI in education. Members, holding experience in higher education across the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, and Middle East and North Africa regions, brought varied insights into AI's role in education. The team engaged in an iterative process of refining recommendations through biweekly virtual meetings and offline discussions. Four key recommendations are presented 1) codeveloping AI literacy among students and educators, 2) designing assessments that prioritize process over output, 3) validating learning through AI-free assessments, and 4) preparing students for AI-enhanced workplaces by developing AI communication skills and promoting human-AI collaboration. These strategies emphasize ethical AI use, personalized feedback, and creativity. By adopting these approaches, educators can balance the benefits and risks of AI in assessments, fostering authentic learning while preparing students for the challenges of an AI-driven world.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This paper presents a framework to effectively design take-home assessments in the generative artificial intelligence (AI) era with four key recommendations to navigate the challenges and opportunities posed by generative AI. From codeveloping AI literacy to fostering human-AI collaboration, the strategies empower educators to promote authentic learning, critical thinking, and ethical AI use. Adaptable to various contexts, these insights help prepare students for an AI-driven future while maintaining academic rigor and integrity.

During the years 2020-2022, COVID-19-related restrictions led to fewer in-person lab offerings in Neuroscience and Biology courses, resulting in negative impacts on students' skills and confidence. In this study, we investigate the impact of a co-curricular undergraduate lab skills program, the Practical Skills Passport (PSP), on student lab confidence. PSP tasks were designed based on informal student feedback and refined via pilot testing by postgraduates with no wet lab experience. Sessions were delivered weekly during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years. The impact was evaluated using a survey of students who had attended at least one PSP session. Students at various stages of study in Neuroscience and Biology undergraduate programs attended the PSP. Survey respondents indicated that they felt their confidence in their lab skills improved following PSP attendance. Survey respondents rated the PSP positively overall and expressed interest in attending again. Attendance at the PSP peaked in the first few weeks of semester 1 in each year and declined thereafter, indicating that students are more interested in lab skills practice after returning from the summer break. Fewer students attended in 2022-2023 compared to 2021-2022, probably reflecting the return to all in-person learning as COVID-19 restrictions lifted. In general, "core" lab tasks were more popular in 2021-2022, and specialized tasks were more popular in 2022-2023.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The COVID-19 pandemic reduced opportunities for in-person lab classes, negatively impacting students' skills and confidence. We developed a co-curricular program of lab skills catch-up sessions with the aim of restoring student lab confidence during the return to in-person instruction. Here we describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of this program. Our evaluation indicates that engagement with the program positively impacted student lab confidence.

Preclinical education has traditionally focused on didactic lectures, often overlooking student engagement and clinical correlations. To address this issue, active learning methods have been introduced, though their adoption is still in its early stages. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of incorporating case-based teaching with flipped classroom methods and compare it to interactive lectures in undergraduate physiology education. A quasiexperimental study was conducted at XYZ Medical College from June to October 2023. A sample of 94 first-year medical students was divided into two groups: one with case-based teaching using the flipped classroom approach and the other with interactive lectures, each containing an equal number of high, average, and low achievers. The flipped classroom group engaged with preclass reading materials and in-class discussions using the Jigsaw method, whereas the other group participated in interactive lectures. Each group completed three sessions. Pretests and posttests were administered, and a modified "Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire" was used to collect student feedback. Posttest scores significantly improved in both groups, with the flipped classroom group showing better performance in sessions 1 [F(1,91) = 5.343, P = 0.023] and 3 [F(1,91) = 5.322, P = 0.023], regardless of sex. This group also reported greater satisfaction with workload, course organization, learning resources, and teaching methods (p < 0.05, d = 0.5-1). Integrating the flipped classroom with case-based teaching in preclinical education can significantly enhance students' active learning. This research offers valuable insights for curriculum development and instructional practices in medical education.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this article, we compare the effects of the flipped classroom (FC) and interactive lectures (ILs) in a case-based physiology teaching approach on medical students' performance and satisfaction. Our findings show that the FC significantly increased student engagement, improved the learning environment, enhanced the quality of delivery, and deepened students' understanding of the topic compared to ILs.

What if the best students, the truly curious, creative, and intellectually fearless, are the very ones quietly filtered out by the admissions process? This Personal View confronts a hard truth: the medical admissions process, hailed as rigorous and fair, systematically selects against deep thinkers. By elevating GPA, MCAT scores, and strategically curated experiences, the system rewards compliance, performance, and risk avoidance, traits antithetical to authentic learning. Premedical education has become a crucible of conformity. Students quickly learn that exploration is dangerous, ambiguity is punished, and box-checking is everything. Great students, those who read widely, think deeply, and challenge assumptions, either contort themselves into applicants or quietly walk away. The result? A profession that mistakes obedience for excellence. This piece argues that the admissions process does not just miss great minds-it repels them. The consequence is not merely academic; it's clinical. When medicine favors superficial metrics over intellectual vitality, it cultivates practitioners who fear uncertainty, avoid reflection, and cling to algorithms instead of insight. Reform cannot be cosmetic. Holistic review, in its current form, is too often symbolic rather than substantive. If we want physicians who can think beyond protocols and adapt to complexity, we must stop selecting for test-takers and start selecting for thinkers. Until then, we will keep losing our most promising minds, not because they failed the system but because the system failed them.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This Personal View exposes a harsh paradox: the very process designed to select future physicians actively repels the most intellectually vibrant minds. By rewarding risk-averse, GPA-driven box-checking, medical admissions undermine curiosity, creativity, and reflective thinking. Rather than cultivating bold, adaptive clinicians, we are grooming compliant test-takers. If medicine is to reclaim its intellectual soul, we must radically rethink what, and whom, we reward.

Video games have been used more frequently in educational settings in recent years. Research investigating the efficacy of games with an educational focus is predominantly utilized in primary and secondary school settings, but educational games with sufficient complexity could have utility in tertiary education. Minecraft Education Edition (MEE) is an immersive, three-dimensional (3-D) game where players/students have freedom to use and manipulate a variety of blocks, akin to "virtual Lego." The open-world and creative nature of MEE fosters collaborative play, and the freedom to build structures, switches, and other mechanisms allows educators to create functional and interactive models of physiological systems. This article describes how MEE was used to teach skeletal muscle and cardiac physiology to second-year university students through creation of custom-made interactive worlds. Explorations of the virtual skeletal muscle and heart were run as an on-campus activity. In the first teaching activity, a virtual 3-D interactive model was created in MEE where students activated distinct processes of skeletal muscle excitation, excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, and contraction. In the second teaching activity, a 3-D interactive model of the heart was created in MEE where students controlled each part of the cardiac cycle. Both activities were followed by a custom-made "escape room"-style quiz, followed by an in-class discussion aimed to highlight any limitations of the models. This article explores how these virtual models were created, providing a detailed description of the learning activities, and discusses the benefits, limitations, and relevant education theories of using Minecraft Education Edition in physiology teaching.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first published work exemplifying the use of Minecraft Education Edition (MEE) in tertiary-level physiology education. We describe two separate interactive teaching activities for skeletal muscle and cardiac physiology using MEE. Recommendations are provided so that educators can adapt the use of MEE virtual worlds to their own curriculum design.