Adv Physiol Educ 38: 93–95, 2014; doi:10.1152/advan.00113.2013.
Illuminations
Physiology applied to everyday: the practice of professional contextualization of physiology concepts as a way of facilitating learning Sidnei Borges and Pâmela Billig Mello-Carpes Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Submitted 25 September 2013; accepted in final form 6 December 2013
THE TEACHING OF PHYSIOLOGY is indispensable in many biological and health disciplines. Physiology is one of the major components of the curriculum in a number of life science courses, including the study of life, cells, tissues, and organisms as well as their functions (7). A bigger challenge for physiology teachers is to make physiological concepts attractive to students, particularly since students of different majors are often assigned to the same class (1). The health professional, especially, needs a foundation of contextualized learning to make learning more meaningful to them, without losing quality. This foundation depends on student-centered teaching methods that assist the student in building on previous learning to prepare to be a knowledgeable future health professional. Furthermore, since physiology is sometimes a difficult course, physiology teachers need to be conscious that different teaching-learning strategies are preferable for helping different students learn (3). United States National Science Education Standards encourages teachers to assume the roles of facilitators of student learning instead of simply imparters of knowledge. Teachers/ facilitators help students become active in their learning by developing their own questions, drawing on their own experiences, analyzing and interpreting data, and drawing their own conclusions (6). However, to be successful with this approach, teachers need to design learning experiences in which scientific investigation is the norm and not the exception (6). Thus, it is not possible to improve the learning of a majority of students without improving learning about learning for a majority of teachers (4). To understand physiology completely, students need to acquire knowledge and competencies to be able to interpret complicated problems and cases (9). Thus, pedagogies that incorporate both personal and professional aspects of the physiological concepts should improve student-teacher interactions and build a strong foundation for student learning. Traditionally, physiology has been taught as a classroom course, with a mixture of lecture and laboratory experiences to introduce concepts (2). The objective of this report is to reflect on the experience of enhancing physiology teaching with seminars to contextualize the concepts of physiology into everyday health professional practice.
stimulate student participation. Participation in the seminars was not compulsory and not limited to students in the course; thus, the seminars were broadly attended throughout the institution. When we organized this activity, we hypothesized that this innovative pedagogy would improve student motivation for learning and enhance results of student learning (7). Thus, this activity offers students of different levels and different programs in health areas by promoting an interdisciplinary experience about the importance of human physiology for their future daily lives as a health professional. A previous study (5) has concluded that students involved in interdisciplinary programs are more likely than those in a single discipline to acquire integrated perspectives to strengthen their problem solving. To enhance the interest of student by learning (8), weekly 90-min seminars were offered to students. Each seminar involved a lecture by a professor, an active health professional, or an advanced student in a health discipline. To facilitate students’ preparation for the discussion, an abstract of the lecture theme was provided on the project’s website. The lecture was followed by a discussion with the participating students with special emphasis on the relevance of physiology to the experience (Fig. 1). The aim of the seminars was to highlight the importance of physiology in evaluating/identifying health problems and defining aims and strategies for the treatment/recuperation of patients. The schedule of seminars was posted throughout the university and online on the project website at the beginning of each semester. All interested individuals had access to the schedule and abstracts of the lectures. Twenty-four seminars were offered during 2011. The topics during this series of seminars are shown in Table 1. Topics were jointly chosen by the organizer of the project and the speakers to highlight the importance of human physiology in health professional practice. After the seminars, an online questionnaire was available through Google docs to evaluate participant reactions to the presentations and discussions. Survey questions are shown in Table 2. All students who participated in the seminars were encouraged to answer the questionnaire.
Design of the Activities
Participation of undergraduate students from physical education, nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy courses was a total of 499 attendees at the seminars, with an average of 20.79 participants/session. This large number shows considerable interest from the students, since their participation was optional. Of the 499 participants, 380 students (76.15%) participated during the first semester of 2011 (January to June) and 119 students (23.85%) during the second semester (July to December). It is likely that the number of student attendees during the
Based on the principle described above, we offered seminars about human physiology related to the practice of health professionals. Seminars were offered with parallels to topics in theoretical and practical classes during extracurricular time to Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: P. B. Mello-Carpes, BR 472, km 592, PO Box 118, Uruguaiana, Rio Grando do Sul 97500-970, Brazil (e-mail:
[email protected]).
Evaluation of the Activities
1043-4046/14 Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society
93
Illuminations 94
PHYSIOLOGY APPLIED TO EVERYDAY
Table 2. Questions used in seminar evaluation surveys Question
1. What is your undergraduate course? 2. Do you think that your participation in human physiology applied the professional practice seminars contributed to your formation? 3. Do you think that the seminars contributed to your perception of the importance of physiology acting as a professional? 4. Do you think that the seminars awakened or increased your interest in basic curricular components of the first semester of your course? 5. In your opinion, were the contents approached in the seminars interesting? 6. Would you like to participate in another edition of the seminars? Why? 7. Make general comments or supply additional pertinent information.
The online questionnaire showed that the students were favorable to continuing the seminars as an application of their theoretical knowledge to professional practice. This is reinforced by the following student comments (edited for common English usage):
Fig. 1. Methodology of the seminars.
second semester of 2011 was negatively impacted by the strike by the Technical Administrator in Education, which changed the academic calendar at the university. Figure 2 shows the distribution of student attendees based on their undergraduate programs. Table 1. Topics addressed in the seminars of physiology applied to professional practice Topic
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.
Physiology in our everyday lives The importance of physiology in pharmaceutical professional practice Human physiology in the practice of respiratory physiotherapy How physiology can help me to treat a patient Physiology in scholarly context The presence of neurophysiology in the treatment of neurological patients Physiology and its insertion in the process of care Physiological alterations related to infant obesity and the consequences in short, medium, and long timeframes Physiological changes in metabolic syndrome Physiological alterations arising from pathologies and the administration of drugs Physiological characteristics of women: the important of knowing them in the integral treatment to women Movement therapy has its grounding in physiology Use of animals in physiology research and ethical questions Physiological changes related to aging The importance of physiological knowledge in the elaboration of physiotherapeutic conduct Breastfeeding and physiology Physiological bases of atherosclerosis Autonomic nervous system and cardiac frequency variability Physiological changes in the equilibrium in aging Physiological variables that influence lateral preference The importance of physiology in the formation of a physiotherapist The importance of physiology in integral assistance to children Experience as a human physiology tutor and its impact in professional practice Innovation in the human physiology teaching-learning process and seminar evaluation
. . . the seminars helped me to understand that better understanding of human physiology is better understanding of humans, and that, even though we are physiologically equal, each individual may react differently. With this knowledge I can be a better professional.
The student comments show the effectiveness of the seminar program and support the development of similar activities that correlate academic learning with future professional practice. This seminar program helped to strengthen the importance of physiological concepts to professional practice, which is reflected in the following comment: [the seminars] increased my interest in physiology a lot, because the health professional must know what happens to the patient to be treated so that better physical and psychological treatment can be offered.
The attendees also appreciated the variability of the speakers in the seminars, sometimes a health professional, sometimes a teacher or an advanced student: . . . was interesting that the presenters alternated between professors and students for the seminars.
In addition, students liked the topics. The themes were chosen with the aim of motivating the students to continue participating in the seminars after their initial participation. Students supported the
Fig. 2. Distribution of students according to their undergraduate courses.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00113.2013 • http://advan.physiology.org
Illuminations PHYSIOLOGY APPLIED TO EVERYDAY
opportunity and showed interest in participating in new versions of the project, including seminars relating other basic science courses to their future professions. Students revealed that: [the project] is very interest and enriching. . . . liked the project, because it helped me increase my knowledge for my future career. I expect the next version to further elucidate my understanding of my area.
The last comment strengthens the conclusion that physiology teachers need to search for methods that give more relevance to the concepts that we teach to enhance student learning. One student discovered “details that were not discussed in class” from participating in the seminars. Conclusions The seminar program was simple to implement, requiring only minor coordination with other professors, health professionals, and students. The number of students from different disciplines who chose to participate was impressive. The discussions about the relevance of physiology to health professional careers were meaningful. This strategy is an excellent choice to assist physiology teachers in facilitating meaningful learning by their students. In addition, the enthusiasm and satisfaction of the students for this seminar program provide evidence of the importance of relating physiological concepts to future professional careers. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors thank all undergraduate students who participated in the implementation and evaluation of the seminar program as well as the Federal University of Pampa for support and cooperation with the proposed work.
95
GRANTS This work was supported by the Federal University of Pampa. DISCLOSURES No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the author(s). AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Author contributions: S.B. and P.B.M.-C. conception and design of research; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. performed experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. analyzed data; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. interpreted results of experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. prepared figures; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. drafted manuscript; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. edited and revised manuscript; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. approved final version of manuscript. REFERENCES 1. Berg RM. “Physiological curiosity of the week”: a teaching tool to facilitate self-directed learning and student participation during a cardiovascular physiology course. Adv Physiol Educ 36: 356 –357, 2012. 2. Casotti G, Reiser-Danner L, Knabb MT. Successful implementation of inquiry-based physiology laboratories for undergraduate majors and nonmajors courses. Adv Physiol Educ 32: 286 –296, 2008. 3. Dobson JL. Learning style preferences and course performance in an undergraduate physiology class. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 308 –314, 2009. 4. Fullan MG. Turning systemic thinking on its head. Phi Delta Kappan 77: 420 – 423, 1996. 5. Ivanitskaya L, Clark D, Montgomery G, Primeau R. Interdisciplinary learning: process and outcomes. Innov High Educ 27: 95–111, 2002. 6. Jeanpierre B, Oberhauser K, Freeman C. Characteristics of professional development that effect change in secondary science teachers’ classroom practices. J Res Sci Teach 42: 668 – 690, 2005. 7. Lin YH, Liang JC, Tsai CC. Effects of different forms of physiology instruction on the development of students’ conceptions of and approaches to science learning. Adv Physiol Educ 36: 42– 47, 2012. 8. Marton F, Säljö R. On qualitative differences in learning, I: outcome and process. Br J Educ Psychol 46: 4 –11, 1976. 9. Taradi SK, Taradi M, Radi’c K, Pokrajac N. Blending problem-based learning with Web technology positively impacts student learning outcomes in acid-base physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 29: 35–39, 2005.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00113.2013 • http://advan.physiology.org
