Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology
Jena Trench
OFAR inspired me to completely redesign my online asynchronous Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology course. On this page you will find samples and Canvas Commons resources, please feel free to adopt and adapt!
Liquid Syllabus
Over the past two semesters, I developed a liquid syllabus Google Site. This site is available to students before they start the semester. I also updated the language to be more inclusive, added video and bitmojis to humanize the site, and developed course policies that are more student-centric. Here's the link:
OER Course
My course is ZTC and openly licensed. I use the LibreText Human Biology and supplement the text with content I developed for the class. I have published my entire course on Canvas Commons with a CC-BY-NC-SA license. I've included the Commons link below:
Group Project
The group project is intended to help students prepare for their careers in Allied Health by studying a common disease/illness that disproportionately impacts members of our community. The group project helps students develop information literacy. It also helps students develop patient education materials. Students also develop social media posts that explore the disproportionate impacts of a disease on certain groups as well as biases that can affect the diagnosis and treatment of those diseases. I plan to use submitted deliverables from the group project as learning objects for future semesters.
STEM Inspiration
A CRC colleague developed an inspiring Commons Resource that profiles people in STEM from diverse backgrounds or who faced adversity during their education. My students review a few of these profiles and them partcipate in a reflection discussion. Students have told me that this discussion was their favorite discussion of the class, and I plan to include more next term!
Journaling/Metacognition
Over the course of the semester, students engage in a few metacognitive activities. At the beginning of the semester, they
Backward Design & TILTing Assessments
When I developed my course, I used a backward design approach. First I identified the learning objectives for each unit, then developed assessments (before developing the content). My assignment instructions typically follow the TILT framework and include the purpose, task, and criteria for success in the instructions. Here's an example: YouTube Discussion
Using Padlets to Develop A Supportive Learning Community
To nuture an inclusive learning environment, I ask students to contribute to a Community Norms Padlet (shown below) at the beginning of the semester. Open the Padlet in a new page to see all of the encouraging comments they left for each other. Later in the semester, I ask students to engage in a Roses, Thorns, and Buds Padlet. Like the Community Norms Padlet, students often leave words of encouragement and support for their peers.