• Presenter: Dr. Keenan Noyes, Michigan State University

• References and Resources

• Presenter: Dr. Casey Self, University of Washington and Dr. Jennifer Doherty, Michigan State University

• References and Resources

• Presenter: Dr. Janet Bester-Meredith, University of Washington

• References and Resources

  • Janet introduced us to Pear Deck, an interactive tool https://www.peardeck.com/pricing 

• Presenter: Dr. Casey Self, University of Washington

• References and Resources

  • https://sites.google.com/view/anatomyforchange 

  • 
    

• Presenter: Dr. Justin Schaffer, Colorado School of Mines & Recombinant Education

• References and Resources

  • Our brainstormed list of teaching strategies 

  • There are also many papers with great ideas linked in the presentation!

• Presenters:  Dr. Dawn Tamarkin, National University, and Dr.  Melinda Riccitelli, MiraCosta College

• References and Resources

  • Worksheet from presentation on membrane transport and osmosis

    • Membrane Transport

    • Understanding Osmosis

• Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Doherty, Michigan State University

• References and Resources

  • High altitude adaptation

    • Scott, G. R., Hawkes, L. A., Frappell, P. B., Butler, P. J., Bishop, C. M., & Milsom, W. K. (2015). How bar-headed geese fly over the Himalayas. Physiology, 30(2), 107-115. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00050.2014 

    • Mice: Teaching video and module: The Science of an Extreme Animal Athlete https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/science-extreme-animal-athlete 

    • Mice: Teaching module "Hemoglobin Function and Variation in Wild Populations" https://aimup.unm.edu/for-educators/Hemoglobin-function-variation.html 

  • Haskel-Ittah, M. (2023). Explanatory black boxes and mechanistic reasoning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 60(4), 915–933. doi: 10.1002/tea.21817

  • Bachtiar, R. W., Meulenbroeks, R. F. G., & Joolingen, W. R. van. (2022). Mechanistic reasoning in science education: A literature review. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(11), em2178. doi: 10.29333/ejmste/12512

• Presenter: Dr. Tara Slominski from North Dakota State University 

• References and Resources

  • Momsen, J., Speth, E. B., Wyse, S., & Long, T. (2022). Using systems and systems thinking to unify biology education. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 21(2), es3. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.21-05-0118 

• Presenter: Dr. Mark Barsoum from Davidson College

• References and Resources

• Presenter: Dr. Greg Crowther from Everett Community College

• References and Resources

  • Crowther, G. J., & Knight, T. A. (2023). Using Test Question Templates to teach physiology core concepts. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(2), 202-214. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00024.2022

  • Papers about Transfer

    • Michael, J. (2022). Use of core concepts of physiology can facilitate student transfer of learning. Advances in Physiology Education, 46(3), 438-442. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00005.2022

    • Doherty, J. H., Cerchiara, J. A., Scott, E. E., Jescovitch, L. N., McFarland, J., Haudek, K. C., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2023). Oaks to arteries: The Physiology Core Concept of flow down gradients supports transfer of student reasoning. Advances in Physiology Education. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/advan.00155.2022

  • Novel Questions

    • Semsar, K., Brownell, S., Couch, B. A., Crowe, A. J., Smith, M. K., Summers, M. M., ... & Knight, J. K. (2019). Phys-MAPS: a programmatic physiology assessment for introductory and advanced undergraduates. Advances in Physiology Education, 43(1), 15-27. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00128.2018

  • Wiggers Diagram 

    • Silverthorn, D. U. (2022). Constructing the Wiggers diagram using core concepts: a classroom activity. Advances in Physiology Education, 46(4), 714-723. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00046.2022

    • Scott Sheffield shared a model that has developed and is freely sharing to help students understand: https://humanbiomedia.org/simulations/circulatory-system/cardiac-cycle/phase-analysis.html

• Presenter: Dr. Ron Gerrits from Milwaukee School of Engineering

• References and Resources

  • Applications of Diffusion and Osmosis https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W7eWOGHxUVu7nUQsyRxP7utpW8W9zojxyVYUHiLewHw/edit?usp=share_link

  • Cardiovascular Control https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zS_8KU9nYZ0XMrIE_7kZJabHRq7xZw7IjcOFdl1v7mY/edit?usp=share_link

    • Key https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FSWvrorQGRtr0JHJm9TA7UvpSnrhocZx3QuvXVbUl5o/edit?usp=share_link 

  • If you can, try to avoid the term “POGIL” — reason being there are very few physiology activities that have been endorsed by the POGIL organization.  “Guided Inquiry” is more accurate.  Contact me for more information .. msjensen@umn.edu 

• • Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Doherty from Michigan State University

• Resources

  • Scott, E. E., Cerchiara, J., McFarland, J. L., Wenderoth, M. P., & Doherty, J. H. (2023). How students reason about matter flows and accumulations in complex biological phenomena: An emerging learning progression for mass balance. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tea.21791 

  • Modell, H. I. (2000). How to help students understand physiology? Emphasize general models. Advances in Physiology Education, 23(1), S101-107. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/advances.2000.23.1.S101 

  • Michael, J., & Modell, H. (2021). Validating the core concept of “mass balance”. Advances in Physiology Education, 45(2), 276-280. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00235.2020 

• • Presenter: Drs Casey Self and Mary Pat Wenderoth from University of Washington

  • Session Summary - Michelle French

    • Casey Self described how she helps students learn challenging topics and works to address misconceptions in an upper-division anatomy course. She noted that while quizzes ensure that students have acquired a baseline knowledge of anatomy, they have a hard time integrating information. To address this issue and to better prepare students for a challenging higher-order assignment, she assigns short-answer questions under the themes of “compare and contrast, broken systems, your partner is confused and imaginary muscles”. She shared one of these questions that asked students to consider the movement of a blood clot in a vessel in the brain, if/where it would get stuck and the potential consequences. She then showed three sample responses and the participants were asked to work in small groups to rank them in terms of accuracy and comment on whether the student appeared to integrate information. These types of questions serve several purposes. The students are required to reason, integrate information, and communicate a response in a clear manner. While the professor, learns areas of student confusion and the key concepts that require further explanation. In a large-group discussion at the end of the session, participants debated the merits and fairness of incorporating written assignments into a course. Tips for doing this successfully included be sure to design clear questions, have students peer grade representative student responses, and to be sure to include communication in the list of the learning objectives.

• • Presenter: Dr. Rachael Hannah from University of Alaska Anchorage

• • Presenter: Dr. Janet Branchaw from the University of Wisconsin

  • Session Summary – Michelle French

    • Janet Branchaw provided an overview of a flipped introductory physiology course that she has designed for non-physiology majors (see the accompanying slides). The overall learning objective of the course is for “students [to] learn basic physiological concepts, apply them to understand human health and disease, and link them to broader core concepts in biology”. To this end, she has incorporated worksheets that students complete in small groups. The worksheets consist of a mini case study and students are asked to describe how the case information illustrates published core concepts in biology (e.g. structure and function, evolution, information flow, exchange and storage) and physiology (e.g. homoeostasis, cell-cell communication, flow down gradients). To reinforce student understanding of the core concepts, students also complete an assignment on health promotion or a disease topic of choice (see slides for details). Janet reported improvements in scores on a published concept inventory for homeostasis at the end of the course, suggesting that the overall course learning objective has been achieved. 

• Resources

  • https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1fRCyuaI6pKapBgvMwCxHUmViLfG2wBWg 

• • Presenter: Dr. Stephanie Gardner from Purdue University

• References and Resources

  • Smith, E. S. J., Omerbašić, D., Lechner, S. G., Anirudhan, G., Lapatsina, L., & Lewin, G. R. (2011). The molecular basis of acid insensitivity in the African naked mole-rat. Science, 334(6062), 1557-1560. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1213760 

  • Lewin, G. R. (2013). Natural selection and pain meet at a sodium channel. Science, 342(6157), 428-429. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1244375

  • Zhao, Y., Huang, J., Yuan, X., Peng, B., Liu, W., Han, S., & He, X. (2015). Toxins targeting the Kv1. 3 channel: potential immunomodulators for autoimmune diseases. Toxins, 7(5), 1749-1764. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4448172/ 

  • Liu Z, Wang W, Zhang T-Z, Li G-H, He K, Huang J-F, Jiang X-L, Murphy RW, Shi P. (2014). Repeated functional convergent effects of NaV1.7 on acid insensitivity in hibernating mammals. Proc. R. Soc. B 281: 20132950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2950 

• • Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Doherty from the University of Washington

• • Presenters: Drs. Mary Pat Wenderoth and Jennifer Doherty from the University of Washington

  • Session Summary – Michelle French

    • Mary Pat Wenderoth described how she probed student understanding of osmosis by posing the multiple-choice question on slide 3 (accompanying slides). She also asked students to explain their reasoning. Only 15% of the juniors and 42% of the seniors chose the correct answer. Clearly some students mistakenly relied on their knowledge of diffusion and the concept of molecules moving from higher to lower concentration or did not take into consideration the dissociation of salts. Indeed, when the senior students were asked the number of particles that NaHCO3- dissociates into, many said nine! Approaches suggested by participants to scaffold student learning included: relate everything to a patient case study, remind students that water follows solutes, show diagrams/videos to illustrate both solute and water molecules in solution, describe the naming rules for polyionic ions, and create a table of common salts and have students work in groups to record the number of particles that they dissociate into.

    • At the end of the session, Jennifer Doherty told the group that remarkably scientists still do not have a full understanding of the physics underlying osmosis and she referred participants to some of the references below.

  • References and Resources

    • How do students reason about osmosis

      • Fisher, K. M., Williams, K. S., & Lineback, J. E. (2011). Osmosis and diffusion conceptual assessment. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 10(4), 418-429. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.11-04-0038 

      • Odom, A. L., & Barrow, L. H. (1995). Development and application of a two-tier diagnostic test measuring college biology students' understanding of diffusion and osmosis after a course of instruction. Journal of research in Science Teaching, 32(1), 45-61. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660320106 

      • Malińska, L., Rybska, E., Sobieszczuk-Nowicka, E., & Adamiec, M. (2016). Teaching about water relations in plant cells: An uneasy struggle. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 15(4), ar78. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-11-0254 

    • Teaching osmosis

      • Odom, A. L., Barrow, L. H., & Romine, W. L. (2017). Teaching osmosis to biology students. The American Biology Teacher, 79(6), 473-479. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2017.79.6.473 

      • Entress, C. (2020). Learning by (seeing) osmosis. Science Scope, 43(6), 60-67. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27048037?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents 

      • Kosinski, R. J.; C. K. Morlok (2008). "Challenging misconceptions about osmosis". Association for Biology Laboratory Education. 30: 63–87. https://www.ableweb.org/biologylabs/wp-content/uploads/volumes/vol-30/006.pdf 

      • Reinke, N. B., Kynn, M., & Parkinson, A. L. (2021). Immersive 3D Experience of Osmosis Improves Learning Outcomes of First-Year Cell Biology Students. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(1), ar1. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.19-11-0254 

      • Rodríguez-Dueñas, W. R., Bernal Muñóz, H. A., & Rodríguez Burbano, D. C. (2022). A Hands-on Activity to Teach the Osmosis Phenomenon. Advances in Physiology Education. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00186.2020 

      • Vujovic, P., Chirillo, M., & Silverthorn, D. U. (2018). Learning (by) osmosis: an approach to teaching osmolarity and tonicity. Advances in physiology education, 42(4), 626-635. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00094.2018 

    • So, HOW do physicists think osmosis works? WOW!

      • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmosis#Mechanism

      • See last section of this paper: Odom, A. L., Barrow, L. H., & Romine, W. L. (2017). Teaching osmosis to biology students. The American Biology Teacher, 79(6), 473-479. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2017.79.6.473 

      • Borg, Frank (2003). "What is osmosis? Explanation and understanding of a physical phenomenon". arXiv:physics/0305011

• • Presenters: Dr. Adriel Cruz, Seirra College, and Dr. Casey Self, University of Washington

  • Session Summary – Michelle French

    • To learn the anatomy of the muscles, students are often given a completed chart showing the origins, insertions, and action of muscles and are asked to recall this information on assessments. Adriel Cruz and Casey Self presented their approaches to move student learning and assessment beyond straight memorization. For example, when teaching the muscular system, Adriel gives students a chart that omits origin and insertion information (see slides) and asks students to complete it based on knowledge of the skeletal system. Casey has developed problem-based assignments in which students apply what they have learned to an imaginary muscle (see slides). These assignments are designed to foster written communication and when assigned to small groups could also help to build teamwork skills. Participants in this TLC meeting also described their assignments in which students are asked to describe how an imaginary animal might move and the muscles involved in complex human movements.

  •  References and Resources

    • Teaching slides and student handout from Dawn Tamarkin

    • Reference for using Bloom's taxonomy

      • Anderson, L. W., Bloom, B. S., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing. Longman.

      • Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. McKay.

      • Crowe, A., Dirks, C., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2008). Biology in bloom: Implementing bloom's taxonomy to enhance student learning in biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 7(4), 368–381. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.08-05-0024

      • Thompson, A. R., & O'Loughlin, V. D. (2014). The Blooming Anatomy Tool (Bat): A discipline-specific rubric for utilizing Bloom's taxonomy in the design and evaluation of assessments in the Anatomical Sciences. Anatomical Sciences Education, 8(6), 493–501. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1507  

    • Vision and change in Undergraduate Biology Education

      • Brewer, C. A. & Smith D. (2011). Vision and change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A call to action: Final report of a national conference. American Association for the Advancement of Science. https://visionandchange.org/finalreport/ 

    • Anatomy teaching resources

      • Brown, G. A., Bice, M. R., Shaw, B. S., & Shaw, I. (2015). Online quizzes promote inconsistent improvements on in-class test performance in introductory anatomy and physiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 39(2), 63–66. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00064.2014

      • Comcomgroup. (2015, May 4). In search of the core principles of human anatomy: Response. The HAPS Blog. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://hapsblog.org/2015/05/04/in-search-of-the-core-principles-of-human-anatomy-response/

      • Cooper, A. Z., & Richards, J. B. (2017). Lectures for adult learners: Breaking old habits in graduate medical education. The American Journal of Medicine, 130(3), 376–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2016.11.009

      • Miller, S. A., Perrotti, W., Silverthorn, D. U., Dalley, A. F., & Rarey, K. E. (2002). From College to Clinic: Reasoning over memorization is key for understanding anatomy. The Anatomical Record, 269(2), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.10071

• • Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Doherty from the University of Washington

  • Session summary by Michelle French

    • When teaching about the function of neurotransmitter receptors, Jennifer Doherty outlined how she uses formative question(s) to assess students’ prior knowledge (see the accompanying slide for a sample question). A critical component is that she asks students to explain the reasoning behind their answer choice. Jennifer shared some sample explanations, and there were clear misconceptions in the reasoning. For example, while many students spoke about concentration gradients, they omitted the effect of electrical gradients and/or did not consider the equilibrium potential for specific ions.

Many A&P TLC participants were surprised at the lack of student understanding and realized that adding a written explanation reveals gaps in knowledge and reasoning. To assist with identifying gaps, Jennifer described a resource she has developed that allows instructors to upload written answers to open-ended questions so that the answers can be grouped into common areas of misunderstanding (https://beyondmultiplechoice.org/). At end of her presentation, Jennifer spoke about using the resources of the Scientist Spotlights Initiative (https://scientistspotlights.org/), developed by Jeffrey Schinske and colleagues, to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in her courses. To support these activities, she ensures that an equity/diversity and inclusion learning outcome is including in her course syllabus.

• •  References and Resources

    • A new assessment to monitor student performance in introductory neurophysiology: Electrochemical Gradients Assessment Device.

      • Cerchiara, J. A., Kim, K. J., Meir, E., Wenderoth, M. P., & Doherty, J. H. (2019). A new assessment to monitor student performance in introductory neurophysiology: Electrochemical Gradients Assessment Device. Advances in physiology education, 43(2), 211-220. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00209.2018 

    • Paper describing an ion flux teaching case study

      • Scott, E. E., Wenderoth, M. P., & Doherty, J. H. (2020). Design-based research: a methodology to extend and enrich biology education research. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(2), es11. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-11-0245 

    • Electrochemical Driving Force Acting on Ions from PhysiologyWeb.

      • https://www.physiologyweb.com/lecture_notes/resting_membrane_potential/resting_membrane_potential_electrochemical_driving_force_acting_on_ions.html 

    • Ion flux formative assessment questions (and more) on Beyond Multiple Choice

      • Written by Doherty, J. H., Scott E.E., Cerchiara, J.A., Wenderoth, M.P. found on https://beyondmultiplechoice.org/ 

    • Ion flux assessment questions for in-class discussions or exams

      • Written by Blank, J.M. found here 

    • Scientist Spotlights https://scientistspotlights.org/ 

    • Source for science and society learning objectives

      • Clemmons, A. W., Timbrook, J., Herron, J. C., & Crowe, A. J. (2020). BioSkills guide: Development and national validation of a tool for interpreting the vision and change core competencies. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(4), ar53. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-11-0259 

• Presenter: Dr. Mary Pat Wenderoth and the University of Washington

• References and Resources

  • A Physiologist's view of Homeostasis

    • Modell, H., Cliff, W., Michael, J., McFarland, J., Wenderoth, M. P., & Wright, A. (2015). A physiologist's view of homeostasis. Advances in physiology education. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00107.2015

  • Homeostasis Conceptual Framework

    • McFarland, J., Wenderoth, M. P., Michael, J., Cliff, W., Wright, A., & Modell, H. (2016). A conceptual framework for homeostasis: development and validation. Advances in physiology education, 40(2), 213-222. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00103.2015

  • Homeostasis Concept Inventory

    • McFarland, J. L., Price, R. M., Wenderoth, M. P., Martinková, P., Cliff, W., Michael, J., ... & Wright, A. (2017). Development and validation of the homeostasis concept inventory. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 16(2), ar35. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.16-10-0305

  • Teaching homeostasis through pattern recognition

    • Chirillo, M., Silverthorn, D. U., & Vujovic, P. (2021). Core concepts in physiology: teaching homeostasis through pattern recognition. Advances in Physiology Education. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00106.2021

  • Checking Equity: Why Differential Item Functioning Analysis Should Be a Routine Part of Developing Conceptual Assessments

    • Martinková, P., Drabinová, A., Liaw, Y. L., Sanders, E. A., McFarland, J. L., & Price, R. M. (2017). Checking equity: Why differential item functioning analysis should be a routine part of developing conceptual assessments. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 16(2), rm2. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/full/10.1187/cbe.16-10-0307 

  • Short-Term Cardiovascular Control

    • Gerrits R. (2017). Short-Term Cardiovascular Control. HAPS Educator 21 (Suppl.2): 101-107. doi:10.21692/haps.2017.045 https://www.lifescitrc.org/resource.cfm?submissionID=11512