Action Learning Project: using an inquiry-based practical class to enhance student understanding

How can I encourage students to grasp the overall function of a physiological system while still preserving enough detail to understand the cellular mechanisms that underlie systems physiology? The problem in teaching physiology is the difficulties students face integrating their factual knowledge and knowledge of concepts into a construct of whole system function, and hence whole body function. Students lack the ability to integrate their knowledge into a practical understanding of body function. An example of this may be their inability to consider the blood flow, distribution, and pressure characteristics of the cardiovascular system to accurately predict the responses of the body to a challenge such as exercise. During exercise there is a demand for greater blood flow to the exercising muscles, but a need for the body to maintain arterial blood pressure so the body responds in a predictable manner. The ability to accurately predict the response of the body reflects a fundamental understanding of the physiological mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular function. The teaching of physiology has traditionally included a variety of delivery modes with tutorials and practical laboratory classes contributing a large component of many courses. These classes are seen as the opportunity for students to test their understanding of concepts and to develop critical thinking skills. However, in laboratory classes students often display either a lack of understanding of physiological concepts or have misconceptions of fundamental knowledge. Thus, the students are unable to draw conclusions based on the experiments they are performing. These misconceptions may be based on misunderstanding of prior knowledge but they may also reflect some of the fundamental misinformation of body function that is portrayed in the media, this is especially evident with regard to nutrition and energy balance. In addition students often appear reluctant to consider the implications of their experimental results, even when the results are contrary to their expectations, often simply assuming they have done "something wrong" so their data must be incorrect rather than their expectations. The goal of any educational intervention should be to improve the learning outcome for students. In this case the intervention is focused improving the outcome of a laboratory class that specifically aims to improve the critical thinking skills of the students, enabling them to recognize their own misconceptions and to judge the information that is presented to them, both within their university courses but also from the general media. As this intervention is to take place in the context of a professional program, the improvement of these skills also aims to enhance the development of attributes the students will need to work as professionals after graduation

Progressive development of scientific literacy through assessment in inquiry-based biomedical science curricula

A key outcome of science education is the development of graduates' scientific literacy, defined as "an individual's scientific knowledge, and use of that knowledge to identify questions, to acquire new knowledge, to explain scientific phenomena, and to draw evidence-based conclusions..." (OECD, 2010; pg 137). These skills are reflected throughout the Science Threshold Learning Outcomes (Jones, Yates and Kelder, 2011). To progressively develop such advanced skills within a broad major like biomedical science, it is essential to guide students along critical learning pathways. We have designed a series of inquiry-based classes to scaffold the development of these skills and vertically-integrated these across the curriculum (Zimbardi, Bugarcic, Colthorpe, Good and Lluka 2013), with this design receiving national recognition as best practice (Elliott, Boin, Irving, Johnson and Galea 2010; Kirkup and Johnson 2013). To facilitate skills development within these classes, students undertake increasingly complex assessment tasks as they progress through each course, requiring them to draw on their developing content knowledge to propose and undertake experiments, and to make conclusions based on their findings and evidence from scientific literature. Longitudinal analysis of a variety of assessment tasks from students across four semesters demonstrates the developmental trajectory of these skills. Specifically, they demonstrate increases in their ability to formulate testable hypotheses with measurable outcomes, their appreciation of cutting-edge methodologies and deeper understanding of the contestable nature of increasingly complex areas of scientific knowledge. This article reports on the design and use of these assessment tasks within the series of inquiry-based curricula, and their impact on the progression of student learning

LEARNING IN A BLENDED COURSE: BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS’ LEARNING ADAPTATIONS

BACKGROUND Blended learning is becoming increasingly popular in higher education as it is an effective approach to enhance learning environments by incorporating online resources (Alammary et al., 2014; Smith & Hill, 2019). In higher education, the quality of a student’s self-regulated learning is associated with academic achievement (Cohen, 2012). However, certain learning strategies may be more effective than others for the blended environment. Therefore, it would be beneficial to understand if and how students adapt their strategies to suit blended learning. METHODS Respondents (n=268) were enrolled in a second-year physiology course which was delivered in a blended learning environment. Students were asked about the strategies they used to aid their learning in the course and if they differed from those used in traditional face-to-face courses. Responses were coded using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS & DISCUSSION When comparing learning strategies used in the blended course to other courses, most students adapted by adopting new strategies (n=126). Remaining students modified existing strategies (n=35) or implemented minor changes to existing strategies (n=69) with few identifying format (n=16) as an adaptation. However, some students did not adapt their strategies (n=53). These findings suggest most students recognised the need to adapt their self-regulated learning strategies to suit a blended course. REFERENCES Alammary, A., Sheard, J., & Carbone, A. (2014). Blended learning in higher education: Three different design approaches. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 30(4), 440-54. Cohen, M. (2012). The importance of self-regulation for college student learning. College Student Journal, 46(4), 892-902. Smith, K., & Hill, J. (2019). Defining the nature of blended learning through its depiction in current research. Higher Education Research & Development, 38(2), 383-97

FROM LEMONS TO LEMONADE: STUDENTS’ RESILIENCE WHEN MANAGING CHALLENGE

BACKGROUND To succeed at university and be prepared for today’s challenging workplace, students need to develop strong resilience. Students face a number of academic, social and life challenges throughout their studies (Brewer et al, 2019; Ainscough et al, 2018). The disruptions from COVID-19 in Semester 1 of 2020 have undoubtedly exacerbated these challenges, or presented entirely novel ones to manage. This study describes how students demonstrated resilience when responding to such challenges. METHODS Biomedical science students (n=200) in their 2nd year of study, were asked how they coped with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and what advice they would give themselves for dealing with novel challenges in future. RESULTS & DISCUSSION Almost half the students struggled with motivation and the loss of on-campus experiential learning (36%), with a third then advising how they would better manage study in future. Many students also emphasised the importance of balancing health with study (21%), whilst other indicators of resilience (adaptability, positive mindset, seeing the “Big Picture”) were identified by 38% of students. While some students focused mainly on academic aspects, others had a broader perspective on managing challenges in the context of life and well-being. Students with the most rounded approach to challenges, might thus be those who have greatest resilience. REFERENCES Ainscough, L, Stewart, E, Colthorpe, K & Zimbardi, K. (2018) Learning hindrances and self-regulated learning strategies reported by undergraduate students: identifying characteristics of resilient students, Studies in Higher Education, 43(12); 2194-2209. Brewer, ML, van Kessel, G, Sanderson, B, Naumann, F, Murray, L, Reubenson, A & Carter, A. (2019) Resilience in higher education students: a scoping review, Higher Education Research & Development, 38(6): 1105-1120

THROWN IN THE DEEPER END: FIRST YEAR STUDENTS LEARNING ONLINE

BACKGROUND First year students experience difficulties adapting to independent learning and managing their time (Richardson et al., 2012; van der Meer et al., 2010). These issues were compounded at the University of Queensland when students transitioned to online learning three weeks into semester 1 2020. This study describes students’ insights about themselves as learners during this time. METHODS Participants (n=144) were enrolled in a first year anatomy and physiology course. At the end of semester, students were asked to reflect on their learning. Responses were coded using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS When asked what they had discovered about themselves as a learner, students mentioned the importance of motivation (n=53), environment (n=44) and social connections (n=42) for learning. When asked what advice they would give themselves if learning was online again next semester, students wanted to maintain a routine (n=48), improve their time management (n=41), make study plans (n=34), and be more proactive (n=27). DISCUSSION Universities are microcosms for learning, and during the pandemic first-year students struggled to replicate this context at home. These results suggest that staff should support their students by helping them plan their learning and encouraging connections with peers and staff. REFERENCES Richardson, A., King, S., Garrett, R., & Wrench, A. (2012). Thriving or just surviving? Exploring student strategies for a smoother transition to university. A Practice Report. Student Success, 3(2), 87. van der Meer, J., Jansen, E., & Torenbeek M. (2010). It's almost a mindset that teachers need to change: first‐year students' need to be inducted into time management. Studies in Higher Education 35, 777-791

Professional Identity of Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students

Throughout the development of an individual, their identity, or how they see themselves, frequently changes. An important part of identity formation in adolescents is the development of professional identity, which is how they perceive themselves in a professional context. The establishment of a strong professional identity has been linked to life satisfaction, psychological well-being and success in one’s chosen career. The aim of this study was to identify the extent of professional identity development in second year undergraduate occupational therapy students. As part of an assessment task, students were asked to describe why they chose occupational therapy, how they saw themselves as occupational therapists, and to describe their role models. A thematic analysis of consenting students’ (n=59) responses was performed and each student ranked based on the strength of their professional identity. The results indicated that the stage of professional identity development of second year occupational therapy students varied considerably, despite them being at the same stage of their program. A quarter of students had advanced professional identity, while almost two-thirds were still developing. Students also provided detailed insights regarding the factors influencing their professional identity. Students with strong, positive influences regarding their choice to study occupational therapy were likely to have strong role models. Given its impact on well-being and career success, it is essential to identify students who may be at risk of poor professional identity. The methods developed here could be used to identify such students and to evaluate the success of educational interventions aimed at them