Search

Concerns have recently been expressed about the continuing availability of human bones from India, obtained originally for educational purposes but lacking the requisite informed consent that would be expected today. More generally, a broader claim is being made, namely, that the practice of using any unconsented bones in educational settings is unethical and should cease. These calls, in turn, raise broader issues regarding the availability of anonymous archival collections in anatomy museums. Although this debate centers on undergraduate anatomy teaching, much anthropological research utilizes human remains of past populations for which there can have been no consent. A suggested alternative for undergraduate teaching is the use of 3D images of human bones, rather than the bones themselves. In addressing these issues, the background to the India bone trade is assessed, and the year 1985 is pinpointed as having significant ethical weight. The cultural and ethical interests inherent in studying archival anonymous skeletal material are weighed against indiscriminate reburial. Although any use of unconsented material represents ethical compromise, account should be taken of changing ethical expectations with time. It is concluded that: there is no justification for repatriation or disposal of all bones for which specific informed consent has not been obtained; continued use of anonymous archival human bones in a professional setting is acceptable, even in the absence of informed consent, with the proviso that there are no culturally relevant groups seeking repatriation; the continued existence of bones in long-standing private collections cannot be justified since it amounts to long-term storage with no identified goals; the notion that 3D images are an ethically superior alternative to actual human bones is unsustainable, since there is an intimate connection between the bones and the 3D images.

Altmetrics are non-traditional metrics that can capture downloads, social media shares, and other modern measures of research impact and reach. Despite most of the altmetrics literature focusing on evaluating the relationship between research outputs and academic impact/influence, the perceived and actual value of altmetrics among academicians remains nebulous and inconsistent. This work proposes that ambiguities surrounding the value and use of altmetrics may be explained by a multiplicity of altmetrics definitions communicated by journal publishers. A root cause analysis was initiated to compare altmetrics definitions between anatomy and medical education journal publishers' websites and to determine the comparability of the measurement and platform sources used for computing altmetrics values. A scoping content analysis of data from across eight publishers' websites revealed wide variability in definitions and heterogeneity among altmetrics measurement sources. The incongruencies among publishers' altmetrics definitions and their value demonstrate that publishers may be one of the root cause of ambiguity perpetuating confusion around the value and use of altmetrics. This review highlights the need to more deeply explore the root causes of altmetrics ambiguities within academia and makes a compelling argument for establishing a ubiquitous altmetrics definition that is concise, clear, and specific.

The concept of excess is often used to exclude or render deviant marginalised individuals and groups, reifying hegemonic structures of control and domination. Feminists and other critical scholars, however, have utilised the concept of excess to resist such normalising efforts. In conversation with these critical scholars, this paper advances the concept of "bodily excess" as a tool for reimagining the project(s) of sexuality education towards capaciousness and curiosity. Specifically, we wonder about the practices, body parts, desires and discourses that exceed formal knowledge production efforts in the sex education arena. We outline five definitional features that serve as touchstones for the pedagogical possibilities of embracing bodily excess: overflow, uncertainty, the sensory, the political, and affective complexity. From our scholar-practitioner positions, we argue that bodily excess is an important conceptual tool for including and centring the fullest range of embodied experiences within a given learning community, and for stretching our politicised and relational bodily imaginaries. In other words, we ask for more.

In the nineteenth century, a new method for teaching anatomy shifted the professor's position from the middle of the lecture amphitheatre to one side of the room. In this spot, the wall was used to display a variety of visual "flat technologies" such as blackboards, oil paintings, wallcharts and light projections, among other visual aids. This article studies these changes in the visual culture of anatomy in Spain by analysing the programme developed by José de Letamendi based on giant oil paintings. The authors follow the influence of this new scheme throughout different chairs in Spain up to the first few decades of the twentieth century, focusing on the anatomy theatre of the University of Valladolid as its most prominent example. This analysis examines the relationships between the various flat technologies and puts into perspective the interest of the anatomists of this period in the methodological aspects of teaching.

Self-regulated learning (SRL), learners' monitoring and control of cognitive, affective, metacognitive, and motivational processes, is essential for learning. However, cognitive and metacognitive SRL strategies are not typically used accurately leading to poor learning outcomes. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) attempt to address this issue by prompting and scaffolding learners to engage in SRL via using pedagogical agents. However, current literature does not examine the extent to which learners' deployed strategies are functional or dysfunctional in relation to pedagogical agent scaffolding. The current study collected 117 undergraduate students' data as they learned with MetaTutor, an ITS about the human circulatory system. Participants were randomly assigned to either the (1) Prompt and Feedback Condition where pedagogical agents scaffolded cognitive and metacognitive SRL strategies or (2) Control Condition where no prompts or feedback were provided. Results demonstrated that learners who received prompts by the pedagogical agents to engage in SRL had higher learning gains as well as greater frequencies across most strategies compared to those in the Control Condition who relied on self-initiated strategy use. While sequential transitions across all strategies were not significant between conditions, further analysis grounded in Complex Systems Theory found that learners who were prompted to engage in strategies demonstrated a significantly lower degree of repetition and balance between repetitive and novel patterns of strategy use. The findings suggest that pedagogical agents within MetaTutor successfully scaffolded the functional deployment of cognitive and metacognitive SRL strategies and are indicative of higher learning after interacting with ITSs.

The structure and function relationship is a core concept identified by physiology faculty. Prior research has shown this may be a difficult concept for students to understand. Formative written assessments, such as short answer essay questions, allow students to demonstrate their thinking by encouraging students to use their diverse ideas to construct their responses. Varying the context of a question, such as the inclusion of a scenario, may be used to provide insight into the different stages of students' emerging biological expertise. Short answer questions based on the core concept structure[left right arrow]function were administered to students in a junior level General Physiology course and a sophomore level Human Anatomy and Physiology course at a large southeastern public university. Questions were based on the integumentary, muscular, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. Student responses were scored with a conceptual rubric developed for each question prompt as well as each organ system represented in the question prompts. Students were interviewed to determine if their responses to the short answer questions accurately reflected their thinking. Less than half of the student responses in this study demonstrated a conceptual understanding of the structure-function relationship. Students demonstrated different conceptual understanding of structure[left right arrow]function concepts depending on the question prompt with a scenario versus the question prompt without a scenario. The question prompts with scenarios versus non-scenarios provided a different context, which may have influenced student explanations. These results suggest that instructors should provide students with questions in varying contexts to allow students to demonstrate their heterogeneous ideas about a concept.

Introduction: This study aimed to estimate the causal effect of face-to-face learning on student performance in anatomy, compared to online learning, by analysing examination marks under a causal structure. Methods: We specified a causal graph to indicate how the mode of learning affected student performance. We sampled purposively to obtain end-semester examination marks of undergraduate and postgraduate students who learned using face-to-face (pre-COVID, 2019) or online modes (post-COVID, 2020). The analysis was informed by the causal graph. Marks were compared using linear regression, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess if effects were robust to unmeasured confounding. Results: On average, face-to-face learning improved student performance in the end-semester examination in undergraduate students (gain of mean 8.3%, 95% CI 3.3 to 13.4%; E-value 2.77, lower limit of 95% CI 1.80) but lowered performance in postgraduate students (loss of 8.1%, 95% CI 3.6 to 12.6%; E-value 2.89, lower limit of 95% CI 1.88), compared to online learning. Discussion: Under the assumed causal graph, we found that compared to online learning, face-to-face learning improved student performance in the end-semester examination in undergraduate students, but worsened student performance in postgraduate students. These findings suggest that different modes of learning may suit different types of students. Importantly, this is the first attempt to estimate causal effects of the mode of learning on student performance under a causal structure. This approach makes our assumptions transparent, informs data analysis, and is recommended when using observational data to make causal inferences.

Heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, exhibit intrinsic contractility in vitro. We found that commercially-available mammalian cardiomyocytes serve as an excellent model system for studying the cytoskeleton and cellular contractility, fundamental topics in undergraduate cell and molecular biology courses. Embryonic rat cardiomyocytes were plated on cell culture dishes or glass coverslips and visualized using an inverted phase-contrast microscope. The cardiomyocytes began contracting within 1-2 days after plating and continued to contract for many weeks, allowing their use in multiple laboratory sessions. Following background reading and instruction, students fixed and triple-stained the cardiomyocytes to examine the relative distributions of actin filaments and microtubules and the position of nuclei. Analysis and image capture with fluorescence microscopy provided striking examples of highly organized cytoskeletal elements. Students then designed experiments in which cardiomyocyte intrinsic contractility was explored. Changes in contraction rates were examined after treatment with signaling molecules, such as epinephrine. The addition of epinephrine to the culture medium, within a usable concentration window, increased the rate of contraction. These adaptable exercises provide undergraduate cell and molecular biology students with the exciting opportunity to study cardiomyocytes using standard cell culture and microscopy techniques.

Digital environments like learning management systems can afford opportunities for students to engage in cognitive learning strategies including preparatory reading of advance organizers including lecture outlines and self-testing using ungraded quizzes. When timed appropriately, self-testing can afford distributed practice, an optimal approach to self-testing that confers additional benefits. At a large, public university in the southwestern USA, we examined the frequency and timing of digital learning behaviors that reflect these practices in a large gateway science course and how these event types predicted exam performance of 220 undergraduates' exam grades in the first unit of a 16-week anatomy and physiology course. Coursework over this 31-day span included lessons on cytology, histology, the integumentary system, and osteology; we observed the timing and frequency of students' use of the lecture outline, ungraded self-testing quizzes, and hypothesized that those who self-regulated by downloading advance organizers before lecture (i.e., pre-reading) and utilizing quizzes to self-test (i.e., retrieval practice) and distributed this practice would achieve superior performances. Whereas students massed self-testing prior to the exam, a regression model that also included pre-reading, self-testing, and its distribution predicted achievement over and above massed practice. In authentic contexts, students used digital resources and benefitted from early lecture access or pre-reading advance organizers, and self-testing despite challenges to distribute practice and to self-test frequently and on recommended schedules.

One of the overlapping curriculum designs indicates the mismatch of teaching materials with the cognitive level process and student development, impacting the unstructured qualification of mastery of the material. On the other hand, the breadth and depth of teaching materials in the curriculum must be following students' mental development and level of cognitive processes. This study aims to collect the opinions of science teachers in junior high schools and biology teachers in high schools about the learning continuum design on reproducing living things. The method used is a survey. The study population is a hypothetical population with a convenience sample. The sample involved in this study were 111 teachers in Bantul Regency and Yogyakarta City. The data collection method used a questionnaire distributed through four subject teachers' conference (MGMP). The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results showed several sub-aspects of reproduction of living things that cannot be taught in elementary schools. The material for propagating fungi, protists, bacteria, and viruses starts in grade VII with a cognitive level of C1 (remembering), after previously students received material about types of animals and plants in grade VI (elementary school). Furthermore, the material on reproductive anatomy and physiology can only be given to class IX with cognitive level C2 (understanding) and continued in class X and XI with cognitive level C4 (analyzing). Especially for reproductive anatomy and physiology, fungi were introduced to class VII with C1 level cognitive processes (remembering). This teacher opinion generates a learning continuum grid that can help policymakers improve educational curriculum.

Two problem solving cycles are problem-based learning with two learning cycles that can improve students' higher order thinking skills. The knowledge of reproductive health is needed by the student, due to the student as future generation must be ready to facing the reproductive health problem in the future. This study aimed to determine the differences in learning two problem solving cycles on students' higher order thinking skills. The population of this study were students of SMA Negeri 02 Sekayam with a sample of class XI IPA 1 and XI IPA 2. Students were given 12 questions as essay test in the beginning and end of the cycles. Data were analyzed using the Mann Whitney U test. Research shows that there are significant differences in learning towards higher order thinking skills with learning two problem solving cycles (sig. 0.015 < 0.05). Hence, it could be concluded that two problem solving cycles could be applied in learning material on the reproductive system.

Many university students begin the pre-nursing anatomy and physiology course unprepared for the pace and intensity. In a voluntary writing activity on the last day of the two-semester anatomy and physiology class, students were asked to write a letter to the next year's students to offer advice on how to pass the course, no further direction or guidance of what to write was provided. Data consisted of 283 open letters containing each student's voice, broken down into "in vivo" codes. Several themes emerged from the codes. Essays recognized the value of study and learning skills, while also voicing negative affective feelings towards the anatomy and physiology course, suggesting that many students were unprepared for this college level course. This study informs anatomy instructors of student preparation and attitude toward an anatomy and physiology course.

This paper analyzes the lived experience of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students participating in the service-learning program, Anatomy Academy. To understand this experience, we performed a phenomenological analysis using the reflections of 31 DPT students as they participated as Mentors to 5th grade elementary students. Mentors used active learning strategies to teach topics of anatomy, physiology, and nutrition in small groups. After each teaching experience, Mentors responded to writing prompts as a way to reflect upon these experiences. From these reflections, three overarching themes emerged in describing the Mentors' experience. Our results showed that the Mentors developed an understanding of the power in learning through real-world situations, grew in their ability to work with others, and developed an enhanced personal awareness of self and society. This study emphasizes the importance of service learning in the graduate education of DPT students as they progress to become competent health care professionals.

Practice exams are a proven tool to increase retrieval of information long-term. Over a three-year period, students in Anatomy and Physiology I and II were offered practice exams as either no-stakes practice exams (years 1-2) and low-stakes practice exams (year 3). Students who took practice exams did significantly better on the actual lecture exams, leading to better grades and higher passing rates for our courses. There was no difference for gender and student population. Students earning credit (low-stakes) were more likely to take the practice exams but their scores on actual exams and their overall scores were lower than those of students who did not earn credit (no-stakes).

Poster presentations to communicate scientific knowledge/understanding are a commonly used assessment tool. It can be a challenge for students (and staff!) to deliver clear information with minimal text on the poster. We have found that this format did not encourage imaginative project topics or posters. To enhance communication skills, imagination, and student engagement, we adapted an existing physiology research project and increased the emphasis on communication skills with the use of infographics. This paper describes how students may produce their own biomedical infographics and discusses the issues that educators may need to consider when integrating infographic assessments into their teaching.

In our changing world there are many challenges that students face, one of them being temporary inability to attend face-to-face classes. This paper presents a perspective on how to best meet the needs of online learners, including such topics as course design, student engagement, challenges, and solutions. The information in this article may be helpful in this time of having to move our courses online.

The immune response is a wonderfully complex aspect of our physiology that can sometimes confound students and instructors alike. How do we wade through the layers of detail to help our students develop an understanding of immunology? In this article, I will share some of the stories about immunology research that helped me strengthen my own understanding and improve my approach to helping students learn and understand this topic. In addition, we will explore some of the research on the power of storytelling, and how learning through stories might be a defining characteristic of what it means to be human.

Anatomy and Physiology should be considered a gateway course due to its challenging scope and key role as a foundational prerequisite for many degree programs. Students often encounter gateway classes early in their college career when they are academically vulnerable due to their lack of university experience. A&P teaching methods are evolving to address these issues and favor more positive outcomes. New approaches include emphasizing understanding of course content (rather than relying on memorization) and creating multi-modal learning opportunities. Utilizing active learning techniques allows students to more directly participate in their education and achieve more favorable results than traditional passive methods. Furthermore, unifying A&P lecture and lab classes into a cohesive "studio model" class taught by one instructor may encourage student collaboration and increase active learning. Implementing a formal supplemental instruction program led by peer facilitators supports struggling students and yields promising results. A renewed focus on improving the teaching skills of gateway instructors is integral in creating a learning environment that maximizes academic success. In this paper, we review special issues and problems associated with A&P instruction. We also discuss how changing perspectives on course organization could improve A&P courses.

Providing word banks for human anatomy and physiology lab practicals is uncommon because instructors want to avoid cueing effects, but there is little published data on their effects on student performance. In the 2016-2017 academic year, word banks were not provided for students taking lab practicals in Anatomy and Physiology I and II while in 2017-2018 alphabetized word banks were provided. All other aspects of the courses remained the same. Student performance was significantly higher, though the effect size was small, on both lab practicals in Anatomy and Physiology I (p<0.001 for each) and the first lab practical in Anatomy and Physiology II (p<0.001). Scores on the 2nd lab practical in Anatomy and Physiology II and each lecture-lab course score were not affected by the provision of word banks. Results of this study will be useful when making decisions about providing word banks for lab practicals, weighting lab practicals for calculating grades, and responding to disability accommodation requests.

Near-peer teaching, in which students one or more years removed from a student within the same academic program, is utilized broadly in medical school curricula and increasingly in undergraduate anatomy and physiology courses. While the literature on near-peer teaching suggests that the practice is overwhelmingly positive, it is primarily from anatomy courses in a medical school setting. Therefore, instructors who implement near-peer programs at the undergraduate level should share their experiences and evaluate these programs on an ongoing basis. The purpose of this paper is to share a personal experience with utilizing undergraduates as teaching assistants in the anatomy and physiology laboratory setting. A detailed description of the near-peer experience is first provided, followed by the observed benefits for everyone involved from both the instructor and a near-peer's perspective. Finally, recommendations are made for implementing a near-peer program with future directions for research into evaluating outcomes of a near-peer program.

Pre-clinical community college students represent a unique population with varied academic backgrounds and levels of preparedness. Addressing the needs of this population is important for issues of access, equity, and diversity in higher education. As part of a larger National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Community College Anatomy and Physiology Education Research (CAPER), this study aimed to investigate the impact of an active learning technique on student anxiety, student collaboration, and final course grades. We introduced a bookend think-pair-share (TPS) active learning technique into a traditional community college human physiology lecture. The study found an increased likelihood of collaboration, a slight increase in final grades, a slight decrease in social anxiety, and a significant decrease in anxiety regarding five of eight specific teaching practices following the bookend TPS intervention.

Evidence Based Instructional Practices (EBIPs) have been shown to increase student engagement in college classrooms. Education research conducted to date on the effectiveness of these EBIPs and their impact on students' has largely focused on four-year and research-intensive institutions, and community colleges represent a significant gap in the literature. The NSF-funded Community College Anatomy and Physiology Education Research (CAPER) project has attempted to narrow that knowledge gap through instruction, mentoring, and research support teams. To date, two cohorts of community college instructors (six participants each year) have participated in an online course on education research, which culminates in the completion of a research proposal. Participants receive coaching and mentorship through the development and implementation of their research projects at their respective institutions. Data collected to date measures the impact that each EBIP has on student anxiety and academic self-efficacy. The purpose of CAPER is not only to gather data on the EBIP implementation and effectiveness in community college classrooms, but also to gather data on long-lasting change in instructional methods used by community college instructors engaging in this research. Through this research, we are contributing to the body of literature that is currently lacking representation of community college populations. In addition, we are identifying tools and resources that may increase the likelihood that community college faculty will engage in student-centered learning techniques in their classrooms.

One strategy to transform the high attrition rates among community college (CC) students is for CC instructors to utilize the teaching practices shown to most likely lead to student success. CC students and faculty are underrepresented in biology education research (BER), with only 3% of BER articles addressing CC-specific issues (Schinske et al. 2017). This study examines whether the addition of an electronic student response system (SRS), and its proposed ability to facilitate group discussion, would enhance the effects of peer instruction on student performance in a community college anatomy and physiology course. Unit exam scores of students utilizing clickers vs. written responses were compared to determine if the addition of clicker technology to peer instruction increased performance. A MANOVA test revealed no significant differentiation in exam scores between groups. This implies that CC students may respond dissimilarly to previously studied students and that more educational research must be done at community colleges.

In biology education which is an inseparable discipline of medical and veterinary education, it is of great importance that enabling students to make practice in real conditions and gain knowledge and skills related to their professional fields during their education. It is necessary to adapt the new technologies rapidly to education rather than the use of cadavers or laboratory animals, especially when making practice directly related in human and animal anatomy. For this purpose, virtual and augmented reality applications, which have been developed rapidly in recent years, come to the fore as a highly effective technique with the possibility of interacting visually with the objects they give to the user. In this study, the techniques were examined that used in order to increase the learning performance in biology, anatomy, physiology and experimental animals and the process was examined to develop a specific mobile application on Unity3D application. It is envisaged that the difficulties in providing materials for students and ethical debates on the use of experimental animals can be overcome with the dissemination of augmented reality applications and virtual laboratories developed as a result of procedures such as the needs analysis, lesson or course content and scenario writing processes in addition to software development.

Among the factors identified to be responsible for the poor performance of senior high school students in biology is inappropriate instructional media. This study investigated the effects of plastic relief sculpture on senior high school students' performance in biology practical activity in Ogbomoso, South Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Moreover, it also observed gender as the moderating effect in this study. The population of this quasi-experimental study was the all senior high school biology students in Oyo State. Two intact classes of 120 biology students were randomly sampled for the study. Two instruments were used in this study i.e. Students' Biology Practical Test and Biology Practical Lesson Notes. The findings of this study revealed that there was significant difference existed between the performance of students in the experimental and control group (F (8, 51) = 1.89, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, female students performed insignificantly different compared with male students (t (118) = 7.16, p = 0.12). Therefore, the study concluded that plastic relief sculpture is effective in improving students' performance in biology. Thus, it is recommended that teachers should adopt plastic relief sculpture as the innovative instructional resource in teaching biology.

Integrated curriculum is a popular way to develop 21st-century skills, but most of the materials are written on the books separately. Furthermore, web-based learning is an online learning media that can be accessed using an internet connection anytime and anywhere. However, many educational websites do not apply the principles of effective learning. Besides, the traditional learning methods tend to be bored for the students. In order to solve this problem, this study designed a website education that uses interactive content to assist students in learning levers in the human body topic as one of the integrated science materials. The process of developing an educational website consists of three steps: (1) analysis, (2) design, (3) construction making. This research method used descriptive method, and the experts' judgment will evaluate it on content, language, and media/IT. The questionnaires used the technology acceptance model (TAM) and five-dimensional interactivity to investigate the readability of the subjects' perception responses. The research subject was three science teachers and 31 students on private Junior High School in Bandung. According to the result, generally, it has a good evaluation of each aspect. But, the website education needs a strong signal to access for not taking load time consumer.

Anatomy and physiology courses are a foundation for numerous degrees, but experience some of the highest failure rates of all undergraduate health science programs (Higgins-Opitz & Tufts, 2014). While interventions have been developed in an attempt to remediate this concerning phenomenon, there is a paucity of evidence to determine the reason anatomy and physiology courses pose such an obstacle to students, and whether there are reliable early determinants for student success in these courses. This review will discuss why this obstacle exists, and the factors that contribute to success and failure in undergraduate anatomy and physiology courses.

The purpose of the current study is to design and develop a sample Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) application addressing the anatomic structure of the heart in a way suitable for laboratory learning for pre-service science teachers to achieve learning by constructing information in biology instruction. The implementation of the MAR design activity was conducted with the participation of 30 pre-service teachers taking the biology laboratory course. The implementation process of the activity consists of four stages. The first stage includes the introduction of the MAR application program and marker; the second stage includes the use of the MAR application in a laboratory environment; the third stage includes the operation of dissection and the last stage includes the association of the MAR application with the operation of dissection and general evaluation. Then, semi-structured interviews were conducted by involving pre-service teachers and the data obtained from these interviews revealed that integration of heart dissection with MAR application helped the pre-service teachers to better understand the anatomic structure of the heart and the related concepts. Thus, a sample activity demonstrating how MAR, which is an instructional method with strong potential for reification and visualisation, can be integrated into the teaching of concepts in laboratory settings was developed.

This study aims to (1) determine the difference between the improvement in students' self-regulation skills before and after the implementation of the GITTW learning strategy, and (2) describe students' perception of the skills of selfregulation before and after the implementation of the GITTW learning strategy. This is pre-experimental research using a one-group pre-test-post-test design. The population was made up entirely of students in their sixth semester at the Biology Education department who programmed the Physiology Anatomy of Human Body course in the 2017/2018 academic year in the Teacher Training and Education Faculty at University of Muhammadiyah Surabaya, Indonesia. The samples comprised of 20 students from one class. The data of students' self-regulation skills were obtained from the score of an essay test and inventory method. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the N-gain test. The results showed that the students' self-regulation skills improved after the implementation of the GITTW learning strategy. This can be seen from the average pre-test score of 36.2, the post-test score of 74, the average gain of 37.8 and the average N-gain of 0.60 included in the medium category. The average inventory self-regulation skills score before the implementation of the GITTW learning strategy reached 76.57%, including the strong category, and after it reached 80%, including the very strong category.

Teachers' subject matter knowledge is a substantive component of the teaching-learning process. For a teacher to be able to transform and integrate into the classroom all the knowledge and experience they have acquired in the course of the professional activity, it is first necessary to acquire a deep and solid knowledge of the matter. The aim of the research was to analyse the understanding that pre-service teachers have about the physiology and anatomy of the human body. The alternative conceptions that pre-service teachers held about the nutritional function in living beings were also explored. The research was conducted on a biology course of the Primary Education Bachelor's Degree during the 2018/2019 academic year. Drawings and open-ended questions were collected from 96 pre-service teachers. The results reveal that the students surveyed have limited knowledge of the subject before entering university. The use of drawing proved to be an excellent tool for detecting previous conceptions and evaluating the progression made by the students in their learning. Numerous alternative conceptions were identified among the students, thus demonstrating the need to think about the scientific methodology used to teach these contents.

Anatomy and physiology (AP) are subfields of biology that are gatekeeper courses for the health professions. This exploratory study used multilevel binary logistic regression to determine if age/gender and race/ethnicity were used as predictors of success, while the term offered and the identification number were specified as random effects. Two models were used. Those earning the grades of A, B and C were defined as successful for both models. Those earning the grades of D and F and those who withdrew (W) were defined as successful for one model, while the other model had the withdrawals removed. Ethnicity and gender predicted success in both models, with Native Americans and African Americans being less likely to succeed than Caucasians with the withdrawn students included. The model without withdrawn students was similar, except Hispanic students were also less likely to succeed than Caucasians. Females were more likely to succeed than males in both models. Efforts to retain equity in AP pedagogy should be prioritized.

"Non-existent Animal" test, which is projective in nature, has been used as an individual recognition technique in many countries, especially in Russia. There are a number of important differences that distinguish "Non-existent Animal" Test from other similar tests. The most important one is that the "thing" to be drawn is something that does not exist. Drawing something that does not exist is different from drawing something that exists. S/he could be more cooperative due to lack of anxiety for not being able to make the picture similar to anything. Another difference is that it is not restrictive. In this study, pictures drawn by 154 university students for the "Non-existent Animal" projective test were examined. The pictures drawn by the participants were evaluated by the researcher in light of some keys of the Non-existent Animal Test. These keys were determined as; the originality of the drawn picture; the general status of the lines; the status of the drawn animal's organs such as head, eyes, ears, feet, arms, wings, thorns, antennae; and the animal's way of life. Results showed that the pictures drawn by the males and females were different from each other in many aspects.

Information that is different from scientific knowledge, consistent and resistant to change, can be expressed as misconceptions. Misconceptions are one of the critical factors that prevent students from understanding in Biology education. This study was conducted in Kosovo with high school 12th-grade students of three different ethnic origins. It is aimed to determine the misconceptions that students have about "Digestive System in Human" comparatively. The study was carried out with 150 12th grade students in Kosovo in the 2016/2017 academic year. The research was carried out with qualitative research techniques as a data collection tool consisting of student drawings and explanations, and true/false items used. A descriptive analysis made. The findings showed that the students had many misconceptions about the human digestive system. Some Turkish students have drawn the digestive system with the kidney and intestine compared to other ethnic groups. Albanian and Bosnian students generally draw the digestive system after the stomach for separate solids for liquids. This misconception may be related to the concept of image (prima de perception) (Bachelard, 1938). Also, cultural misconceptions stemming from language encountered. Bosnian students use the concept of "boiling" instead of "digestion".

Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) courses are gateway courses nursing and allied health students must pass before progressing through their academic programs. Many students need to retake the course to receive grades acceptable to progress in their programs, but identifying students at risk of failure may help instructors extend support. In this study, we examined self-efficacy and science identity as potential predictors of student success in these courses, and, by extension, a potential way to identify students at risk of failing. We found that science identity, and not self-efficacy nor completion of science prerequisite courses, explained the most variance when predicting A&P final grade in hierarchical regression. Additionally, we interviewed a purposive sample of students retaking the course to explore their experiences and perceptions of these constructs in A&P over multiple enrollments. Students retaking the course described their experiences of being "biology people" in their interviews, further suggesting that having a science identity is relevant to A&P students and may be leveraged to support students in A&P contexts.

Extra credit assignments are often viewed with disdain by educators as opportunities to earn points for students that lack the study skills to do well on exams and quizzes. However, these assignments can serve as a platform for students to apply the course material to their own lives, optimizing their strengths and creativity, and encouraging them to take ownership of their learning. In this paper we discuss how we used extra credit assignments in a two-semester Human Anatomy and Physiology course to develop community outreach, art exhibits, and education events to empower our students and make science accessible to the public.

This paper details methods that were adopted during the transition to an online learning environment for students enrolled in Human Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology courses at a community college designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) in light of shelter-in-place orders established to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Traditionally carried out in a physical setting, strategies for teaching inquiry-based activities using virtual software will be described. The use of home laboratory science kits for the purposes of engaging students, aligning with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and maintaining a hands-on approach will also be described. Challenges of transitioning to online instruction and how they were addressed will be further discussed.

This article examines the backgrounds and pedagogical evolution of twelve community college (CC) human anatomy and physiology faculty participating in a larger study known as the Community College Anatomy and Physiology Education Research (CAPER) project. Using qualitative analysis of interviews based on Luft & Roehrig's (2007) Teacher Belief Interview (TBI), this article explores how prior experiences influenced CC faculty's teaching beliefs and practices. Results indicated that despite limited access to professional development opportunities, CC faculty drew on their own experiences as learners, teaching experience, and classroom experimentation to reorient their beliefs toward effective science teaching. To better align their new beliefs with their classroom practice, they joined the CAPER project professional development opportunity. Findings reflect patterns identified in Clarke and Hollingsworth's (2002) Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (ICMPG) highlighting the importance of instructors' prior knowledge and intrinsic motivation. Given that community colleges serve a substantial share of higher education students today, this study has important implications for professional development and classroom research opportunities for CC and other higher education faculty.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of technologically assisted learning for anatomy courses in sport science collegiate. Methods: One hundred forty-four first-year students from sport sciences faculty attended a required anatomy course in the syllabus. The participants of this class were composed of two learning groups as Classical Learning Group (n=48), and New Approach Group (n=96) based on the lecture style. Classical anatomy course carried out with instruction-based method via PowerPoint lecture on the anatomy course materials such as textbooks, models, and printed visualizations of anatomical sites whereas "Quizizz"™ app-based one performed interactively within a technology-assisted way. The end of the semester, participants answered a reliable and valid survey named Anatomy Lectures Attitude Questionnaire (ALAQ). Results: There was a significant difference in the mid-term and course success when compared Classical Learning (CL) and New Approach (NA). However, no significant differences observed final examination, ALAQ results, and sub-factors'. There was a very low correlation between mid-term, final, course success and ALAQ results in NA group. However, no significantly correlation found between mid-term, final, course success and ALAQ results in CL group. Conclusion: The findings reported here suggest that "Quizizz"™ app can enable improving learning outcomes and contribute to test scores for human anatomy in sport sciences collegiate. We do not conceive the substitute traditional learning method within the educational applications for anatomy courses, but it could be regarded as a supplement method of teaching in higher education.

In March 2020, in-person, on-campus courses were temporarily suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For summer and fall semesters of 2020, we have conducted Anatomy and Physiology courses in the online environment, which required re-design of the lab component of the course. Objectives for our re-design included maintaining key curricular components; replicating a hands-on lab experience for students, maintaining engagement with students, and employing our existing pool of teaching assistants. In the new online lab course, students complete at-home hands-on lab activities, guided by teaching assistants during a weekly one-hour video conferencing session. Lab assessments are shorter, weekly assessments outside of lab time. With this new format, we have continuity of content coverage along with the ability to serve students and maintain support of teaching assistants.

Despite proliferative use of anatomical virtual models, there are few studies exploring whether stereoscopic models help medical students retain information regarding three-dimensional (3D) relationships of structures. This pilot study examined first-year medical students' exposure to a virtual 3D stereoscopic pelvis model and their corresponding short- and long-term retention. Participants were administered a series of tests before and after their 3D learning experience, including a pre-3D test, a mental rotation test (MRT), a short-term post-3D test, a block exam, and a long-term post-3D test. Students also completed a survey exploring their satisfaction with 3D imaging in general and its effectiveness in teaching anatomical material. Exam results were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA, and the pre-3D test scores within the 3D groups, were compared using one-way ANOVA's with each of the other performance measures. Final results showed a significantly higher difference in the students' pre-3D test and their immediate short-term retention post-3D test scores. Results also showed a significantly lower difference in students' pre-3D test and their one-month long-term retention test scores. There was no significant difference in the students' pre-3D and six-month long-term retention test scores. However, small sample sizes suggest further research on correlations between stereoscopic imaging of pelvic anatomy and other complex regions and students' short- and long-term retention.

Renal clearance encompasses a somewhat abstract concept, which makes it a hard-to-visualize phenomenon. It is a confusing topic for students and a difficult task for the instructor to teach. In order to improve or facilitate the teaching-learning process of renal clearance, an alternative strategy is presented here. To properly characterize the components of renal clearance, this didactic model splits renal clearance into two distinct portions of flow rates. The information is organized in a sequential structure, from the simplest ideas to the most complex concepts, assisting both teacher and student in addressing renal clearance.

Recently there has been a push for more student-centered learning in the undergraduate classroom as a way to enhance student learning outcomes. One tool utilized in many Anatomy and Physiology courses is case studies of the material being presented. These allow students to apply their knowledge to a real-world scenario they may encounter in their future careers. Here we show the importance of tailoring that tool specifically to the learning outcome of the course. Using backward design, we developed targeted case studies to help students understand complex topics. Improved student performance on related exam questions provided evidence for this improved understanding.