Advances in Physiology Education最新文献

{"title":"To disrupt the traditional compartmentalized learning of nutrition functions, a proposition for integrative teaching at undergraduate level.","authors":"Rémi Cadet","doi":"10.1152/advan.00231.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00231.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rather than an anatomy-centered study of the nutrition functions of the body (circulation, respiration, food digestion, and intestinal absorption of nutrients) as found in undergraduate physiology textbooks, a more integrative, mechanistic approach to teaching human physiology at the undergraduate level in science faculties is presented. Starting from the cell's needs for nutrients and oxygen, this proposal highlights the way in which each organ or apparatus ensures cell function. Then the fundamental physiological concepts of structure-function relationships and matter gradients can be constructed by considering the physicochemical mechanisms involved. The diversity of devices found in circulatory, ventilatory, and digestive systems is then examined through the prism of the mechanisms used to maintain gradients in nutrient concentration or gas partial pressure through exchange surfaces. Finally, the systems controlling nutrition functions are studied in fluctuating physiological contexts, such as during physical exercise or fasting. The presented pedagogical approach emphasizes the integration of functions on an organism-wide scale and focuses teaching on basic mechanisms rather than on the description of structures, while ensuring the transferability of physiological concepts. This pedagogical approach seems particularly relevant for the training of undergraduate students intending to teach biology in secondary education.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> A proposal for teaching of human physiology at the undergraduate level in a science faculty outlines a pedagogical progression centered on cellular requirements for nutrients and oxygen. Rather than being taught independently, the three nutrition functions, circulation, respiration, and digestion, are interrelated and functional similarities are highlighted. The core concepts of physiology are thus more integrated at the organism level, with an emphasis on common mechanisms rather than specific structures.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"599-603"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143626772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reflective writing assignments in the era of GenAI: student behavior and attitudes suggest utility, not futility.","authors":"Tori N Stranges, Meaghan J MacNutt","doi":"10.1152/advan.00241.2024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00241.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reflective writing is widely used in health sciences education, but overreliance on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) could undermine the reflective writing process. To explore this concern, students in three undergraduate courses with reflective writing assignments and policies permitting GenAI use were asked to retrospectively and anonymously self-report their GenAI-related behaviors and attitudes. Only 33% of respondents (<i>n</i> = 310) reported ever using GenAI on a reflective writing assignment. Among GenAI users, 81% reported that usage was motivated by learning, efficiency, and/or (to a significantly lesser extent) grades. Eighty-six percent of users reported benefits to learning, efficiency, and/or grades, but 10% reported that learning was hindered by using GenAI. Most GenAI users (83%) believed their usage of GenAI was ethical, and only 4% regretted their use. Notably, 19% of users and 38% of nonusers wished they had used GenAI more. Overall, only four assignments (representing 1.3% of respondents and 0.3% of submissions) were reportedly \"mostly written by GenAI.\" Instead, most students reported using GenAI selectively and in ways that were supportive rather than substitutive of their own reflective process. This finding inspires optimism that reflective writing assignments have retained their pedagogical value in the early GenAI era and that most students are well intentioned in their usage of GenAI. Heterogeneity in self-reported student behavior, motivations, and perceptions of GenAI's benefits and harms highlights the need for further research into factors influencing GenAI adoption and usage. Understanding and responding to this diversity will be crucial for developing inclusive and equitable strategies to help maximize GenAI's benefits while minimizing its harms.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> We examined students' use of GenAI tools to complete reflective writing assignments in health and exercise science courses where these tools were permitted. Findings do not support common concerns about student overuse and misuse of GenAI tools. Instead, we provide evidence that students are using GenAI tools selectively and in ways they believe to be ethical and supportive of their learning. Tremendous variability in student behavior and attitudes warrants further consideration.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":"49 2","pages":"582-592"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144063037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic scaling: exploring the relation between metabolic rate and body size.","authors":"Beth Beason-Abmayr, David R Caprette","doi":"10.1152/advan.00171.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00171.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present an alternative to the traditional classroom lecture on the topics of metabolic scaling, allometric relationships between metabolic rate (MR) and body size, and reasons for rejecting Rubner's surface \"law,\" concepts that students have described as challenging, counterintuitive, and/or mathematical. In groups, students work with published data on MR and body size for species representing all five vertebrate groups. To support the exercise, we developed a worksheet that has students define the concept in their own words, compare different measures of MR, and evaluate plots of MR and mass-specific MR vs. body mass for both homeotherms and poikilotherms. Students also attempt to explain why selected species have exceptionally high or low MR values for their body sizes. Student feedback indicated that active learning is an effective way to learn the concepts of metabolic scaling and allometric relationships and that the opportunity to work in groups with real data stimulates interest and an appreciation for the importance of metabolic scaling to the understanding of animal physiology.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Here we describe a worksheet that we designed for a group exercise in which students study real data to learn about metabolic scaling in different groups of vertebrates, understand that metabolic rates are allometric functions of body size, and consider why physiologists now reject Rubner's surface \"law.\" We used this exercise in a course in animal physiology in place of the traditional lecture approach to teaching the concept of metabolic scaling.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"273-279"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143034753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Educational strategies for teaching metabolic profiles across three endurance training zones.","authors":"Denise V Macedo, Bernardo N Ide","doi":"10.1152/advan.00094.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00094.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article explores an innovative educational approach using a metabolic board designed to enhance understanding of muscle metabolism across three endurance training zones: Z1 (light intensity), Z2 (moderate intensity), and Z3 (intense/severe intensity). The aerobic threshold marks the transition from light to moderate domains and the anaerobic threshold separates moderate from intense domains, with both thresholds adapting to training. Exercises within each training zone elicit specific adaptive responses through distinct signaling pathways, but the metabolic profile induced remains relatively constant across these intensity domains. The assembly of the metabolic board is guided by interpretative questions derived from recent incremental exercise studies. By interacting with the board, students gain clear insights into the rationale for choosing between continuous and interval exercises. This interactive tool simplifies complex physiological processes into understandable components, clarifying the relationships among motor unit types and their metabolism and principal energy sources at each intensity level. By assembling the board, students demystify muscle metabolism as a continuum of responses crucial for sustaining various exercise intensities. This integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application empowers students and professionals to make informed decisions about training prescriptions, a critical element of training periodization.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Our pedagogical tool offers a unique and enriching learning experience. By active construction of a metabolic board using real data, focused on a predominance of a specific muscle fiber type and its metabolic characteristics across three ranges of exercise intensity domains, the tool promotes deep learning for sports science professionals.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"331-337"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adopting augmented reality and virtual reality in medical education in resource-limited settings: constraints and the way forward.","authors":"Himel Mondal, Shaikat Mondal","doi":"10.1152/advan.00027.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00027.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) hold immense potential to transform education by providing immersive, interactive learning experiences that may enhance student engagement and facilitate complex concept understanding. However, several barriers may hinder their widespread adoption in resource-constrained environments, especially in developing countries. These include infrastructure limitations, high costs, lack of localized content, insufficient teacher training, and sociocultural resistance to new technologies. Additionally, technological limitations, policy and institutional barriers, and equity issues further complicate the integration of AR and VR in educational systems. Hence, there is a need for a strategy to overcome them. Potential solutions may include cost-sharing models, teacher professional development, content localization, and the development of scalable, low-cost solutions. These perspectives may help the policymakers, educators, and technology developers seeking to maximize the impact of immersive technologies in global education.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"503-507"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between heart size and anthropometric and cardiovascular indicators: an undergraduate physiology teaching laboratory.","authors":"Madyson O Hintz, Aisya S Ahmad Zamri, Elizabeth W Erickson, Frosina Barlev, Sean Coffey, Regis R Lamberts","doi":"10.1152/advan.00254.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00254.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heart size is a critical indicator of cardiovascular health, is influenced by various anthropometric measures such as age, sex, body height, body weight, and fat-free mass, and associates with hand palm diameter. Understanding the relationship between heart size and these anthropometric indicators is vital for clinical practice and for understanding and exploring the anatomy and physiology of the heart. We designed a physiology teaching laboratory for second-year undergraduate students to facilitate this understanding. The laboratory had three primary learning objectives: <i>1</i>) to observe heart size measurement with ultrasound by a professional cardiac sonographer; <i>2</i>) to measure anthropometric parameters (age, sex, body height, body weight, body fat percentage, and hand palm diameter) alongside cardiovascular measures (heart rate and blood pressure); <i>3</i>) to comprehend the basic qualitative and quantitative relationships between heart size and both the anthropometric and cardiovascular measurements.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Heart size is a key indicator of cardiovascular health, influenced by various factors such as sex and body height. We developed a physiology laboratory for second-year undergraduates to support learning of these relationships, which are crucial for understanding cardiac physiology. First, students observed heart size measurements with ultrasound by a professional. Second, they measured anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters. Finally, they explored the basic associations between heart size and the anthropometric and cardiovascular indicators.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"508-516"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virtual laboratories complement but should not replace face-to-face classes: perceptions of life science students at Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland.","authors":"Caoimhin S Griffin, Sinead Loughran, Bridget Kelly, Edel Healy, Gillian Lambe, Arjan van Rossum, Brian Murphy, Eric Moore, Christopher Burke, Aoife Morrin, Carmel Breslin, Frances Heaney, Denise Rooney, Ronan Bree, Bernard T Drumm","doi":"10.1152/advan.00227.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00227.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Virtual laboratories (VLs) enable students to experiment, analyze data, or interact with digital content in a nonphysical space. VLs include simulations, electronic notebooks, videos, and augmented reality. As part of the \"VL Project,\" comprising five academic institutions in Ireland, we sought to determine how VLs might enhance practical learning in undergraduate life science students at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). From 2021 to 2024, we exposed students to VLs in multiple degrees (e.g., BSc Bioscience, BSc Pharmaceutical Science, BSc Biopharmaceutical Science). We focused on Labster simulations and Lab Archives electronic notebooks. Over 600 students performed VLs in 14 modules from first to fourth year (e.g., Biotechnology, Immunology, Bioanalytical Science). We surveyed students before and after using VLs and conducted focus groups to evaluate emergent themes in depth. Among respondents (<i>n</i> = 263), the most beneficial component of laboratory experiences, as indicated by 58% of students was experimental work (as opposed to prepractical talks or postlaboratory assessments). Ninety percent of students agreed with the statement: \"VLs enhanced my level of confidence with experimental science.\" Seventy-five percent of students stated VLs should only be used to complement face-to-face (F-2-F) teaching. Thematic focus group analysis revealed students valued VLs as prelaboratory tools, allowing repeated engagement with, and troubleshooting of experiments in a safe, nontime-limited manner. In conclusion, students reinforced they valued hands-on experience, in-person instructor guidance, and real-world demonstration for experimental work. VLs can complement but should not replace F-2-F laboratory experiences in undergraduate life sciences.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study represents the largest and most systematic analysis of student perceptions of life science virtual laboratories conducted in Ireland. Our findings provide student-centered feedback on the potential benefits and challenges of using virtual laboratories to enhance life science learning and have wide implications for how these resources might be best utilized in other institutions in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"314-330"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143069331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Learning endocrine physiology of the female reproductive system through memes.","authors":"Yandara Akamine Martins, Camila Aparecida Errerias Fernandes Cardinali","doi":"10.1152/advan.00218.2024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00218.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Technology is an integral part of the learning process of the new generation of students. The use of digital tools in education increases engagement and information retention by the students and also creates a pleasant learning environment. Memes are technological tools widely used in social media that can be used in classrooms to make concepts more visual and humorous. Learning endocrine physiology at university can be challenging, especially the endocrine physiology of the female reproductive system, which involves cyclic changes of female sex hormones and gonadotropic hormones and complex regulation through feedback loops. Thus we propose using memes as an educational tool for teaching female gonad physiology. In the paper, we provide memes to aid the understanding and stimulate the discussion of every aspect of the endocrine physiology of the female reproductive system.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Learning the endocrine physiology of the female reproductive system can be challenging. In this paper, memes are used as educational tools for teaching the subject! Memes are fun tools that increase engagement and provide a pleasant learning environment. So, are you ready to learn?</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":"49 2","pages":"558-562"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144042826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"That's all I do, is school\": a mixed-methods evaluation of undergraduate physiology students' perceptions of stress.","authors":"Isabella Campbell, Jessica Walker, Randy Bryner, Miriam Leary","doi":"10.1152/advan.00187.2024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00187.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Physiology-related majors often have high academic rigor, which may increase undergraduate students' perceptions of stress and negatively impact mental health and well-being. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore perceived stress in undergraduate Exercise Physiology (EXPH) students to guide the development of future mental wellness interventions. EXPH students enrolled in an Advanced Exercise Physiology course were invited to complete the Perceived Academic Stress Scale and Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale at the start of the Fall 2023 semester and after the first unit exam, as well as participate in a semistructured interview exploring stress and related factors. The Perceived Stress Scale scores increased (pre: 15.6 ± 7.0 vs. post: 18.8 ± 6.1, <i>P</i> < 0.00001) over time; however, the Perceived Academic Stress Scale scores did not change (pre: 52.3 ± 10.2 vs. post: 52.2 ± 10.5, <i>P</i> = 0.95). Ten students were interviewed, and all reported medium to high levels of academic and \"life\" stress. Major sources of stress included program expectations, coursework load, family pressures, financial stress, and life balance. Most students reported good coping skills and stress management strategies such as exercising, time management, planning, and self-care. This study highlights the significant levels of both general and academic stress experienced by undergraduate physiology students, with program expectations and the integration of academic and personal stressors emerging as key contributors. The results informed several proposed strategies to support students' overall well-being and academic performance.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study highlights the significant levels of both general and academic stress experienced by undergraduate physiology students, with program expectations and the integration of academic and personal stressors emerging as key contributors. The results informed several proposed strategies to support students' overall well-being and academic performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":"49 2","pages":"550-557"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144057773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proficiency-based grading: a potential solution learning without stressful exams.","authors":"Terence G Favero","doi":"10.1152/advan.00255.2024","DOIUrl":"10.1152/advan.00255.2024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article describes the implementation of alternative grading (AG) strategies in an upper-division kinesiology and functional human anatomy course. Traditional point-based grading systems can negatively impact student mental health, decrease intrinsic motivation, and hinder learning. To address these issues, a proficiency-based grading approach was adopted, emphasizing clearly defined standards, growth-oriented feedback, progress-indicating marks, and penalty-free reassessment opportunities. Course assessments included weekly write-ups, movement analyses, and practical examinations, with flexible submission timelines and revision opportunities. Student feedback through microassessment revealed reduced stress levels, improved time management across courses, and deeper engagement with course material. Although implementation challenges existed, particularly around the initial faculty workload, the approach demonstrated significant learning gains while supporting student well-being. Our experience suggests that alternative grading strategies can maintain academic rigor while creating a more supportive and effective learning environment in science education.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This article provides a practical implementation model for alternative grading in a science course, demonstrating how proficiency-based assessment can maintain academic rigor while reducing student stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":50852,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Physiology Education","volume":" ","pages":"416-422"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143505861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}