Teaching physiology to biomedical engineers using Team-Based Learning and inquiry research Trevor Cardinal Assistant Professor

Outline Rational for approach Textbook team-based learning (TBL) TBL for physiology Feedback & Perceived Challenges Future Modifications

Rationale for Approach Research-Teaching Nexus – Teaching & professional development often disjointed – Model scientific process in classroom

Rationale for Approach Benefits of practicing science in the classroom – For faculty Opportunity to practice mentoring & managing Pre-training students for research More dynamic, more interesting – For students More dynamic, more interesting Gain practical, transferable skills Training for Senior Project

Textbook Team-Based Learning Developed by Larry Michaelsen – 4-7 student, heterogeneous teams last entire term Michaelson, 2004

Team-Based Learning for Physiology Reduce memorization load by distilling physiology to essential set of ideas or concepts – Response (regulate protein function) or – Adaptation (regular protein expression)

Team-Based Learning for Physiology Reduce memorization load by distilling physiology to essential set of ideas or concepts – Systems perspective More familiar but more difficult to transfer or – Cell perspective More foreign but easier to transfer

Team-Based Learning for Physiology Apply basic biophysical concepts to understanding physiology – Diffusion – Electrosteric interactions – Electrostatic forces – Ohm’s Law

Team-Based Learning for Physiology Michaelson, 2006 Determine underlying physiology from medical case study ↓ Design experiment to better understand or test therapy Multiple choice, test comprehension Reading from Guyton

Team-Based Learning for Physiology Laboratory – ADInstruments Power Lab – Prescribed experiments in weeks 1-5 Introduction Ventilation ECG & pulse Nerve & muscle Psychophysiology – Inquiry study in weeks 6-10 Caffeine on strength Music on stress Activity on reaction time

Student Feedback Positives – Case activities – Team RAT – Peer instruction – Application of knowledge Negatives – Individual RAT – Too little lecture – Arbitrary reading

Instructor Challenges Discontinuity between RAT & activities Not enough opportunity to practice lab inquiry

Future Modifications Reading – Develop reading from medical case study as an in-class activity – Switch texts RAT – Fewer, application-based questions Lab – Week 1 primarily prescribed – Week 2 primarily inquiry – 2 week inquiry project at end Objective measures – Critical thinking test – ??

Acknowledgements Teaching Assistant – Tim Abram Funding – Center for Teaching & Learning, Cal Poly