Efficacy of Active Learning in Remediating Misconceptions in Undergraduate Physiology

生理学教师如何最好地帮助本科生纠正误解和掌握生理学？ 这个为期一年的试点项目是一个更广泛的研究计划的第一步，该计划涉及11所机构的教师，旨在研究回答这个问题的三个关键因素：1）进入状态（即，持有的误解以及进入学生的知识和技能基础）; 2）促进主动学习的方法（即，帮助学生测试和修改他们的心理模型）;和3）掌握的定义。 该试点项目正在检查学生实验室的进入状态和积极的学习环境。 背景，呼吸生理学，是一个已知的主题是困难的学生。 我们的本科学生群体是科学和非科学专业的学生，在2年和4年制的机构中学习生理学入门。为了研究入学状态，我们：1）确定进入学生的实际知识和技能，并检查这些如何匹配教师的期望; 2）确定常见的误解，并确定其在进入学生中的患病率;和3）确定学生从目的论的角度看待生理学的程度。 我们还将确定学生实验室协议的设计是否在帮助学生纠正误解和采用机械的生理学方法方面很重要。 学生们将参加传统的“湿实验室”，在那里他们做肺量测定彼此，或在计算机实验室，在那里他们操纵呼吸功能的数学模型。 对于每一种实验形式，学生将遵循常见的“观察和记录”类型的协议，或要求他们在进行实验之前预测扰动的结果。 我们的假设是，“预测”设计将比“观察和记录”设计更有效。 这个项目将产生关于学生在原型科学课程中的实际入学状态的基本信息，并将提供关于在学生实验室环境中纠正误解和目的论思维的最有效方法的信息。

How can physiology faculty best help undergraduate students correct misconceptions and master physiology? This one-year pilot project is the first step in a broader research program that involves faculty at 11 institutions and is designed to examine three elements critical to answering this question: 1) the entry state (i.e., misconceptions held and the knowledge and skills base of entering students); 2) methods that promote active learning (i.e., help students test and modify their mental models); and 3) the definition of mastery. This pilot project is examining the entry state and the active learning environment of the student laboratory. The context, respiratory physiology, is a subject known to be difficult for students. Our undergraduate student population is science and non-science majors taking introductory physiology at 2- and 4-year institutions. To study the entry state, we are: 1) determining the actual knowledge and skills that entering students have and examining how these match faculty expectations; 2) identifying common misconceptions and determining their prevalence among entering students; and 3) determining the extent to which students view physiology from a teleological perspective. We will also determine if the design of student laboratory protocols is important in helping students correct misconceptions and adopt a mechanistic approach to physiology. Students will participate in a traditional "wet lab", in which they do spirometry on one another, or in a computer laboratory, in which they manipulate a mathematical model of respiratory function. For each lab format, students will follow either the common "observe and record" type of protocol or one requiring them to predict the results of a perturbation before conducting the experiment. Our hypothesis is that the "prediction" design will be more effective than the "observe and record" design. This project will yield essential information about the actual entry state of students in a prototypical science course and w ill provide information about the most effective way to remediate misconceptions and teleological thinking in a student laboratory setting.