Meeting Abstract

P3.87  Saturday, Jan. 5  Using General Models in Physiology can Enhance Student Understanding. WENDEROTH, Mary Pat*; HENSON, Kate; University of Washington; University of Washington mpw@u.washington.edu

Students often compartmentalize their knowledge and fail to recognize the principles that are common between topics. General models (GM) are teaching models that provide a way of making common physiological patterns explicit to students (Modell ,Adv. Physiol. Educ. 23:101-107, 2000.) We predicted that by introducing and incorporating the concepts of GM into an introductory physiology course, students could use the GMs to form robust mental models that would help them explain, predict and successfully solve physiological problems. Four of the seven general models: Flux, Mass Balance, Mass Action and Control Systems were presented. Exams in the course are short answer and students were directed to identify the GM in the margin when relevant to solving an exam question. Correctly identifying the GM was worth a point. For each exam question we recorded if students used the correct GM and the quality (points scored) of their answers (less GM pts). We found that students who correctly identified and used the GM earned significantly more points (less GM pts) on that exam questions. Another goal of using GMs is to have the students transfer these principles to novel questions. Prior to beginning the Respiratory System in the third week of class, the students had a pre-test on their understanding of the mechanics of ventilation. No prompts to use GM in their answer were given, yet 90% of students used the correct GM to explain the mechanism. We also analyzed student�s qualitative answers as to the usefulness of GM and found that students who correctly used GM in exam answers also had the most sophisticated understanding of the usefulness of GM for their explanatory and predictive powers. Using GM in your course has the potential to significantly enhance student understanding in physiology.