Student engagement in a compulsory introductory physiology course.

Main Article Content

Stephen Brown
Sue White
Alex Bowmar
Nicola Power

Abstract

Appropriate instruments are required to determine student engagement on an undergraduate course, and in this study we evaluated a 23 item Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ) administered to undergraduate students studying a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation degree. These students were in the first semester of a 3 year degree, and were enrolled in a compulsory introductory Human anatomy and physiology course, as part of their degree. Responses (n=115) were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, and this indicated that 4 latent factors explained >49% of the total variance. These factors were described as ‘study habits’ (7 items), ‘performance’ (6 items), participation (4 items), and emotional (4 items). Two items did not align with any latent factors. Each scale had good internal consistency, with all Cronbach’s alpha values >0.7. The factors identified in this study are consistent with those identified in a previous SCEQ evaluation, and we suggest that this instrument is appropriate to quantify course engagement in Sport and Recreation degree students. Moreover, we suggest that the scales identified within the SCEQ may be used to quantify aspects of engagement in undergraduate students studying a course in introductory Human anatomy and physiology.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Brown, S., White, S., Bowmar, A., & Power, N. (2017). Student engagement in a compulsory introductory physiology course. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 17(1), 52–62. https://doi.org/10.14434/v17i1.20066
Section
Articles
Author Biography

Stephen Brown, Auckland University of Technology

Senior lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology, AUT.

References

Allers, N. (2010). Teaching physiology to dental students: matching teaching and learning styles in a South African dental school. Journal of Dental Education, 74, 986-992. http://www.jdentaled.org/content/74/9/986.full.pdf+html

Armbruster, P., Patel, M., Johnson, E., & Weiss, M. (2009). Active learning and student-centered pedagogy improve students attitudes and performance in introductory biology. CBE Life Sciences Education, 8, 203-213. http://www.lifescied.org/content/8/3/203.full.pdf+html

Brown, P.J. (2010). Process-oriented guided-inquiry learning in an introductory anatomy and physiology course with a diverse student population. Advances in Physiology Education, 34, 150155. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/34/3/150.full.pdf

Eagleton, S., & Muller, A. (2011). Development of a model for whole brain learning of physiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 35, 421-426. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/35/4/421.full.pdf

Eberlein, T., Kampmeier, J., Minderhout, V., Moog, R.S., Platt, T., Varma-Nelson, P., White, H.B. (2008). Pedagogies of engagement in science: a comparison of PBL, POGIL, and PLTL. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 36, 262-273. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bmb.20204/epdf

Ernst, H., & Colthorpe, K. (2007). The efficacy of interactive lecturing for students with diverse science backgrounds. Advances in Physiology Education, 31, 41-44. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/31/1/41.full.pdf

Matheson, C. (2008). The educational value and effectiveness of lectures. Clinical Teacher, 5, 218– 221. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-498X.2008.00238.x/epdf

Handelsman, M.M., Briggs, W.L., Sullivan, N., & Towler, A. (2005). A measure of college student course engagement. The Journal of Educational Research, 98, 184-191.

Henige, K. (2012). Use of concept mapping in an undergraduate introductory exercise physiology course. Advances in Physiology Education, 36, 197-206. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/36/3/197.full.pdf

Herrmann, K.J. (2013). The impact of cooperative learning on student engagement: Results from an intervention. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14, 175-187. http://alh.sagepub.com/content/14/3/175.full.pdf+html

Higgins-Opitz, S.B., &Tufts, M. (2010). Student perceptions of the use of presentations as a method of learning endocrine and gastrointestinal pathophysiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 34, 75-85. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/34/2/75.full.pdf

Higgins-Opitz, S.B., & Tufts M. (2014). Performance of first-year health sciences students in a large, diverse, multidisciplinary, first-semester, physiology service module. Advances in Physiology Education, 38, 161-169. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/38/2/161.full.pdf

Huang, A.H., & Carroll, R.G. (1997). Incorporating active learning into a traditional curriculum. Advances in Physiology Education, 18(1), S14-S23.

Kuh, G.D., Cruce, T.M., & Shoup, R. (2008). Unmasking the Effects of Student Engagement on First-Year College Grades and Persistence. The Journal of Higher Education, 79, 540-563. https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_higher_education/v079/79.5.kuh.pdf

Levett-Jones, T., Andersen, P., Reid-Searl, K., Guinea, S., McAllister, M., Lapkin, S., Palmer, L., & Niddrie, M. (2015). Tag team simulation: An innovative approach for promoting active engagement of participants and observers during group simulations, Nurse Education in Practice, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2015.03.014

Michael, J., & McFarland, J. (2011). The core principles (“big ideas”) of physiology: results of faculty surveys. Advances in Physiology Education, 35, 336-341. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/35/4/336.full.pdf

Michael, J., McFarland, J., & Wright, A. (2008). The second Conceptual Assessment in the Biological Sciences Workshop. Advances in Physiology Education, 32, 248-251. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/32/3/248.full.pdf

Michael, J., Modell, H., McFarland, J., & Cliff, W. (2009). The “core principles” of physiology: what should students understand? Advances in Physiology Education, 33, 10-16. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/33/1/10.full.pdf

Miller, C.J., McNear, J., & Metz, M.J. (2013). A comparison of traditional and engaging lecture methods in a large, professional-level course. Advances in Physiology Education, 37, 347-355. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/37/4/347.full.pdf

Miller, C.J., & Metz, M.J. (2014). A comparison of professional-level faculty and student perceptions of active learning: its current use, effectiveness, and barriers. Advances in Physiology Education, 38, 246-252. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/38/3/246.full.pdf

Modell, H.I. (2000). How to help students understand physiology? Emphasize general models. Advances in Physiology Education, 23, 101-107. http://wiki.biologyscholars.org/@api/deki/files/91/=General_Models.pdf

Rathner, J.A., Hughes, D.L., & Schuijers, J.A. (2013). Redesigning A Core First Year Physiology Subject In Allied Health To Achieve Better Learning Outcomes. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 21, 37-52. http://openjournals.library.usyd.edu.au/index.php/CAL/article/view/7199/7668

Shaban, S., & McLean, M. (2011). Predicting performance at medical school: can we identify atrisk students? Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2, 139–148. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661252/pdf/amep-2-139.pdf

Vanags, T., Pammer, K., Brinker, J. (2013). Process-oriented guided-inquiry learning improves long-term retention of information. Advances in Physiology Education, 37, 233–241. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/37/3/233.full.pdf

Wilke, R.R. (2003). The effect of active learning on student characteristics in a human physiology course for non-majors. Advances in Physiology Education, 27, 207–223. http://advan.physiology.org/content/ajpadvan/27/4/207.full.pdf

Zhao, C., & Kuh, G.D. (2004). Adding Value: Learning Communities and Student Engagement. Research in Higher Education, 45, 115-138. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FB%3ARIHE.0000015692.88534.de#/page-1