It's difficult to change the way we teach: lessons from the Integrative Themes in Physiology curriculum module project

Abstract

The Integrative Themes in Physiology (ITIP) project was a National Science Foundation-funded collaboration between the American Physiological Society (APS) and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS). The project goal was to create instructional resources that emphasized active learning in undergraduate anatomy and physiology classrooms. The resources (activity modules and professional development) addressed two factors thought to be limiting science education reform: instructors' knowledge of how to implement active learning instruction and time to design innovative curricula. Volunteer instructors with a strong interest in using active learning in their classrooms were recruited to use the ITIP modules and provide ease-of-use feedback and student assessment data. As the study unfolded, instructor attrition was higher than had been anticipated, with 17 of 36 instructors withdrawing. More surprisingly, instructors remaining with the project failed to use the modules and reported specific obstacles that precluded module use, including lack of support from academic leadership, unplanned class size increases and heavy teaching loads, a union strike, insufficient time to develop a mindset for change, inadequate technology/funding, an adverse human subjects ruling, incompatibility of modules with instructors' established content and expectations, and personal factors. Despite the lack of module use and obstacles, 8 of 19 site testers began independently to introduce new active learning instruction into their classrooms. In the larger picture, however, it is important to note that only 8 of the initial 36 volunteers (22%) actually ended up changing their instruction to include opportunities for student active learning. These findings underscore the difficulty of implementing instructional change in college classrooms.

Learning through role-playing games: an approach for active learning and teaching

“…This finding contrasts with previous reports suggesting resistance by both students and teachers 35 . We believe that this acceptance is because the RPG encourages cooperation and active participation by the students.…”

“…However, we believe that the increase in comprehension and the inspiration to seek more knowledge compensate for this limitation. Teachers tend to be orthodox and reluctant to change their teaching style 35 . Despite our efforts to recruit teachers, only one actually took part in the study by learning how to direct an RPG class.…”

Diffusion of research-based instructional strategies: the case of SCALE-UP

“…This supports previous research that instructors and departments modify SCALE-UP, both pedagogically and structurally (Henderson and Dancy 2008;Penberthy and Millar 2002;Sharp and McLaughlin 1997;Silverthorn et al 2006;Hutchinson and Huberman 1994). Respondents reported wide variation in their classroom equipment and active learning levels during their SCALE-UP implementation efforts.…”

“…However, these same educational studies also suggest that when the level of reinvention is quite high, then the desired outcomes can diminish substantially (Henderson and Dancy 2008;Penberthy and Millar 2002;Sharp and McLaughlin 1997;Silverthorn et al 2006;Hutchinson and Huberman 1994;Berman and Pauley 1975;Berman and McLaughlin 1978).…”

Expanding Voluntary Active-learning Opportunities for Pharmacy Students in a Respiratory Physiology Module

“…We particularly set out to develop a design that could be easily adapted to other physiology modules, was cost efficient, and did not unduly increase the teachers' workload, as it is recognized that a lack of implementation of activelearning activities is often due to a perceived increase in workload. 9 The efficacy of the redesigned module was evaluated by comparison of student performance in the respiratory physiology section of the summative examinations over the period of the study. During the same 3-year period, the student performance in the respiratory pharmacology section of the same summative examinations was used to control for any cohort variations as the respiratory American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2008; 72 (2) Article 28.…”