Adv Physiol Educ 39: 133–136, 2015; doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014.
Illuminations
Undergraduate students as promoters of science dissemination: a strategy to increase students’ interest in physiology Sidnei Borges and Pâmela Billig Mello-Carpes Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Submitted 17 September 2014; accepted in final form 19 March 2015
Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: P. B. Mello-Carpes, Physiology Research Group, Federal Univ. of Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul 97503-970, Brazil (e-mail: [email protected] or pamelacarpes @unipampa.edu.br).
BAW Currently, several actions that aimed to disseminate science are held worldwide. However, even though these types of action are growing, they are still insufficient to promote adequate popularization of scientific knowledge or are restricted to large centers and/or specific audiences. One action of science popularization that has been substantially expanded and reaches many continents is BAW. BAW is an annual action that seeks the dissemination of scientific knowledge as well as the progress and benefits of scientific research on the brain and promotes popularization of the areas of science that investigate this organ, such as neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neurochemistry. In 1996, the Dana Alliance organized the first BAW, linking academic, government, professionals, and the general public (6). In Brazil, the first edition happened at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, in 2010, organized by the Science and Cognition Organization, which promoted the dissemination of information about the brain using various different activities and explored the perception of human senses (7). Between the first edition of BAW until 2013, there were events in several cities worldwide. The events promoted the approximation of community to knowledge about the brain. In the present work, we focused on the BAW 2013 edition, which occurred from March 11–17, 2013. This was the first edition performed in the city of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as a proposal from the Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa. The aim was to promote the popularization and dissemination of brain science in Uruguaiana. The difference in our proposal, however, was the idea of including students of undergraduate health programs in the organization and conduction of the actions, making BAW not only an act designed to disseminate science but also an active teaching-learning methodology seeking to increase students’ interest in physiology. This proposal considered that previous studies (3, 4) have shown that students’ active participation improves learning in physiology. Development of Actions The actions reported here were organized from February 2013 and held in March 2013 (over 5 wk) along with the development of the physiology course, during the study of neurophysiology topics. The proposal was referred to the Institutional Education Committee for evaluation and was approved (Institutional Review Board no. 10.027.13). It was proposed to students of undergraduate programs of nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy that they organize activities for the dissemination of science during BAW 2013. The proposal was that students, in groups, draw up activities involving the contents of neurophysiology studied in class, with the aim of
1043-4046/15 Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society
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Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
PHYSIOLOGY TEACHING-LEARNING METHODS have passed through several changes over the years. This can be seen considering the constancy of publications that bring suggestions for innovations in this area, like papers published in specialized journals such as Advances in Physiology Education. However, considering that the profile of our students is increasingly dynamic and there has been a challenge to propose methodologies to attract their attention, new proposals are still necessary to allow teaching to be effective. The traditional model of education appears to be linked to the teacher, who resists the use of tools and methods designed to provide something different to the student, depriving the student of new things or even the motivation to realize the applicability of knowledge (2). There are several ways to provide a class that escapes the traditional teaching model. This can be done through lessons with videos, lectures, seminars, workshops, experimental practices, and use of information and communication technologies, among others. The teachers have to realize what they can use to improve the class and teaching, including an active posture and appropriate teaching tools (13). Therefore, it is necessary to have a perception of the physiology professor who escapes the role of a knowledge transmitter and characterize the physiology professor as someone able to awaken in students a desire to achieve in academic life as a student and later as a professional; this is not a simple task (1). Physiology is part of health undergraduate courses, and, considering that the population requires health professionals responsible and able to provide quality service, the school and university share responsibility in the formation and performance of these professionals; thus, teachers need to guide students in a way that facilitates the process of building knowledge. Considering the structure of universities, it is know that it is not always possible or simple to contemplate classes taught satisfactorily with the available tools (2). In this sense, creativity is an important tool (10), especially in education (9). In this article, we report on an experience in the teaching of physiology to health undergraduate courses in a southern Brazil university. We propose the active participation of physiology students in actions for science dissemination during Brain Awareness Week (BAW), which aimed to increase their interest in physiology.
Illuminations 134
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
Table 1. Organization of BAW actions Duration
Participants
Objective
One meeting in the first week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Choose a common topic for the activities
Phase 2
One meeting in the second week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Think about what activities could be developed and group organization
Phase 3
Three meetings in the second week
Undergraduate students
Preparation of the activities for BAW
Phase 4
One meeting in the third week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Presentation and discussion of the actions prepared
Phase 5
One day of the BAW (fourth week) One meeting in the fifth week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Realization of actions to disseminate science Evaluation of participation in science dissemination actions during BAW as a way to increase students’ interest in physiology
Phase 6
Discussions in classroom, after the weekly theoretical class, about the importance of physiology dissemination and what topic of physiology could be proposed to do during BAW Discussions in classroom, after the weekly theoretical class, about the audience profile and activities that could be performed during BAW; organization of subgroups in each class to prepare activities within a specific theme of the topic chosen Extraclass meetings of subgroups to prepare activities in the specific them of the topic chosen Oral presentation of prepared actions by each subgroup and discussion in the classroom about which could be improved and/or modified Realization of the actions detailed in Table 2 After BAW actions, we evaluated the efficiency of BAW organization and participation as a way to increase students’ interest in physiology by asking students about it
BAW, Brain Awareness Week.
bringing new and useful knowledge to the general population. General details about the organization of actions are shown in Table 1. After the initial organization (phase 1; Table 1), we proposed that students of each of the three undergraduate programs opt for a particular topic of neurophysiology (phase 2; Table 1). The selection process took place in the classroom, so that the possible activities as well as infrastructure and resources needed could be discussed. The topics chosen by students and proposed activities are shown in Table 2. After the physiology topics had been chosen, the students, organized in subgroups of about six students, worked in themes related to these topics and prepared a proposal of activities (phase 3; Table 1), which was later discussed in the classroom (phase 4; Table 1). During BAW (phase 5; Table 1), students were coresponsible for the organization of the activities, changing the idea that students are simple viewers of the teaching-learning process, making them protagonists of their own learning. All activities occurred in the hall of the main building of the university, so that all people that passed by there could participated. Each class performed the activities on a different day (with all groups of that class on the same day), and all students participated in executing the activities/explanations shown in Table 2. The environment was prepared for BAW, and news about the activities that would be performed was widely publicized within the institution and in the general community, through different media and social networks. At the end of the semester, students of physiology, along with the evaluation of different teaching actions undertaken during the semester, answered the following two questions about BAW (phase 6; Table 1):
Did you effectively participate in the actions proposed in BAW? XYes XNo In your opinion, did the activities proposed in BAW collaborate to awake/increase your interest in physiology? XYes XNo XI did not participate sufficiently in the activities. Answers to the questions were given in an anonymous questionnaire. Impact of Actions The two questions stated above were answered by students of nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy at the end of the academic semester. Among the students, 86 students were from nursing and physiotherapy undergraduate programs and 38 students from the pharmacy undergraduate program, totaling 124 students [23.70% were male students (age: 23.6 ⫾ 4.7 yr old) and 76.30% were female students (age: 22.2 ⫾ 4.9 yr old)]. About their participation in BAW, 93% of the students (n ⫽ 80) of nursing and physiotherapy affirmed that they participated effectively [7% of the students (n ⫽ 6) reported that they did not participate sufficiently]. Similarly, 94.7% of the students (n ⫽ 36) of pharmacy reported that they participated widely in the proposal [5.3% of the students (n ⫽ 2) reported that they did not participated effectively]. It is important to consider that students simply answered yes or no to the question about their engagement with the activities, which did not allow us to qualify their participation in BAW activities. Otherwise, these data are presented to quantify the total number of students who answered the second question.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Phase 1
Actions
Illuminations UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
135
Table 2. Topics and activities proposed by physiology students Topic
Activities Proposed
Class 1: nursing and physiotherapy
Sensory system (touch, proprioception, pain, vision, hearing, balance, smell, and taste)
Class 2: nursing and physiotherapy
Relationship between the nervous system and other body systems
Class 3: pharmacy
Impact of different drugs on our brain
Development of explanatory banners and carrying out explicative practical activities, allowing the public to experience the physiological characteristics of sensory perception. Then, using the banners, students made oral explanations about sensory receptors, transduction, and afferent pathways of the central nervous system. The practical activities allowed a visualization of physiology in daily life and included the following: • Touch and pain: two-point discrimination test in different body regions • Proprioception and balance: balance tests made with and without the use of vision on proprioceptive plates • Vision: use of vision illusions and discussion about them • Hearing: tests with diapason • Smell and taste: experience with different smells and tastes and discussion about the relationship between them Development of explanatory posters and use of anatomic parts for evidence of the control of the nervous system on other body systems as well as the influence of emotions in our body. In this activity, students made oral explanations, using the banners, about the influence of the nervous system in the control of cardiovascular parameters (such as heart rate and blood pressure), ventilator parameters (such as ventilator rate), digestive function (talking about the enteric nervous system as a “small brain”), and renal function (emphasizing the role of the nervous system in water homeostasis). Preparation of handouts for distribution and use of free software explaining the mechanism of action of some illicit and licit drugs on the brain. The handouts contained illustrations and texts explaining how and where different drugs act in our brain and why it could be dangerous and were complemented by oral explanations and demonstrations using the software. The software used was Mouse Party, which explains the action of some drugs on a rat’s brain in an interactive way.*
*Mouse Party was developed by the University of Utah and is freely available at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/.
Among the students of nursing and physiotherapy who participated effectively in BAW actions, 95% of the students (n ⫽ 76) reported that the participation increased or awaked their interest in physiology and 5% of the students (n ⫽ 4) said that participation in BAW did not alter their interest in physiology. Among the students of pharmacy, 100% of the students (n ⫽ 36) stated that their participation in BAW awaked or increased their interest in physiology. Thus, we realize that the proposed teaching methodology was successful because it allowed students from different health undergraduate programs to simultaneously enter into a moment of interdisciplinary actions, discussions, and exchange of knowledge. As previous reported (8, 11, 12), students that teach or discuss content with others can learn by teaching other people about some topic; thus, this practice benefits both. Additionally, to improve learning, the use of collaborative strategies permits students to better understand complex content (11) and enhances their academic performance (8). These results can be explained by the fact that students involved in learning tend to retain information for more time that when passive learning methods are used (5). In addition, students learn best when they are focused and thinking about the subject at hand; thus, to teach physiology, we must offer opportunities for students to actively participate in class (4). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the organization and conduction of outreach neurophysiology activities during BAW 2013 can be an effective strategy to awaken and/or increase the interest of health undergraduate students in physiology. Perhaps these
actions have aroused in students the scientific curiosity and pleasure of gaining knowledge through an active process through a strategy that is not routinely used in the teaching of physiology. It is evident that similar actions should be well accepted by students, since a new environment or a new methodology makes students escape the monotony and awakes desires and curiosities that are often suppressed by the walls of the classroom. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors thank all physiology undergraduate students that participated in the actions described here as well as their acceptance and involvement with the activities. DISCLOSURES No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the author(s). AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Author contributions: S.B. and P.B.M.-C. conception and design of research; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. performed experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. analyzed data; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. interpreted results of experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. drafted manuscript; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. approved final version of manuscript; P.B.M.-C. edited and revised manuscript. REFERENCES 1. Ansari D, Coch D. Bridges over troubled waters: education and cognitive neuroscience. Trends Cogn Sci 10: 146 –151, 2006. 2. Brann DW, Sloop S. Curriculum development and technology incorporation in teaching neuroscience to graduate students in a medical school environment. Adv Physiol Educ 30: 38 – 45, 2006. 3. Carvalho H. Active teaching and learning for a deeper understanding of physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 132–133, 2009.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Undergraduate Program
Illuminations 136
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
4. Carvalho H, West CA. Voluntary participation in an active learning exercise leads to a better understanding of physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 35: 53–58, 2011. 5. Cross PK. Teaching for learning. Am Assoc Higher Educ Bull 39: 3–7, 1987. 6. Dana Foundation. The Dana Foundation. 2008 Annual Report (online). http://www.dana.org/workarea/downloadasset.aspx?id⫽44493 [15 August 2014]. 7. Dana Foundation. Brain Awareness Week. BAW Report 2010 (online). http://www.dana.org/BAW/reportdetail.aspx?id⫽99213 [15 August 2014]. 8. Hryciw DH, Tangalakis K, Supple B, Best G. Evaluation of a peer mentoring program for a mature cohort of first-year undergraduate paramedic students. Adv Physiol Educ 37: 80 – 84, 2013.
9. Jackson N. Creativity in higher education: creating tipping points for cultural change. Sceptre Scholar Paper 3: 1–26, 2006. 10. Moran S. The roles of creativity in society In: The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity. New York, NY: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010, p. 74 –92. 11. Petersen MW, Toksvang LN, Plovsing RR, Berg RMG. Collaborative strategies for teaching common acid-base disorders to medical students. Adv Physiol Educ 38: 101–103, 2014. 12. Topping KJ, Winterhoff ES. Peer assisted learning: a framework for consultation. J Educ Psychol Consult 12: 113–132, 2001. 13. Tufts MA, Higgins-Opitz SB. What makes the learning of physiology in a PBL medical curriculum challenging? Student perceptions. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 187–195, 2009.
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
Illuminations
Undergraduate students as promoters of science dissemination: a strategy to increase students’ interest in physiology Sidnei Borges and Pâmela Billig Mello-Carpes Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Submitted 17 September 2014; accepted in final form 19 March 2015
Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: P. B. Mello-Carpes, Physiology Research Group, Federal Univ. of Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul 97503-970, Brazil (e-mail: [email protected] or pamelacarpes @unipampa.edu.br).
BAW Currently, several actions that aimed to disseminate science are held worldwide. However, even though these types of action are growing, they are still insufficient to promote adequate popularization of scientific knowledge or are restricted to large centers and/or specific audiences. One action of science popularization that has been substantially expanded and reaches many continents is BAW. BAW is an annual action that seeks the dissemination of scientific knowledge as well as the progress and benefits of scientific research on the brain and promotes popularization of the areas of science that investigate this organ, such as neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neurochemistry. In 1996, the Dana Alliance organized the first BAW, linking academic, government, professionals, and the general public (6). In Brazil, the first edition happened at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, in 2010, organized by the Science and Cognition Organization, which promoted the dissemination of information about the brain using various different activities and explored the perception of human senses (7). Between the first edition of BAW until 2013, there were events in several cities worldwide. The events promoted the approximation of community to knowledge about the brain. In the present work, we focused on the BAW 2013 edition, which occurred from March 11–17, 2013. This was the first edition performed in the city of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as a proposal from the Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa. The aim was to promote the popularization and dissemination of brain science in Uruguaiana. The difference in our proposal, however, was the idea of including students of undergraduate health programs in the organization and conduction of the actions, making BAW not only an act designed to disseminate science but also an active teaching-learning methodology seeking to increase students’ interest in physiology. This proposal considered that previous studies (3, 4) have shown that students’ active participation improves learning in physiology. Development of Actions The actions reported here were organized from February 2013 and held in March 2013 (over 5 wk) along with the development of the physiology course, during the study of neurophysiology topics. The proposal was referred to the Institutional Education Committee for evaluation and was approved (Institutional Review Board no. 10.027.13). It was proposed to students of undergraduate programs of nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy that they organize activities for the dissemination of science during BAW 2013. The proposal was that students, in groups, draw up activities involving the contents of neurophysiology studied in class, with the aim of
1043-4046/15 Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society
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Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
PHYSIOLOGY TEACHING-LEARNING METHODS have passed through several changes over the years. This can be seen considering the constancy of publications that bring suggestions for innovations in this area, like papers published in specialized journals such as Advances in Physiology Education. However, considering that the profile of our students is increasingly dynamic and there has been a challenge to propose methodologies to attract their attention, new proposals are still necessary to allow teaching to be effective. The traditional model of education appears to be linked to the teacher, who resists the use of tools and methods designed to provide something different to the student, depriving the student of new things or even the motivation to realize the applicability of knowledge (2). There are several ways to provide a class that escapes the traditional teaching model. This can be done through lessons with videos, lectures, seminars, workshops, experimental practices, and use of information and communication technologies, among others. The teachers have to realize what they can use to improve the class and teaching, including an active posture and appropriate teaching tools (13). Therefore, it is necessary to have a perception of the physiology professor who escapes the role of a knowledge transmitter and characterize the physiology professor as someone able to awaken in students a desire to achieve in academic life as a student and later as a professional; this is not a simple task (1). Physiology is part of health undergraduate courses, and, considering that the population requires health professionals responsible and able to provide quality service, the school and university share responsibility in the formation and performance of these professionals; thus, teachers need to guide students in a way that facilitates the process of building knowledge. Considering the structure of universities, it is know that it is not always possible or simple to contemplate classes taught satisfactorily with the available tools (2). In this sense, creativity is an important tool (10), especially in education (9). In this article, we report on an experience in the teaching of physiology to health undergraduate courses in a southern Brazil university. We propose the active participation of physiology students in actions for science dissemination during Brain Awareness Week (BAW), which aimed to increase their interest in physiology.
Illuminations 134
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
Table 1. Organization of BAW actions Duration
Participants
Objective
One meeting in the first week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Choose a common topic for the activities
Phase 2
One meeting in the second week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Think about what activities could be developed and group organization
Phase 3
Three meetings in the second week
Undergraduate students
Preparation of the activities for BAW
Phase 4
One meeting in the third week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Presentation and discussion of the actions prepared
Phase 5
One day of the BAW (fourth week) One meeting in the fifth week
Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors Professor, physiology undergraduate students, and tutors
Realization of actions to disseminate science Evaluation of participation in science dissemination actions during BAW as a way to increase students’ interest in physiology
Phase 6
Discussions in classroom, after the weekly theoretical class, about the importance of physiology dissemination and what topic of physiology could be proposed to do during BAW Discussions in classroom, after the weekly theoretical class, about the audience profile and activities that could be performed during BAW; organization of subgroups in each class to prepare activities within a specific theme of the topic chosen Extraclass meetings of subgroups to prepare activities in the specific them of the topic chosen Oral presentation of prepared actions by each subgroup and discussion in the classroom about which could be improved and/or modified Realization of the actions detailed in Table 2 After BAW actions, we evaluated the efficiency of BAW organization and participation as a way to increase students’ interest in physiology by asking students about it
BAW, Brain Awareness Week.
bringing new and useful knowledge to the general population. General details about the organization of actions are shown in Table 1. After the initial organization (phase 1; Table 1), we proposed that students of each of the three undergraduate programs opt for a particular topic of neurophysiology (phase 2; Table 1). The selection process took place in the classroom, so that the possible activities as well as infrastructure and resources needed could be discussed. The topics chosen by students and proposed activities are shown in Table 2. After the physiology topics had been chosen, the students, organized in subgroups of about six students, worked in themes related to these topics and prepared a proposal of activities (phase 3; Table 1), which was later discussed in the classroom (phase 4; Table 1). During BAW (phase 5; Table 1), students were coresponsible for the organization of the activities, changing the idea that students are simple viewers of the teaching-learning process, making them protagonists of their own learning. All activities occurred in the hall of the main building of the university, so that all people that passed by there could participated. Each class performed the activities on a different day (with all groups of that class on the same day), and all students participated in executing the activities/explanations shown in Table 2. The environment was prepared for BAW, and news about the activities that would be performed was widely publicized within the institution and in the general community, through different media and social networks. At the end of the semester, students of physiology, along with the evaluation of different teaching actions undertaken during the semester, answered the following two questions about BAW (phase 6; Table 1):
Did you effectively participate in the actions proposed in BAW? XYes XNo In your opinion, did the activities proposed in BAW collaborate to awake/increase your interest in physiology? XYes XNo XI did not participate sufficiently in the activities. Answers to the questions were given in an anonymous questionnaire. Impact of Actions The two questions stated above were answered by students of nursing, pharmacy, and physiotherapy at the end of the academic semester. Among the students, 86 students were from nursing and physiotherapy undergraduate programs and 38 students from the pharmacy undergraduate program, totaling 124 students [23.70% were male students (age: 23.6 ⫾ 4.7 yr old) and 76.30% were female students (age: 22.2 ⫾ 4.9 yr old)]. About their participation in BAW, 93% of the students (n ⫽ 80) of nursing and physiotherapy affirmed that they participated effectively [7% of the students (n ⫽ 6) reported that they did not participate sufficiently]. Similarly, 94.7% of the students (n ⫽ 36) of pharmacy reported that they participated widely in the proposal [5.3% of the students (n ⫽ 2) reported that they did not participated effectively]. It is important to consider that students simply answered yes or no to the question about their engagement with the activities, which did not allow us to qualify their participation in BAW activities. Otherwise, these data are presented to quantify the total number of students who answered the second question.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Phase 1
Actions
Illuminations UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
135
Table 2. Topics and activities proposed by physiology students Topic
Activities Proposed
Class 1: nursing and physiotherapy
Sensory system (touch, proprioception, pain, vision, hearing, balance, smell, and taste)
Class 2: nursing and physiotherapy
Relationship between the nervous system and other body systems
Class 3: pharmacy
Impact of different drugs on our brain
Development of explanatory banners and carrying out explicative practical activities, allowing the public to experience the physiological characteristics of sensory perception. Then, using the banners, students made oral explanations about sensory receptors, transduction, and afferent pathways of the central nervous system. The practical activities allowed a visualization of physiology in daily life and included the following: • Touch and pain: two-point discrimination test in different body regions • Proprioception and balance: balance tests made with and without the use of vision on proprioceptive plates • Vision: use of vision illusions and discussion about them • Hearing: tests with diapason • Smell and taste: experience with different smells and tastes and discussion about the relationship between them Development of explanatory posters and use of anatomic parts for evidence of the control of the nervous system on other body systems as well as the influence of emotions in our body. In this activity, students made oral explanations, using the banners, about the influence of the nervous system in the control of cardiovascular parameters (such as heart rate and blood pressure), ventilator parameters (such as ventilator rate), digestive function (talking about the enteric nervous system as a “small brain”), and renal function (emphasizing the role of the nervous system in water homeostasis). Preparation of handouts for distribution and use of free software explaining the mechanism of action of some illicit and licit drugs on the brain. The handouts contained illustrations and texts explaining how and where different drugs act in our brain and why it could be dangerous and were complemented by oral explanations and demonstrations using the software. The software used was Mouse Party, which explains the action of some drugs on a rat’s brain in an interactive way.*
*Mouse Party was developed by the University of Utah and is freely available at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/.
Among the students of nursing and physiotherapy who participated effectively in BAW actions, 95% of the students (n ⫽ 76) reported that the participation increased or awaked their interest in physiology and 5% of the students (n ⫽ 4) said that participation in BAW did not alter their interest in physiology. Among the students of pharmacy, 100% of the students (n ⫽ 36) stated that their participation in BAW awaked or increased their interest in physiology. Thus, we realize that the proposed teaching methodology was successful because it allowed students from different health undergraduate programs to simultaneously enter into a moment of interdisciplinary actions, discussions, and exchange of knowledge. As previous reported (8, 11, 12), students that teach or discuss content with others can learn by teaching other people about some topic; thus, this practice benefits both. Additionally, to improve learning, the use of collaborative strategies permits students to better understand complex content (11) and enhances their academic performance (8). These results can be explained by the fact that students involved in learning tend to retain information for more time that when passive learning methods are used (5). In addition, students learn best when they are focused and thinking about the subject at hand; thus, to teach physiology, we must offer opportunities for students to actively participate in class (4). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the organization and conduction of outreach neurophysiology activities during BAW 2013 can be an effective strategy to awaken and/or increase the interest of health undergraduate students in physiology. Perhaps these
actions have aroused in students the scientific curiosity and pleasure of gaining knowledge through an active process through a strategy that is not routinely used in the teaching of physiology. It is evident that similar actions should be well accepted by students, since a new environment or a new methodology makes students escape the monotony and awakes desires and curiosities that are often suppressed by the walls of the classroom. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors thank all physiology undergraduate students that participated in the actions described here as well as their acceptance and involvement with the activities. DISCLOSURES No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the author(s). AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Author contributions: S.B. and P.B.M.-C. conception and design of research; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. performed experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. analyzed data; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. interpreted results of experiments; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. drafted manuscript; S.B. and P.B.M.-C. approved final version of manuscript; P.B.M.-C. edited and revised manuscript. REFERENCES 1. Ansari D, Coch D. Bridges over troubled waters: education and cognitive neuroscience. Trends Cogn Sci 10: 146 –151, 2006. 2. Brann DW, Sloop S. Curriculum development and technology incorporation in teaching neuroscience to graduate students in a medical school environment. Adv Physiol Educ 30: 38 – 45, 2006. 3. Carvalho H. Active teaching and learning for a deeper understanding of physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 132–133, 2009.
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Undergraduate Program
Illuminations 136
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS PROMOTERS OF SCIENCE
4. Carvalho H, West CA. Voluntary participation in an active learning exercise leads to a better understanding of physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 35: 53–58, 2011. 5. Cross PK. Teaching for learning. Am Assoc Higher Educ Bull 39: 3–7, 1987. 6. Dana Foundation. The Dana Foundation. 2008 Annual Report (online). http://www.dana.org/workarea/downloadasset.aspx?id⫽44493 [15 August 2014]. 7. Dana Foundation. Brain Awareness Week. BAW Report 2010 (online). http://www.dana.org/BAW/reportdetail.aspx?id⫽99213 [15 August 2014]. 8. Hryciw DH, Tangalakis K, Supple B, Best G. Evaluation of a peer mentoring program for a mature cohort of first-year undergraduate paramedic students. Adv Physiol Educ 37: 80 – 84, 2013.
9. Jackson N. Creativity in higher education: creating tipping points for cultural change. Sceptre Scholar Paper 3: 1–26, 2006. 10. Moran S. The roles of creativity in society In: The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity. New York, NY: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010, p. 74 –92. 11. Petersen MW, Toksvang LN, Plovsing RR, Berg RMG. Collaborative strategies for teaching common acid-base disorders to medical students. Adv Physiol Educ 38: 101–103, 2014. 12. Topping KJ, Winterhoff ES. Peer assisted learning: a framework for consultation. J Educ Psychol Consult 12: 113–132, 2001. 13. Tufts MA, Higgins-Opitz SB. What makes the learning of physiology in a PBL medical curriculum challenging? Student perceptions. Adv Physiol Educ 33: 187–195, 2009.
Downloaded from http://advan.physiology.org/ by 10.220.33.1 on April 4, 2017
Advances in Physiology Education • doi:10.1152/advan.00120.2014 • http://advan.physiology.org
