Laboratory experiences in large-enrollment introductory science courses often utilize “cookie-cutter style” laboratory experiences due to the relative simplicity of setting up the lab stations, as well as a need to teach students particular course content. These experiences rarely offer insights into the way science is done in the research setting, resulting in a lack of understanding of the scientific process. In addition, students enrolled in non-majors introductory science courses often fail to see the relevance between what they are doing in the lab and what they are learning in the lecture portion of their course. To address this gap, we developed a laboratory module for a non-majors Human Biology course that provides students with a hands-on, authentic research experience using the iWorx software and hardware for human physiology. Weekly modules were designed to guide students through the major steps of the research process, including reading current scientific literature, developing a testable hypothesis, designing and performing a physiology experiment, analyzing data and presenting their findings to their peers. The described course framework encouraged students to participate in the scientific process, providing them with the opportunity to engage in an authentic research experience. The model described here could be adapted for use with introductory or advanced students, and could be modified to fit any research model available to the instructor. Utilizing the multi-week format described is recommended for students to gain the full benefit from the research-design-revise process.

Without the use of real-life examples and models, actively instructing and engaging students in complex physiology topics related to bone biomechanics can be challenging. In our large-enrollment Human Physiology & Anatomy courses at the University of Connecticut, the skeletal system is the first organ system that we cover in depth, rendering even more important our establishment of (and emphasis on) how fascinating--and directly applicable to everyday life--the anatomical features and physiological properties of organs can be. Because our lecture courses are supplemented with 2 hours per week of anatomy-intensive laboratory investigations, we tend to focus heavily on physiology concepts during lecture. For the skeletal system, we consider stress-strain curves in the context of bone biomechanics, including the materials-science concepts of elasticity, plasticity, and viscoelasticity, and the more generalizable concepts of hysteresis and anisotropy. Hoping to provide a fun, entertaining, and real-world perspective on these topics, we used Silly Putty® as an inexpensive, familiar, and readily-available model of some of these bone properties. This lesson allows students to get engaged in, and familiarized with, biomechanical concepts through demonstration of this well-known play material's properties, as a concrete reference point. Coupling the lesson with active questioning and think-pair-share activities allows students to develop skills in data interpretation and to apply previously-acquired knowledge bases to a novel situation. In this lesson, we provide instructors with a template for re-creating this demonstration, which can be accompanied by active-learning strategies and resources that promote development of data-interpretation and problem-solving skills in students.

This article has an accompanying Science Behind the Lesson article: "A Short Bone Biomechanics Primer: Background for a Lesson on Bone Viscoelasticity."

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question. Much of the recent trend in society against vaccination is that the general population does not understand 1) how vaccines work and 2) how one's vaccination status can influence others. Further compounding this is rather low acceptance of the influenza vaccine, a vaccine which is sometimes not even effective against the strains predominantly in circulation. Through engaging in a conversation about the role of vaccines in immunity not only of oneself but also about surrounding persons, we can increase vaccine acceptance. Herein is a physical assay which illustrates the concept of herd immunity with differing levels of vaccinations within a population. Students will learn that low vaccination rates do little to nothing to stop disease spread and that a large portion of the population (80%) is necessary to achieve near-eradication. This lesson is able to be taught at multiple levels using supplies that can mostly be obtained at the grocery store. In addition to illustrating vaccination, this study approximates a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), enabling students to better understand that technique and how it is used to diagnose disease as well as the interrelation between antigens and antibodies.

The human digestive system is a diverse network of cells, tissues, and organs that is regulated by systemic (e.g., nervous and endocrine systems) and local factors (e.g., secretions, pH, and the microbiome). Given the volume of content and the dense physiology involved, this system is difficult for instructors to teach and equally challenging for students to understand. This is especially true in our two-semester Human Anatomy and Physiology course for pre-health students at the University of Connecticut. In the Spring 2017 semester, we developed and implemented an active-learning based approach when teaching the histology and regulation of gastric secretions—a physiology-intensive topic within the digestive system unit. Our lesson included a team-based case study on gastric ulcer formation and Helicobacter pylori, a guided drawing depicting the molecular mechanisms of HCl secretion, a concept map linking the cells with their secretions, a think-pair-share on pharmacological regulators, and a reflective assignment placing the content within a broader societal context. Consistent with the themes of active learning, the lesson is suitable for any physiology instructor seeking to create a more engaging classroom, and provide students with opportunities to problem solve, think critically, and build relationships between course content and real life.

Teaching evolution remains a challenging task in biology education. Students enter the classroom with stubborn misconceptions and many traditional examples of the process of evolution may not resonate with students. This short role play activity is designed to easily integrate into any class session on evolution and provide students with a concrete, tangible example of natural selection. In addition, it specifically addresses several misconceptions about evolution. In this activity, students become a fictional population that is under a selection pressure. As students take on the role of a population, they are reminded of the requirements for natural selection, fall victim to a selection pressure, and observe the change in allele frequencies over time. In the context of a class session that focuses on the mechanisms of evolution, students are able to immediately visualize the process of natural selection. This role play only takes 10-15 minutes, requiring minimal class and preparation time. It has been successfully used in both introductory and non-majors' biology classrooms. Though simplified and fictional, this role play provides a concrete example as a foundation for students' growing understanding of evolution.

Primary image: Depicts visual representation of populations evolving.