**This is a part of Competency 5 of the Certificate in College Teaching (CCT). The other part includes Assessing Student Learning. You can learn more about the CCT competencies here.**
Core Competency 5 focuses on assessing student learning outcomes through summative and/or formative approaches.
Core Competency 5 focuses on assessing student learning outcomes through summative and/or formative approaches.
Understanding Perceptions of Learning in a Human Anatomy Lab Course: Changes in Learning Modality through Time
Mentor: Dr. Nicole Geske; Division of Human Anatomy in the Department of Radiology
Project Mentor's Evaluation
You can find my Mentored Teaching Project Document here!
***I want to say a special thank you to the Michigan State University’s Graduate School for awarding us a Research Enhancement Award. This award allowed us to reimburse survey participants for their time and partially fund travel expenses for the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) conference to present this research in 2025.
Project Mentor's Evaluation
You can find my Mentored Teaching Project Document here!
***I want to say a special thank you to the Michigan State University’s Graduate School for awarding us a Research Enhancement Award. This award allowed us to reimburse survey participants for their time and partially fund travel expenses for the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) conference to present this research in 2025.
Six-Step Outline
You can access my six-step outline here to see a condensed version of the teaching and learning goals, teaching questions, assessment techniques, classroom practice, results, and conclusions associated with this mentored teaching project.
Summary:
This project aims to understand student perceptions of learning in ANTR 355: Human Gross Anatomy Lab during the 2023-2024 school year. To do this, we created a survey asking students about their use of study resources before and after exam 1. Exam 1 is used as a marker as the outcome of the first exam often informs students about their study habits, which may then be modified for later exams. Students can utilize several types of course resources (i.e., pre-laboratory assignments, radiology extra credit assignments, lab guides, etc.), and understanding what resources students use can help inform future class assignments and provide evidence to students of best practices for success. Our hypothesis was that study habits changed after the first exam and that students utilize course resources more effectively as the course progresses.
This study has been determined to be exempt under 45 CFR 46.104(d) 1.
This study has been determined to be exempt under 45 CFR 46.104(d) 1.
Artifacts:
Assessment Instrument:
We created a post-course Qualtrics survey to gather qualitative data. Survey data was analyzed using thematic coding/analysis.
Data:
The survey was sent to 90 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an undergraduate anatomy lab course, ANTR 355, during the Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 semesters.
The survey closed on May 31, 2024. A total of 41 students completed the survey.
The survey closed on May 31, 2024. A total of 41 students completed the survey.
Background:
ANTR 355 is an undergraduate anatomy lab course that is offered in fall and spring semesters in East Lansing and summer semester in Grand Rapids. Students submit an application to enroll in the course, and 30-36 students are accepted for each semester in East Lansing. Due to high demand, the Spring 2024 course offered two sections, totaling 60 students.
All assignments could be found on the educational platform Top Hat. Students prepare for class by completing pre-lab assignments on Top Hat. The pre-lab assignments consist of reading, cadaveric photos, 3D virtual anatomy models (BioDigitals), and assessment questions. Additional cadaveric videos are also linked as supplemental resources to prepare for class or for review.
Students are assigned to a group on the first day of class and remain with the same group for the entirety of that semester. During class, students work in their groups to complete a lab guide. The lab guides consist of narrative text to guide students to identify the anatomy on anatomical donors (cadavers) and cadaveric material.
At the end of each lab, students take a post-lab quiz consisting of multiple-choice questions addressing the associated learning objectives and anatomical structure identifications that were covered that day.
Students are highly encouraged to come to the anatomy lab to study on their own time during “open lab” times. They can attend open lab on their own, with other students, or their groups. Some of these open lab hours are staffed by teaching aides (called “bluecoats”), who are typically medical students who have already taken and passed their anatomy courses and are present to offer help reviewing the material.
All assignments could be found on the educational platform Top Hat. Students prepare for class by completing pre-lab assignments on Top Hat. The pre-lab assignments consist of reading, cadaveric photos, 3D virtual anatomy models (BioDigitals), and assessment questions. Additional cadaveric videos are also linked as supplemental resources to prepare for class or for review.
Students are assigned to a group on the first day of class and remain with the same group for the entirety of that semester. During class, students work in their groups to complete a lab guide. The lab guides consist of narrative text to guide students to identify the anatomy on anatomical donors (cadavers) and cadaveric material.
At the end of each lab, students take a post-lab quiz consisting of multiple-choice questions addressing the associated learning objectives and anatomical structure identifications that were covered that day.
Students are highly encouraged to come to the anatomy lab to study on their own time during “open lab” times. They can attend open lab on their own, with other students, or their groups. Some of these open lab hours are staffed by teaching aides (called “bluecoats”), who are typically medical students who have already taken and passed their anatomy courses and are present to offer help reviewing the material.
Course Materials:
Students were provided with a learning objective document for each unit, each of which provided a list of written learning objective statements that guide students toward what concepts of the reading assignments they should be focusing on. Each unit learning objective document also provided a list of structure identifications. Students were assessed on learning objectives during post-lab quizzes and during each unit exam.
As previously mentioned, students use lab guides while in class and in open lab to help them identify the required anatomical structures. These structures are assessed on post-lab quizzes and unit exams.
Within the pre-lab assignments are several resources designed to help students prepare for lab and review anatomy at home:
- Embedded BioDigitals models, which students use to interact with 3D virtual human anatomy models.
- Embedded BlueLink cadaver images. BlueLink is associated with the University of Michigan and provides students the opportunity to identify structures on cadaver images.
- Written text that provides an overview of the anatomy for each lab.
- Embedded videos and video and image resources listed and linked at the beginning of pre-lab reading assignments. These were primarily cadaveric videos through other universities.
- Multiple choice, sorting, and matching questions that addressed the reading and covered pre-lab learning objectives.
- Questions that require submission of a drawing or the construction of a table. These questions addressed pre-lab learning objectives. Each pre-lab assignment also had an answer key for these types of questions. Students were able to check their answers using the keys provided after the assignment due date.
Additional course materials included:
- Radiology extra credit assignments. Radiology extra credit assignments are not required but provide students with the opportunity to test their knowledge further through x-rays.
- Students could purchase a cadaveric anatomy program, Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR), for around $50 for a two-year subscription. Students also often used study materials developed by other students or themselves, such as flashcard-like study materials.
Findings:
Confidence in the Classroom
Students' confidence during class before the first exam varied, with 19.5% being very confident and 48.8% somewhat confident, while 19.5% of students felt somewhat not confident and 2.4% felt not confident at all. Several students found that the pre-lab assignments “made [their] class time more efficient”. In addition, some students “found it most helpful when instructors were helping with confusing concepts [and] structures and how to learn them” while in class.
Student confidence increased after the first exam, with 34.1% of students feeling very confident and 51.2% somewhat confident. There were no students who felt not at all confident in class after the first exam. Some students “really started preparing for the class time” by reviewing and studying the material in the pre-lab assignments and looking over the lab guide before class to familiarize themselves with the structures that they needed to identify in class. While overall confidence did increase, one student stated that they were “prepared during the class time but [they] felt very rushed” while in class.
Student confidence increased after the first exam, with 34.1% of students feeling very confident and 51.2% somewhat confident. There were no students who felt not at all confident in class after the first exam. Some students “really started preparing for the class time” by reviewing and studying the material in the pre-lab assignments and looking over the lab guide before class to familiarize themselves with the structures that they needed to identify in class. While overall confidence did increase, one student stated that they were “prepared during the class time but [they] felt very rushed” while in class.
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Pre-Lab Assignments
Overall, students found that pre-lab assignments were helpful for completing their learning objectives throughout the course. Before the first exam, 73.2% of students found them helpful, and 12.2% found them moderately helpful. 14.6% did not find them helpful. Some students found that “the tables from the pre-lab helped the most” and “the keys were very helpful”. One student did state that they “[did not] think they helped very well, but [they] think it was user error since [they were] not familiar with the structure/testing strategy”.
After the first exam, 78% of students found the pre-lab assignments helpful, 7.3% found them moderately helpful, and again, 14.6% of students did not find them helpful.
After the first exam, 78% of students found the pre-lab assignments helpful, 7.3% found them moderately helpful, and again, 14.6% of students did not find them helpful.
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Overall, 41.4% of students stated that their use of pre-lab assignments to study increased, while 36.6% of students stated that their use stayed consistent throughout the semester, and the last 22% decreased their use of pre-lab assignments to study. Some students pointed out that the pre-lab assignments helped to study their learning objectives, which they found beneficial.
Student perceptions of whether pre-lab assignments adequately prepared them for class did shift, but not in a way that we expected. 43.9% of students strongly agreed that the pre-lab assignments prepared them for the first exam – this number did not change after the first exam. However, more students disagreed that the pre-lab assignments prepared them for the exam (before the first exam, 4.9% of students disagreed, while 12.2% of students disagreed after the first exam). While some students found that they became “more efficient” at studying pre-labs, some students found that their use of pre-labs decreased because they “found the learning objectives and lab guides in open lab more helpful” and that the pre-labs “to have an overwhelming amount of information”.
Student perceptions of whether pre-lab assignments adequately prepared them for class did shift, but not in a way that we expected. 43.9% of students strongly agreed that the pre-lab assignments prepared them for the first exam – this number did not change after the first exam. However, more students disagreed that the pre-lab assignments prepared them for the exam (before the first exam, 4.9% of students disagreed, while 12.2% of students disagreed after the first exam). While some students found that they became “more efficient” at studying pre-labs, some students found that their use of pre-labs decreased because they “found the learning objectives and lab guides in open lab more helpful” and that the pre-labs “to have an overwhelming amount of information”.
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Some pre-lab assignments required students to complete a table or draw a figure. Overall, students found these activities helpful (51.2%), with several students stating that drawing figures in particular was helpful. One student stated that these types of assignments “helped [them] dig deeper and “connect” all the parts!” 17.1% of students did not find these types of assignments helpful. Assignments that stood out for students included tracing the flow of blood through the heart and drawing the brachial plexus.
Lab Guides
The use of lab guides increased significantly throughout the semester, with 95.1% of students stating that they increased their lab guide use after the first exam. The remainder of the students maintained their lab guide usage – no one decreased their use of lab guides. Here are a few comments that stood out about lab guide usage:
Almost all students agreed that the lab guides were clear and easy to follow and that they helped with structure identification both in class and in open lab.
- “I studied the lab guides the most out of everything as the exams continued. I liked that these were in depth and detailed so they would usually answer the questions that would pop up. I felt much more prepared for lab when I went through these in depth beforehand since in class time is so limited.”
- “I became very comfortable with lab guides as a way to study throughout the course. I would write the important concepts from them on a whiteboard, and make quizlets based on them.”
- “I felt that units 1 and 2 did not have as many structures that we needed to be able to identify, but there was much more memorization required from the learning objectives as opposed to the lab guides. Unit 3 I felt was a perfect mix between structure identification from the lab guide and learning objective memorization for second order questions. Units 4 and 5 had less learning objectives to memorize for second order questions and many more structures in the lab to identify, so my usage of the lab guides was higher for those units for that reason.”
Almost all students agreed that the lab guides were clear and easy to follow and that they helped with structure identification both in class and in open lab.
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Most Utilized Study Materials
We asked students which study materials they used and how long they used them. The options ranged from using the study material “over 45 minutes”, “30 to 45 minutes”, “15 to 30 minutes”, “less than 15 minutes”, and “not at all.”
The resources that students used the most before exam 1 were the lab guides (78% used over 45 minutes), the unit learning objectives (69% used over 45 minutes), and the learning objectives structure list (65.9% used over 45 minutes). The least used study materials before exam 1 included Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR) (63.4% did not use), the video and image resources linked in the pre-lab assignments (43.9% did not use), and flashcards such as Anki or Quizlet (34.1% did not use).
After the first exam, the most used types of study material were the same, but more students began to use them. The use of lab guides increased (85.4% used over 45 minutes), as well as the unit learning objectives (80.5% used over 45 minutes) and the learning objectives structure list (80.5% used over 45 minutes). Interestingly, the fourth most used study material after the first exam was flashcards (48.8% used over 45 minutes). The least used study materials after exam 1 were also the same, with Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR) being the least used with 61% of students not using it at all, the video and image resources linked in the reading assignments falling at 39% of students not using it at all, and flashcards at 36.6% of students not using it at all. An interesting note is that, while the use of flashcards jumped, this study material was still one of the least utilized. There is a bimodal distribution of students using flashcards.
The resources that students used the most before exam 1 were the lab guides (78% used over 45 minutes), the unit learning objectives (69% used over 45 minutes), and the learning objectives structure list (65.9% used over 45 minutes). The least used study materials before exam 1 included Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR) (63.4% did not use), the video and image resources linked in the pre-lab assignments (43.9% did not use), and flashcards such as Anki or Quizlet (34.1% did not use).
After the first exam, the most used types of study material were the same, but more students began to use them. The use of lab guides increased (85.4% used over 45 minutes), as well as the unit learning objectives (80.5% used over 45 minutes) and the learning objectives structure list (80.5% used over 45 minutes). Interestingly, the fourth most used study material after the first exam was flashcards (48.8% used over 45 minutes). The least used study materials after exam 1 were also the same, with Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR) being the least used with 61% of students not using it at all, the video and image resources linked in the reading assignments falling at 39% of students not using it at all, and flashcards at 36.6% of students not using it at all. An interesting note is that, while the use of flashcards jumped, this study material was still one of the least utilized. There is a bimodal distribution of students using flashcards.
It should be noted that flashcards and flashcard resources were not provided as course materials. Some students felt strongly about flashcard-like materials:
Overall, prior to the first exam students felt that the study materials that helped prepare them the most for class were the lab guides (27.5%), followed by pre-lab assignments (25.5%), and specifically the reading portion of the pre-lab assignments (11.8%). After the first exam, more students found the lab guides to be the most helpful (36.8%), followed by the learning objectives (19.3%) and then the pre-lab assignments (14.0%).
- “I used Quizlet frequently for memorizing motor or sensory innervations for example and that was very helpful for me and something I could learn outside of lab hours.”
- “I used quizlet a lot to understand concepts. This course requires a lot of learning, time, and commitment on your own, and I found quizlet to help.”
Overall, prior to the first exam students felt that the study materials that helped prepare them the most for class were the lab guides (27.5%), followed by pre-lab assignments (25.5%), and specifically the reading portion of the pre-lab assignments (11.8%). After the first exam, more students found the lab guides to be the most helpful (36.8%), followed by the learning objectives (19.3%) and then the pre-lab assignments (14.0%).
Open Lab Usage
The amount of time that students spent in open lab increased after the first exam. Before the first exam, 22% of students were in open lab more than 4 hours, and 17.1% did not attend open lab at all. After the first exam, 39% of students attended open lab more than 4 hours for each unit, and 7.3% did not attend at all.
Based on student comments, the usage of open lab seemed to depend on the material covered for that unit:
In addition, some students found a direct relationship between their time in open lab and their exam grades. Some students stated that they “learned that using the most valuable resource is what will help you achieve the grade you want; open lab” and that they “wish they would have listened to the Professors when they said how important Open Lab was for learning the material”.
Based on student comments, the usage of open lab seemed to depend on the material covered for that unit:
- “My usage of open lab depended on my confidence with the unit’s material. Some units I spent more time in open lab and some less. Overall, I’d say I spent somewhere between 3-4 hours per unit in open lab”
- “It increased after the first exam and I used it more often when the complexity or volume increased in a unit. For instance, the muscles and bone unit needed more lab time as there was a large amount of content to cover.”
In addition, some students found a direct relationship between their time in open lab and their exam grades. Some students stated that they “learned that using the most valuable resource is what will help you achieve the grade you want; open lab” and that they “wish they would have listened to the Professors when they said how important Open Lab was for learning the material”.
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While in open lab, student confidence increased after exam 1. No one felt totally lost in open lab, either before or after the first exam. With that said, before exam 1, 26.5% of students felt very confident in open lab, while 11.8% felt somewhat not confident. After exam 1, 34.1% of students felt very confident in open lab, while 4.9% felt somewhat not confident.
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Students found open lab to be the most helpful study resource both before (40.4%) and after (39%) the first exam. Additionally, when looking at the most useful resources available to students (on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being not useful at all and 10 being extremely useful), 66.7% of students found that going to open lab with bluecoats (teaching aides) to be useful to extremely useful (three students ranked open lab as 8, six students ranked it as 9, and 26 students ranked it as 10). Meanwhile, 55.3% of students found open lab without bluecoats to be useful to extremely useful (10 students ranked open lab with bluecoats as 8, five students ranked it as 9, and six students ranked it at 10).
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Group Work
In ANTR 355, students are assigned to a group at the beginning of the semester and remain in that group for the entire semester. Groups work together during class using the lab guide to identify anatomical structures. This course also utilizes two-stage examinations, in which students take an individual assessment, followed by a group assessment using the same exam questions. This allows for students to receive instant feedback about the exam, while also managing group dynamics and communication skills.
Most students (72.3%) found their assigned group helpful in class. Students generally collaborated and worked together during group exams (46%). Some students found that their groups were an “extremely helpful and was definitely a beneficial tool” and that “it was also nice to be able to ask them questions before an instructor.” However, some students had difficulty with their groupmates and/or did not like to see their groupmates struggle during the group exam. For example, some groupmates that “weren’t super thorough and sometimes used the mentality of “hopefully it won’t be on the exams”.”
Lastly, 80.5% of students worked with their lab groups outside of class. This took the form of open labs (59.6%), group chats (14.9%), and studying the learning objectives together (8.5%). One person even stated that they and “three of [their groupmates] became really good friends outside of class as well as during [and] after the course”.
Most students (72.3%) found their assigned group helpful in class. Students generally collaborated and worked together during group exams (46%). Some students found that their groups were an “extremely helpful and was definitely a beneficial tool” and that “it was also nice to be able to ask them questions before an instructor.” However, some students had difficulty with their groupmates and/or did not like to see their groupmates struggle during the group exam. For example, some groupmates that “weren’t super thorough and sometimes used the mentality of “hopefully it won’t be on the exams”.”
Lastly, 80.5% of students worked with their lab groups outside of class. This took the form of open labs (59.6%), group chats (14.9%), and studying the learning objectives together (8.5%). One person even stated that they and “three of [their groupmates] became really good friends outside of class as well as during [and] after the course”.
Interpretations:
The findings of our survey provided valuable insight into several aspects of student experiences in ANTR 355. First, we found that lab guides, pre-lab assignments, and learning objectives were most helpful in preparing for in-class labs after the first exam. While the former two were also the top two useful materials before exam 1, the learning objectives became more useful for students than the Top Hat reading assignments. This shift also coincided with a shift of increased confidence in the classroom, with 68.3% of students being very confident or somewhat confident before exam 1 to 85.3% of students being very confident or somewhat confident after exam 1. Knowing this, instructors can point out that, in addition to lab guides and pre-lab assignments, students may want to also prioritize studying their learning objectives before attending in-class lab sessions.
Narrowing down the pre-lab assignments specifically, we found that there was a 4.8% jump (73.2% to 78%) in students thinking that pre-lab assignments were helpful. This was expected, especially because 41.4% of students stated that their use of pre-lab assignments increased throughout the semester. However, when we asked whether students thought that pre-lab assignments adequately prepared them for class after exam 1, 12.2% of students disagreed (compared to the 4.9% of students who disagreed before exam 1). While unexpected, this may be due to how students utilized the resource. Some students pointed out that they were able to use their pre-lab assignments to study their learning objectives more efficiently. In addition, some students felt that they were “applying [their] knowledge and not just reading the material”. It may be beneficial for instructors to share with students that reading through their pre-lab assignments and their learning objectives in tandem may allow them to use the pre-lab assignments more efficiently.
In regard to completing tables or drawing figures, just over half of the students surveyed (51.2%) found that these exercises were helpful, with several students stating that drawing figures in particular was helpful. While several students found these to be helpful for blood flow through the heart and the brachial plexus in particular, some students found these exercises “not efficient”, “overwhelming”, “tedious” and “super frustrating”. Almost a quarter (24.4%) of students had a negative perception of figures and/or tables in pre-labs. Three of those comments focused on how the student did not get the answer to the tables immediately. Pre-lab assignments were available at the start of each unit and were due at 11:59pm the night before the lab. The answer keys were released at 12am the day of lab. Students who worked ahead may have felt frustrated that they had to wait until after the assignment due date for the answer keys. Of note, all table and drawing exercises came directly from learning objectives, the answers to which were found within the pre-lab assignments. In the future, it may be worth explaining to students that these drawing activities are meant to be an additional way to answer learning objectives rather than being “busy work.”
It is not uncommon for professors to share with students that drawing out particular pathways will help them learn the material, but sharing these statistics in particular may help students participate in these types of exercises more. This may not be true for all students, but as this is a way for students to practice difficult concepts at home when open lab may not be available, it is worth offering this as a study material for students.
Moving to lab guides, 95.1% of students increased their lab guide use throughout the semester. No one decreased their use of the lab guides. Many students pointed out the importance of lab guides in their study behaviors. An overwhelming amount of students found that the lab guides were clear and easy to follow, that the lab guides allowed them to find the structures with their group in class, and that the lab guides allowed them to find the structures by themselves or with peers during open lab hours. Sharing with future students the importance of lab guides may allow them to begin focusing on these more from the get-go.
We asked students about their most utilized study materials. The options included radiology extra credit assignments, unit learning objectives, unit learning objective structure lists, BioDigitals, BlueLink Cadaver videos, pre-lab assignment questions (multiple choice, sorting, and matching), written materials in pre-lab assignments, video/image resource lists, pre-lab assignment answer keys, lab guides, Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR), and Quizlets/flashcards. The times for each ranged from “over 45 minutes” to “not at all.” The most utilized study materials for students included lab guides, the unit learning objectives, and the learning objectives structure list, both before and after the first exam. However, the use of these increased after the first exam (by 7.4%, 11.5%, and 14.6%, respectively). The least used study materials before the first exam included Anatomy and Physiology Revealed, the video and image resources linked in the reading assignments, and flashcards. These were also the least used after the first exam. Of note is the use of flashcards. Flashcards were one of the least used materials during both periods, but several students began using them after the first exam, creating a bimodal distribution. It turns out that, overall, students would either use flashcards often or not at all. Knowing this, it is worthwhile to share with students that there are multiple ways to study that can be useful – some study materials seem to be useful across the board while others are dependent on the student (i.e., using flashcards). Instructors can share this with students, along with what the most utilized study materials are, to show students that while some study materials are helpful across the board, others are dependent on the student and what their personal learning styles are. With that said, in the case of materials like flashcards, it would be good to remind students that flashcards cannot replace open lab altogether, but can reinforce the content that they learn in lab.
One critically important resource that students have available for them is open lab. After the first exam, students began to attend open lab more often. The percentage of students attending open lab more than 4 hours before exam 1 was 22%, and after exam 1 it jumped to 39%. Additionally, 17.1% of students attended open lab 3-4 hours before exam 1, and 29.3% of students did after exam 1. The number of students who did not attend open lab at all dropped from 17.1% to 7.3%. Student confidence increased slightly during open lab hours as well, with 82.4% of students feeling either very confident or somewhat confident in open lab before exam 1 and 85.3% feeling either very confident or somewhat confident after exam 1. Students found that open lab was the most helpful study resource both before and after the first exam. Additionally, many students found that attending open lab with a blue coat present to be more helpful. With that said, several students did find open lab helpful even without a blue coat present. Stressing the importance of open lab, either with or without a blue coat, to future students may allow them to get a head start on gaining confidence in the lab and hopefully translate this confidence into their exams. Here’s a quote from a student discussing that:
“I started not only going to open lab when there were blue coats, but i also went alone and repeatedly went over things over and over with many different partners. The repetition really benefited me”
Lastly, we asked students about their experiences with group work. Students are assigned to a group at the beginning of the semester and remain in that group for the entire semester. Each group go through lab guides together during class, as well as takes a group exam after individual exams so that they can discuss the answers to questions together. The purpose of this is to have students gain experience working in a group setting, as many of them will have to do this in the future as health professionals. Most students found their groups to be helpful (72.3%), with many stating that their groups were able to collaborate on and discuss potential answers to group exams. In addition, 80.5% of students worked with their group outside of class, especially in open lab. However, while most students did have a positive experience, some did not. Strong personalities can sometimes cause students to become frustrated, and some students had a difficult time watching their peers struggle. Reminding students that they will have to work in group settings in the future and that communication is key to mitigating some of these frustrations - however, if future students have difficulty with this, one-on-one discussions with students may be necessary.
Narrowing down the pre-lab assignments specifically, we found that there was a 4.8% jump (73.2% to 78%) in students thinking that pre-lab assignments were helpful. This was expected, especially because 41.4% of students stated that their use of pre-lab assignments increased throughout the semester. However, when we asked whether students thought that pre-lab assignments adequately prepared them for class after exam 1, 12.2% of students disagreed (compared to the 4.9% of students who disagreed before exam 1). While unexpected, this may be due to how students utilized the resource. Some students pointed out that they were able to use their pre-lab assignments to study their learning objectives more efficiently. In addition, some students felt that they were “applying [their] knowledge and not just reading the material”. It may be beneficial for instructors to share with students that reading through their pre-lab assignments and their learning objectives in tandem may allow them to use the pre-lab assignments more efficiently.
In regard to completing tables or drawing figures, just over half of the students surveyed (51.2%) found that these exercises were helpful, with several students stating that drawing figures in particular was helpful. While several students found these to be helpful for blood flow through the heart and the brachial plexus in particular, some students found these exercises “not efficient”, “overwhelming”, “tedious” and “super frustrating”. Almost a quarter (24.4%) of students had a negative perception of figures and/or tables in pre-labs. Three of those comments focused on how the student did not get the answer to the tables immediately. Pre-lab assignments were available at the start of each unit and were due at 11:59pm the night before the lab. The answer keys were released at 12am the day of lab. Students who worked ahead may have felt frustrated that they had to wait until after the assignment due date for the answer keys. Of note, all table and drawing exercises came directly from learning objectives, the answers to which were found within the pre-lab assignments. In the future, it may be worth explaining to students that these drawing activities are meant to be an additional way to answer learning objectives rather than being “busy work.”
It is not uncommon for professors to share with students that drawing out particular pathways will help them learn the material, but sharing these statistics in particular may help students participate in these types of exercises more. This may not be true for all students, but as this is a way for students to practice difficult concepts at home when open lab may not be available, it is worth offering this as a study material for students.
Moving to lab guides, 95.1% of students increased their lab guide use throughout the semester. No one decreased their use of the lab guides. Many students pointed out the importance of lab guides in their study behaviors. An overwhelming amount of students found that the lab guides were clear and easy to follow, that the lab guides allowed them to find the structures with their group in class, and that the lab guides allowed them to find the structures by themselves or with peers during open lab hours. Sharing with future students the importance of lab guides may allow them to begin focusing on these more from the get-go.
We asked students about their most utilized study materials. The options included radiology extra credit assignments, unit learning objectives, unit learning objective structure lists, BioDigitals, BlueLink Cadaver videos, pre-lab assignment questions (multiple choice, sorting, and matching), written materials in pre-lab assignments, video/image resource lists, pre-lab assignment answer keys, lab guides, Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR), and Quizlets/flashcards. The times for each ranged from “over 45 minutes” to “not at all.” The most utilized study materials for students included lab guides, the unit learning objectives, and the learning objectives structure list, both before and after the first exam. However, the use of these increased after the first exam (by 7.4%, 11.5%, and 14.6%, respectively). The least used study materials before the first exam included Anatomy and Physiology Revealed, the video and image resources linked in the reading assignments, and flashcards. These were also the least used after the first exam. Of note is the use of flashcards. Flashcards were one of the least used materials during both periods, but several students began using them after the first exam, creating a bimodal distribution. It turns out that, overall, students would either use flashcards often or not at all. Knowing this, it is worthwhile to share with students that there are multiple ways to study that can be useful – some study materials seem to be useful across the board while others are dependent on the student (i.e., using flashcards). Instructors can share this with students, along with what the most utilized study materials are, to show students that while some study materials are helpful across the board, others are dependent on the student and what their personal learning styles are. With that said, in the case of materials like flashcards, it would be good to remind students that flashcards cannot replace open lab altogether, but can reinforce the content that they learn in lab.
One critically important resource that students have available for them is open lab. After the first exam, students began to attend open lab more often. The percentage of students attending open lab more than 4 hours before exam 1 was 22%, and after exam 1 it jumped to 39%. Additionally, 17.1% of students attended open lab 3-4 hours before exam 1, and 29.3% of students did after exam 1. The number of students who did not attend open lab at all dropped from 17.1% to 7.3%. Student confidence increased slightly during open lab hours as well, with 82.4% of students feeling either very confident or somewhat confident in open lab before exam 1 and 85.3% feeling either very confident or somewhat confident after exam 1. Students found that open lab was the most helpful study resource both before and after the first exam. Additionally, many students found that attending open lab with a blue coat present to be more helpful. With that said, several students did find open lab helpful even without a blue coat present. Stressing the importance of open lab, either with or without a blue coat, to future students may allow them to get a head start on gaining confidence in the lab and hopefully translate this confidence into their exams. Here’s a quote from a student discussing that:
“I started not only going to open lab when there were blue coats, but i also went alone and repeatedly went over things over and over with many different partners. The repetition really benefited me”
Lastly, we asked students about their experiences with group work. Students are assigned to a group at the beginning of the semester and remain in that group for the entire semester. Each group go through lab guides together during class, as well as takes a group exam after individual exams so that they can discuss the answers to questions together. The purpose of this is to have students gain experience working in a group setting, as many of them will have to do this in the future as health professionals. Most students found their groups to be helpful (72.3%), with many stating that their groups were able to collaborate on and discuss potential answers to group exams. In addition, 80.5% of students worked with their group outside of class, especially in open lab. However, while most students did have a positive experience, some did not. Strong personalities can sometimes cause students to become frustrated, and some students had a difficult time watching their peers struggle. Reminding students that they will have to work in group settings in the future and that communication is key to mitigating some of these frustrations - however, if future students have difficulty with this, one-on-one discussions with students may be necessary.
Reflection:
I have so many important takeaways from this experience. This mentored teaching project provided me the opportunity to understand student habits outside of the classroom. While I get to work with some of these students in the classroom, I only work one-on-one with them for a relatively short amount of time during their semester. Being able to read through the results of this study has provided me with information about what seems to work for students and what does not. I can guide students toward the most used study material to help them get an idea of what they can do to prepare for exams. Also, I have learned that, while students have many study materials available to them, they do not always know the most efficient ways to use these materials until after the first exam. I can share some ways to help them navigate the materials most efficiently from the beginning, including using pre-lab assignments and learning objectives in tandem.
This experience will guide my future teaching practice in a few ways. First, I plan to use what I know about ANTR 355 specifically in the upcoming year as I will be a teaching assistant for the Division of Human Anatomy again. Second, once I become a professor, I plan to survey my students to learn about any trends regarding studying for my courses. Similar to this experience, I will use the results to help future students prepare for class in the most efficient way possible.
This experience will guide my future teaching practice in a few ways. First, I plan to use what I know about ANTR 355 specifically in the upcoming year as I will be a teaching assistant for the Division of Human Anatomy again. Second, once I become a professor, I plan to survey my students to learn about any trends regarding studying for my courses. Similar to this experience, I will use the results to help future students prepare for class in the most efficient way possible.
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Conference presentationWe presented these results at the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) conference in May 2025. You can see our HAPS poster, here!
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