Physiology Education Research

Physiology education research measures if and how students learn physiology concepts and develop relevant skills. The Center for Physiology Education values the impact of rigorous physiology education research and the development of physiology education research expertise. Work in this field is broad, with findings that provide data to inform evidence-based teaching practices. Whether educators intend to pursue education research as their central research agenda or focus on how students learn in their classrooms, the strategies that these resources provide will inform educators as they move their work forward.

The Center promotes physiology education research by:

  • supporting professional development for physiology education researchers,
  • recognizing and promoting the discipline of physiology education research, and
  • encouraging all educators to assess their own teaching practices to promote continuous improvement.

Like any other research discipline, physiology education research requires mentorship and collaboration. New physiology education researchers are highly encouraged to find collaborators within and beyond the discipline. The Center for Physiology Education community events are an excellent resource for finding mentors and collaborators in this field.

In addition to providing resources for starting and improving an education research agenda, the resource library below provides excellent examples of physiology education research labeled as exemplars.


Resources to Explore

Get Started with Education Research
An introduction to definitions, methods, and logistics of education research.

Background & Theory
Moving Research into Practice
Lived Experiences
 

 

 

 

Select or Design an Assessment Instrument
Resources for determining the appropriate tool to collect data on student perspectives or learning gains.

Background & Theory
Moving Research into Practice

Developing Questionnaires for Educational Research: AMEE Guide No. 87
Artino Jr., A.R., et al., Medical Teacher, 2014

How to Create a Bad Survey Instrument
Sullivan G.M. and Artino Jr., A.R., Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2017

Establishing Survey Validity: A Practical Guide
Cobern W.W. and Adams B.A.J., International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 2020

EXEMPLAR: Phys-MAPS: A Programmatic Physiology Assessment for Introductory and Advanced Undergraduates
Semsar K., et al., Advances in Physiology Education, 2018

EXEMPLAR: Development and Validation of the Homeostasis Concept Inventory
McFarland J.L., et al., CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2017

EXEMPLAR: A New Assessment to Monitor Student Performance in Introductory Neurophysiology: Electrochemical Gradients Assessment Device
Cerchiara J.A., et al., Advances in Physiology Education, 2019

EXEMPLAR: A Manual for the Use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)
Pintrich P.R., et al., Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 1991

EXEMPLAR: The Classroom Discourse Observation Protocol (CDOP): A Quantitative Method for Characterizing Teacher Discourse Moves in Undergraduate STEM Learning Environments
Kranzfelder P., et al., PLOS ONE, 2019

EXEMPLAR: The Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS): A New Instrument to Characterize University STEM Classroom Practices
Smith M.K., et al., CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2017

EXEMPLAR: The Best of Both Worlds: Building on the COPUS and RTOP Observation Protocols to Easily and Reliably Measure Various Levels of Reformed Instructional Practice
Lund T.J., et al., CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2017

EXEMPLAR: Measurement Instrument for Scientific Teaching (MIST): A Tool to Measure the Frequencies of Research-Based Teaching Practices in Undergraduate Science Courses
Durham M.F., et al., CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2018

Lived Experiences

Research Methods Videos
Souza-Smith F., et al., University of Georgia, Scientist Engaged in Education Research

 

 

 

 

Conduct an Appropriate Quantitative Analysis
Explore resources explaining specific approaches for analyzing data collected in education research.

Background & Theory
Moving Research into Practice

Research Methods Videos
Souza-Smith F., et al., University of Georgia, Scientist Engaged in Education Research

Small Steps to Help Improve the Caliber of the Reporting of Statistics
Curran-Everett D., Advances in Physiology Education, 2017

Beyond Linear Regression: A Reference for Analyzing Common Data Types in Discipline Based Education Research
Theobald E.J., et al., Physical Review Physics Education Research, 2019

Dealing with Quantitative Research Data
Department of Physiology, Monash University, 2022

Exploration in Statistics Collection
Advances in Physiology Education

General Statistics Collection
Advances in Physiology Education

Reporting Statistics Collection
Advances in Physiology Education

Lived Experiences

Statistics Made Easy—Video
Global Health with Greg Martin, BioMed Central, 2019

T-test, ANOVA and Chi Squared Test Made Easy—Video
Global Health with Greg Martin, BioMed Central, 2022

Linear Regression - Made Easy—Video
Global Health with Greg Martin, BioMed Central, 2022

R Programming for Beginners—Video
Global Health with Greg Martin, BioMed Central, 2017

 

 

 

 

Understand the Basics of Qualitative Research
Gain a fundamental understanding of approaches for collecting and analyzing qualitative educational research data.

Background & Theory

Demystifying Content Analysis
Kleinheksel A.J., American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 2020

Research Methods Videos
Souza-Smith F., et al., University of Georgia, Scientist Engaged in Education Research

Moving Research into Practice

Qualitative Research Methods for Science Education
Erickson R., Second International Handbook of Science Education, 2012

The Qualitative Research Interview
DiCicco-Bloom B. and Crabtree B.F. Medical Education, 2006

A Practical Guide to Focus-Group Research
Breen R.L., Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 2006

Twelve Tips for Conducting Qualitative Research Interviews
McGrath C., et al., Medical Teacher, 2018

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
Smith J.A. and Osborn M., Qualitative Psychology, 2007

Introduction to Qualitative Research
Rajan R., Monash University, 2022

EXEMPLAR: Patience, Persistence and Pragmatism: Experiences and Lessons Learnt from the Implementation of Clinically Integrated Teaching and Learning of Evidence-Based Health Care - A Qualitative Study
Young T., et al., PLOS ONE, 2015

Lived Experiences

Qualitative Research Methods—Video
Global Health with Greg Martin, BioMed Central, 2020

Listen to the Latest APS Publications Podcast

 

 

 

 

Physiology Education Research Working Group

Jennifer Doherty 200Jennifer Doherty, PhD
Michigan State University, East Lansing

Halpin_Patricia 200Patricia Halpin, PhD
Chair, APS Teaching of Physiology Section, University of New Hampshire, Manchester

Jonathan Kibble 200Jonathan Kibble, PhD
University of Central Florida, Orlando


Tasneem Mohammed 200Tasneem Mohammed
Arizona State University, Tempe


Justin Shaffer 200Justin Shaffer
Colorado School of Mines, Golden


Sheela Vemu 200Sheela Vemu, PhD
Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Illinois

 

 

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