Bernard T. Drumm|Mark G. Rae|Sean M. Ward
Active peer-mentored learning can improve student understanding of physiological concepts in an undergraduate journal club
University of Nevada Reno|University College Cork|University of Nevada Reno
illuminationsactive peermentored learning improve student understanding physiological concepts undergraduate journal clubbernard drumm mark g rae sean wardbernard drummdepartment physiology cell biology reno school medicine university nevada reno nevada mark g raedepartment physiology university college cork cork ireland sean warddepartment physiology cell biology reno school medicine university nevada reno nevadapublished online15 jul 2019httpsdoiorg101152advan000492019moresectionspdf 316 kbdownload pdf toolsexport citationadd favoritesget permissionstrack citations shareshare onfacebooktwitterlinkedinemail introductionactive learning enabling students actively participate learning opposed recipients passive information increasingly integrated areas undergraduate education 10 12 use active learning facilitate student understanding well documented specific disciplines science technology engineering mathematics stem active learning shown enhance student understanding stem concepts decrease failure rates stem courses 10 active learning encouraged active teaching techniques implementation teambased learning classes produce higher examination scores courses compared rely traditional lecture formats 25 furthermore addition boosting summative assessment scores active learning stem fields also associated benefits increased student confidence knowledge enrollment retention narrowing achievement gap underrepresented minority groups 4 1113one ubiquitous active learning modalities researchfocused biological sciences last 150 yr socalled journal club 15 whereby undergraduate graduate students read critically evaluate scientific articles culminating presentation appraisal article delivered student peers journal club provides multitude beneficial learning outcomes students acquisition critical reading skills evaluate scientific literature 5 14 18 improving scientific literacy 8 introducing new concepts techniques 3 importantly improving student overall confidence 5 communication skills 3 8 14 15 thus journal club allowing students participate scientific process critically evaluating literature encourages students begin selfidentifying scientists view within scientific learning community 11 15 17 22 also well recognized presentation communication skills journal club promotes vital part general professional academic success fields 23 27furthermore journal club participation facilitates types higher order learning detailed blooms taxonomy vital become successful scientist 2 6 journal club science students must able critically analyze evaluate data concepts apply knowledge data create cohesive appraisal article must effectively communicate peers thus journal club affords students opportunity exercise many key skills required professional scientistshowever despite perceived aforementioned benefits difficult instructors facilitate journal club ascertain student audiences understanding topics related presenters indeed student audience members journal club classes may appear listen understand presentation without empirical assessment understanding conclusion journal club pedagogical benefits session impossible know assessments essential appropriate interventions implemented address gaps students understandingat university nevada reno school medicine unrsom international undergraduate research program place last 30 yr program international students life science undergo 12mo placement various departments within unrsom obtain handson experience modern basic science methodologies integral component placement program participation regular journal club module however effect journal club student learning physiological concepts previously empirically assessed aim present study also sought determine whether student understanding could improved complementing standard journal club format peermentored workshopsmethodsstudent backgrounda total 11 undergraduate students took part study students involved study life science undergraduate students universities islands ireland britain 3 students women queens university belfast 8 students 6 women 2 men university manchester students came diverse group nationalities students originating ireland england luxembourg germany poland students placed different laboratories department physiology cell biology department pharmacology unrsom 12 mo period students undertook program intensive research direct supervision senior principal investigatorjournal club presentation formatas part placement students required participate regular journal club students took part journal club every friday afternoon fall septemberdecember 2017 spring januaryjune 2018 semesters journal club took place 4 pm lasted 4560 min 11 students attended journal club along faculty facilitator every week additional faculty present presented fall spring semesters twice total placement programbefore designated week present journal club semester student selected paper relevant area research asked read paper detail acquaint main concepts techniques paper would also forwarded members group five days advance journal club allow time reading paper journal club students would present background chosen paper explore main findings critically evaluate data interpretations contained within paper students encouraged ask questions presentation clarify areas confusion assisted journal club faculty facilitator thus journal club sessions facilitated discussion interaction presented material would occur traditional didactic lecture formatjournal club topicsthemesthe students placed research groups within department physiology cell biology department pharmacology unrsom emphasized regulation vascular visceral smooth muscle excitability many laboratories departments study role interstitial cells controlling contractions gastrointestinal gi wall 9 smooth muscle contractility controlled ca2dependent mechanisms 26 thus many papers presented journal club brought students contact physiological concepts repeated several times themes concepts repeatedly presented journal club included following 1 smooth muscle contraction occurs 2 role ca2 excitationcoupling 3 role interstitial cells modulating activity gi tract 4 resting membrane potential formed influenced activation different ion channels affects muscle contractionregardless techniques physiological concepts explored journal club session journal club faculty facilitator encouraged students critically assess papers universally examining key criteria validity data examples criteria included following 1 authors use appropriate controls vehicletime controls 2 data paper represent values adequate sample sizeformative assessment student understandingto quantify student understanding aforementioned concepts explored journal club sessions asked complete anonymous formative assessment end fall semester students presented formative assessment designed journal club faculty facilitator consisted 11 questions q1q11 worth total 22 points touched important experimental physiological concepts presented preceding 11 wk journal club formative assessment evaluated students understanding following topicsq1 vehicle controls 1 pointq2 voltagedependent excitationcontraction coupling 3 pointsq3 appropriate experimental replicates data sets 1 pointq4 ca2dependent excitationcontraction coupling muscle 2 pointsq5 confocal microscopy 1 pointq6 intestinal motility 2 pointsq7 resting membrane potential 6 pointsq8 global knockout mouse models 2 pointsq9 inducible knockout models 1 pointq10 crelox p technology 1 pointq11 electrophysiology relationship voltage current 2 pointsstudents completed quiz 3050 min alone without conferring students scores 11 student quizzes tabulated percentage scoreactive peer mentored presentationsafter marking questions test 1 answered poorly indicating lack student understanding areas noted designated intervention thus improve student understanding areas students organized pairs spring semester journal club asked develop peermentored presentation area highlighted low scoring test 1 peermentored presentations consisted six different topics student pair assigned one presentation exception single student assigned random draw work two presentations due odd number students group topics covered students presentations followsappropriate experimental controlscellular contractilityelectrophysiologyca2dependent regulation smooth muscle contractioninterstitial cells gi tractcrelox p techniqueseach session lasted 30 min included 15min presentation students contribute equally audience question answer encouraged throughout presentations presentations followed 15min questionandanswer session presenters asked questions audience ascertain understood presented two sessions performed 4 5 pm friday afternoon 3 consecutive wk regular journal club described resumed student presenting paper spring semester januaryjune 2018 conclusion spring semester journal club schedule june 2018 students asked complete formative assessment completed december 2017 students told would asked complete formative assessment ahead time results second quiz test 2 calculated percentage scorethe scores tests peer mentoring compared using graphpad software using unpaired student ttest welchs correction comparison mean score also nonparametric mannwhitney test comparison distribution score values p values 005 taken significant statistical tests unpaired ttest used formative assessments anonymous thus possible directly compare results one student fall spring semesters without losing student anonymity results tests revealed students results tabulated point journal club faculty facilitator presented results tests along detailed tutorial questions asked formative assessmentafter completion second semester students completed anonymous fiveitem survey experience journal club peermentored workshops impacted learning throughout semesters items 13 evaluation assessed likert scale strongly disagree disagree dont know agree strongly agree peermentored workshop implemented january 2018 enhanced understanding physiological concepts techniques encountered journal club q1 peermentored workshop january 2018 contributed ability answer questions correctly assessment taken summer 2018 q2 felt better prepared journal club following peermentored workshops q3 fourth question q4 binary choice semester journal club benefit learning semester 1 without workshops semester 2 workshops examples learning include limited presentation skills scientific literacy ability critically evaluate data ability discuss science peers confidence handling difficult critical questions final survey item q5 open ended please provide comments journal club peermentored workshop feel relevant positive negativeresultsas shown fig 1 mean score 11 students first formative assessment test 1 601 56 minimum score 227 maximum score 909 distributions scores test 1 shown frequency histogram shaded bars fig 1a based results specific questions answered correctlyincorrectly areas need intervention identified peermentored workshop presentations used facilitate student learning areas described methodsfig 1distribution student scores test 1 test 2 frequency distribution showing scores 11 students completed assessment test 1 shaded bars test 2 solid bars b summary data comparing mean score students test 1 shaded bars test 2 solid bars n 11 students p 003download figuredownload powerpointafter completion peermentored workshop presentations onset second semester student presented journal club spring 2018 semester conclusion spring 2018 semester students asked complete formative assessment attempted december 2017 revealed students beforehand would asked complete formative assessment formative assessment anonymous graded using marking scheme test 1the student scores second formative assessment test 2 significantly enhanced compared test 1 distribution student scores test 2 shown histogram fig 1a solid bars distribution values found statistically different test 1 p 0028 mannwhitney also analyzed mean change student score different assessments mean score test 2 775 increase 174 found statistically significant increase fig 1b p 003 unpaired ttest also worth noting minimum student score test 2 546 318 increase minimum score test 1 227 maximum score also increased tests 1 2 rising 909 attained single student test 1 two students attaining perfect 100 scores test 2 fig 1aas shown fig 2 end program survey students responded positively q1q3 described methods fig 2 asked peermentored workshops positively affected conceptual understanding physiological concepts encountered journal club 100 students selected strongly agreed agreed fig 2 q1 one hundred percent students also selected strongly agreed agreed asked peermentored workshops contributed ability successful complete formative assessment spring semester fig 2 q2 students also selected strongly agreed agreed asked peermentored workshops better prepared journal club fig 2 q3 asked semester journal club benefit learning majority students 818 selected semester 2 workshops fig 2 q4 full responses openended question feedback journal club peermentored workshops presented appendixfig 2student evaluation feedback summary data showing student responses questions 14 q1q4 student selfevaluation form completed students conclusion academic year n 11 studentsdownload figuredownload powerpointdiscussionin present study sought quantify student understanding physiological concepts undergraduate journal club set also determine whether student understanding could improved complementing standard journal club format peermentored workshops first formative assessment conducted end fall semester demonstrated student learning journal club initially somewhat limited finding led inclusion intervention enhance active learning journal club chose utilize peermentored workshops purpose use peer mentoring noted instill many benefits student learning promoting facilitative learning 16 decreasing student anxiety working peer afraid appearing wrong authority figure 19 20 promoting improved general exam performance stem courses 4 7 interestingly peer mentoring also enhances student understanding stem concepts even onset student within group knows correct answers grasps key facts 24 thus peer mentoring appears highly valuable approach narrowing gaps understanding may occur across large proportions students shown student evaluations quantification assessment scores undergraduate graduate level biologymedical courses peermentored workshops dramatically enhance student engagement learning 13 21 increase graduation rates reduces failure rates stem courses 1 13we found implementation active learning intervention peermentored workshops student understanding general experimental physiological concepts significantly increased assessed formative assessment taken together data suggest appropriate active learning interventions peermentored workshops useful approach enhancing student understanding general scientific physiological concepts within undergraduate journal club program similar journal club peer mentoring places responsibilities learning teaching commitments directly onto students students must take ownership material learning occur 16 traditional journal club sessions responsibility endowed solely student presenting peer mentoring facilitates cooperative learning enhances sense learning community data case study suggest peermentored workshop approach may valuable addition traditional journal club classesone limitation study possible control factors peermentored workshops may led increase student scores second formative assessment possible formative assessment changed tests students may primed questions therefore better position answer correctly second time around however use different formative assessment second assessment would led likeforlike comparison thus formative assessment chosen afford consistent interpretations student scores furthermore suggest copy formative assessment provided students beforehand afterwards combined fact students completed tests full 6 mo apart students unlikely fully primed formative assessment questions test 2 despite limitation evidence student evaluations completed end year suggests implementation peermentored workshop major factor increase student scores two semestersin evaluation asked openended question evaluationplease provide comments journal club peermentored workshop feel relevant positive negativemany students commented use workshops greatly increased confidence presenting scientific data participating peer review handling critical questions also evidenced fact students least agreed statement felt better prepared journal club following peermentored workshops fact openended request feedback journal club workshops q5 many students stated workshops beneficial enhanced scientific literacy increased confidence presenting reading papers proposed similar workshops conducted start academic year kick start learning process first semester future students feedback students included statements workshops first done start year give everyone basic understanding topics discussed throughout year whereas another student commentedi think would beneficial workshops start year lot us never studied electrophysiology therefore concepts new made presenting entire paper related subject quite challenging definitely felt confident presenting papers workshopsthere also common positive appraisal journal club general students commenting helped scientific literacy typified one student statingall together journal club helped reading research papers properly understanding critically evaluate really important find reading research papers difficult anymoreanother common theme students commented journal club made confident delivering presentations generalwe done numerous presentations already year feel much confident going also confident ability answer questionsthus whether relating scientific literacy communication general common thread increased confidence students peermentored workshops studies pursue observation determine modalities may facilitate increased student confidence undergraduate classes overall feedback suggested increase formative assessment student scores least partially due positive effects peermentored workshops students overall found workshops beneficial enhancing learning experience within journal club modulein conclusion data case study suggest allowing students undergo peermentored learning conjunction journal club sessions student understanding physiological concepts well student confidence presenting communication increasesgrantsthis work supported national institute diabetes digestive kidney diseases grants dk57236 dk41315disclosuresno conflicts interest financial otherwise declared authorsauthor contributionsbtd conceived designed research btd performed experiments btd analyzed data btd mgr smw interpreted results experiments btd prepared figures btd drafted manuscript btd mgr smw edited revised manuscript btd mgr smw approved final version manuscriptappendixstudent responses survey q5 please provide comments journal club peermentored workshop feel relevant positive negativejournal club provided several sets skills including data analysis presentation data critique data know whats good goodi like workshop powerpoints circulated around group still use review certain areas workshops journal club really helped presentation skills enabled get away scripting presentations think much better presenter flows much better set us well end year symposium also final year done numerous presentations already year feel much confident going also confident ability answer questions find difficult get present peers beginning something needed learn deal great benefit yearworkshops first done start year give everyone basic understanding topics discussed throughout yeargood structure journal club helped learning broadened knowledge fields greatly helped end year symposiumi really enjoyed variety things journal club eg presentations alone groups critically evaluating papers receiving feedback data overall enjoyable beneficialall together journal club helped reading research papers properly understanding critically evaluate really important find reading research papers difficult anymorethe journal clubs great professional definitely helped develop scientific thinking also helped improve presentation skills ability explain complex scientific mechanisms straightforward way establishing peoples levels knowledge first eg workshops moving papers would great order organizing journal clubsit good experience strongly recommend order improve understanding physiological research especially us familiar previouslyi think would beneficial workshops start year lot us never studied electrophysiology therefore concepts new made presenting entire paper related subject quite challenging definitely felt confident presenting papers workshops overall journal club invaluable improving presentation analytical skillsjournal club great way get used presenting discussing research valuable thing workshops beneficial would good beginning year one improvement could made journal clubs tend focused sip syncytiumsmooth muscle students dont work might good workshop could feature scientific backgroundtechniques work detaili found peermentored workshops beneficial believe may useful future students start overall journal club great always looked forward itacknowledgmentsthe authors thank nancy horowitz professor kenton sanders assistance facilitating international undergraduate research program iurp unrsom last 30 yr authors specifically thank 20172018 iurp students university nevada reno school medicine enthusiastic participation studyreferences1 amstutz wimbush k snyder effectiveness student demographics peerled study groups undergraduate animal science courses nacta j 54 7681 2011google scholar2 anderson lw krathwohl dr airasian pw cruikshank ka mayer pintrich pr 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