Student centered learning of Physiology and Disease in high schools

Students studying Physiology and Disease as an elective in high school took learning to the next level by creatively planning their own labs. Students experimented with different methods of learning physiology concepts by designing inquiry based experiments in small groups. Students were given the freedom to use available resources to come up with a solution to a given problem, provided each group came up with a different solution. An analysis of student surveys indicated that they preferred student centered experiments to teacher led experiments. Students were able to connect material they were learning in class with their previous learning experiences and with the everyday world by engaging in this kind of inquiry based learning. Experiments designed by students included changing heart and lung function using different kinds of aerobic and anaerobic activities, and designing skits to demonstrate their knowledge of the history of physiology. Such experiences helped students take responsibility for their own learning and to better understand major concepts in physiology.