Journal article
Establishing consensus for the core concepts of physiology in the Australian higher education context using the Delphi method
Advances in Physiology Education, Vol.47(3), pp.419-426
2023
PMID: 36759148
Abstract
A set of core concepts ("big ideas") integral to the discipline of physiology are important for students to understand and demonstrate their capacity to apply. We found poor alignment of learning outcomes in programs with physiology majors (or equivalent) from 17 Australian universities and the 15 core concepts developed by a team in the United States. The objective of this project was to reach Australia-wide consensus on a set of core concepts for physiology, which can be embedded in curricula across Australian universities. A four-phase Delphi method was employed, starting with the assembling of a Task Force of physiology educators with extensive teaching and curriculum development expertise from 25 Australian universities. After two online meetings and a survey, the Task Force reached agreement on seven core concepts of physiology and their descriptors, which were then sent out to the physiology educator community across Australia for agreement. The seven core concepts and their associated descriptions were endorsed through this process (n = 138). In addition, embedding the core concepts across the curriculum was supported by both Task Force members (85.7%) and educators (82.1%). The seven adopted core concepts of human physiology were Cell Membrane, Cell-Cell Communication, Movement of Substances, Structure and Function, Homeostasis, Integration, and Physiological Adaptation. The core concepts were subsequently unpacked into themes and subthemes. If adopted, these core concepts will result in consistency across curricula in undergraduate physiology programs and allow for future benchmarking.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first time Australia-wide agreement has been reached on the core concepts of physiology with the Delphi method. Embedding of the core concepts will result in consistency in physiology curricula, improvements to teaching and learning, and benchmarking across Australian universities.
Details
- Title
- Establishing consensus for the core concepts of physiology in the Australian higher education context using the Delphi method
- Authors
- Kathy Tangalakis (Corresponding Author) - Victoria UniversityLouise Lexis (Author) - La Trobe UniversityDeanne H. Hryciw (Author) - Griffith UniversityMichelle Towstoless (Author) - Victoria UniversityAnthony J. Bakker (Author) - The University of Western AustraliaElizabeth Beckett (Author) - The University of AdelaideDaniel Brown (Author) - Curtin UniversityMelissa Cameron (Author) - The University of SydneyJulia Choate (Author) - Monash UniversityLisa Chopin (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyMatthew B. Cooke (Author) - Swinburne University of TechnologyTracy Douglas (Author) - University of TasmaniaSuzanne Estaphan (Author) - Australian National UniversitySarah Etherington (Author) - Murdoch UniversityVoula Gaganis (Author) - Flinders UniversityAndrew Moorhouse (Author) - UNSW SydneyChristian Moro (Author) - Bond UniversityTamara Paravicini (Author) - RMIT UniversityBen Perry (Author) - Western Sydney UniversityChristopher Scott (Author) - Charles Sturt UniversityRuben Phillips (Author) - Edith Cowan UniversityGabrielle Todd (Author) - University of South AustraliaTanya Uebergang (Author) - Australian Catholic UniversityGlenn Wadley (Author) - Deakin UniversityMatthew Watt (Author) - The University of MelbourneAlan Hayes (Author) - Victoria University
- Publication details
- Advances in Physiology Education, Vol.47(3), pp.419-426
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Date published
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1152/advan.00140.2022
- ISSN
- 1522-1229; 1043-4046
- PMID
- 36759148
- Data Availability
- Data will be made available upon reasonable request.
- Grant note
- This project was funded by the David Jordan Teaching Award from The Physiological Society UK awarded to K. Tangalakis.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Biomedicine
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991187227902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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