Ingrid Gouldsborough

The Use of Electronic Media to Develop Transferable Skills in Science Students Studying Anatomy

Transferable skills such as team working, communication, information gathering, critical thinking, and peer assessment are essential for graduates seeking employment in the competitive jobs market. Use of online discussion boards have grown to allow students to communicate with each other at a time and location of their choosing. This study aimed to develop transferable skills using specially developed online components supported by discussion boards and chat rooms. Students enrolled in the Human Anatomy and Histology module at the University of Manchester were put into groups of six or seven students (26 groups in total). Two e‐learning components were constructed to develop transferable skills. Each group had a discussion board and chat room available to assist communication in completion of the components. Peer marking was also done on this media. Data collected showed the discussion boards were heavily utilized (average number of posts per group was 48). Eighty‐three percent of students found the discussion boards useful to complete the tasks. Students felt their team building and critical analysis skills had improved. Peer assessment was well received by students. Using online discussion boards proved an excellent way to develop transferable skills in a large group of science students. Anat Sci Educ.

Use of interactive sessions and e-learning in teaching anatomy to first-year optometry students

Students enrolled in the Optometry program at the University of Manchester are required to take a functional anatomy course during the first year of their studies. Low mean scores in the written examination of this unit for the past two academic years energized staff to rethink the teaching format. Interactive sessions lasting 20 minutes each were introduced during the two hour lecture sessions. In these sessions students reinforced their anatomical knowledge learned in lectures, through playing games such as anatomy bingo and solving anatomical anagrams. In addition, five e‐learning modules were also introduced for students to complete in their own time. A pre‐ and postcourse questionnaire were distributed to obtain student views on their expectations of the course and interactive sessions. Comparisons were made between written examination results from 2008 to 2009 to written examination results from the previous five academic years to see if the interactive sessions and e‐learning modules had any impact on student knowledge. In addition, comparisons were made between student performances on the functional anatomy course with their performance in all of the other assessments taken by the students during their first year of study. Analysis of the questionnaires showed that students expectations of the course were fulfilled and the interactive sessions were well received by the majority. There was a significant increase (P ≤ 0.01) in the mean examination score in 2008–2009 after introduction of the interactive sessions and e‐learning modules compared with scores in previous years. The introduction of interactive sessions has increased student enjoyment of the module and along with the e‐learning modules have had a positive impact on student examination results. Anat Sci Educ 3:39–45, 2010.

Effect of cross-fostering on neonatal sodium balance and adult blood pressure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

1. The aim of the present study was to compare electrolyte handling in naturally reared neonatal spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with those reared by a Wistar‐Kyoto (WKY) rat foster mother (denoted SHRX), as cross‐fostering SHR pups to a WKY rat dam lowers adult blood pressure in the SHR.

Maternal Environment Alters Renal Response To Angiotensin II In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

1. The level of hypertension displayed by the adult spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) may be reduced by 20–30 mmHg if SHR pups are cross‐fostered to a normotensive dam at birth (SHRX). The mechanisms involved are largely unknown, but may involve the kidney and the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) because renal responses to angiotensin (Ang) II are enhanced in the SHR and brief blockade of the RAS in the young rat permanently lowers blood pressure in the SHR. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cross‐fostering on the renal response to AngII in the SHR.

Renal renin-angiotensin system activity in naturally reared and cross-fostered spontaneously hypertensive rats

BACKGROUND Young (4 week) spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exhibit greater renal responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) than normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. SHR pups cross-fostering to a WKY dam at birth (SHRX) are less sensitive to Ang II and have lower adult blood pressure. The aim of this study was to compare renal renin-angiotensin system activity in young naturally reared and cross-fostered SHR pups. METHODS SHR and WKY rats were reared either by their natural mothers or by a foster mother of the opposite strain. At 5, 10, and 15 days of age, renal tissue renin activity and Ang II concentration were measured by radioimmunoassay. Renin-secreting cells were identified by in situ hybridization and AT(1) receptor expression was compared using Western blots. Ang II-mediated cAMP generation was measured in isolated proximal tubules. CONCLUSIONS Tissue renin activity and numbers of renin-secreting cells did not differ, but Ang II was higher in SHRX. The AT(1) receptor expression was significantly lower in SHRX compared with SHR. Basal and Ang II-stimulated cAMP was lower in SHR tubules compared with WKY and SHRX tubules.Cross-fostering reversed the increased renal sensitivity of the SHR to Ang II. These data suggest that renal AT(1) receptor expression can be manipulated during the postnatal period and that this may affect adult blood pressure.

The intelligent anatomy spotter: A new approach to incorporate higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy.

The spotter test is an assessment that has been used widely to test practical knowledge of anatomy. Traditional spotter formats often focus solely on knowledge recall, in addition to being an onerous marking burden on staff where consistency in marking free text responses can be questioned. First‐year optometry students at the University of Manchester study the functional anatomy of the eye in the first semester of their first year. Included in the assessment of this unit is a spotter examination worth 45% of the total unit mark. Due to the factors listed above, a new spotter format was designed. Students had to answer three questions per specimen where the answers to the questions were the labeled structures themselves (A, B, C, or D). They had to work out the answer to the question and then work out which of the labeled structures was the correct structure, negating the “cueing effect” of standard multiple choice questions. Examination results were analyzed over a six‐year period (control groups 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011; treatment groups 2011/2012, 2012/2013, 2013/2014). There were no significant differences between marks obtained for the new spotter format when compared with the traditional format. The new format spotter tested comprehension rather than just knowledge, and facilitated marking because subjectiveness was erased, and less time was spent determining whether an answer was correct or not. Anat Sci Educ 9: 440–445.