Unpacking the Homeostasis Core Concept in Physiology: An Australian Perspective.
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(Published version)
Date
2023
Authors
Beckett, E.
Gaganis, V.
Bakker, A.J.
Towstoless, M.
Hayes, A.
Hryciw, D.H.
Lexis, L.
Tangalakis, K.
Task Force,
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Journal article
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American Journal of Physiology - Advances in Physiology Education, 2023; 47(3):427-435
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Abstract
Australia-wide consensus was reached on seven core concepts of physiology, which included Homeostasis, a fundamental concept for students to understand as they develop their basic knowledge of physiological regulatory mechanisms. The term homeostasis is most commonly used to describe how the internal environment of mammalian systems maintains relative constancy. The descriptor 'the internal environment of the organism is actively regulated by the responses of cells, tissues, and organs through feedback systems', was unpacked by a team of three Australian Physiology educators into five themes and 18 sub-themes arranged in a hierarchy. Using a 5-point Likert scale, the unpacked concept was rated by 24 physiology educators from 24 Australian Universities for level of importance and level of difficulty for students. Survey data was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA to compare between and within concept themes and sub-themes. There were no differences in main themes for level of importance, with all ratings between essential or important. The first theme, 'The organism has regulatory mechanisms to maintain a relatively stable internal environment, a process known as homeostasis' was almost unanimously rated as essential. Difficulty ratings for unpacked concept themes averaged between slightly difficult and moderately difficult. The Australian team concurred with published literature that there are inconsistencies in the way the critical components of homeostatic systems are represented and interpreted. We aimed to simplify the components of the concept so that undergraduates would be able to easily identify the language used and build on their knowledge.
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Copyright 2023 Advances in Physiology Education
Access Condition Notes: Accepted manuscript available after 1 July 2024