Most biological scientists conduct experiments to look for effects, and test the results statistically. One of the commonly used test is Student's t test. However, this test concentrates on a very limited question. The authors assume that there is no effect in the experiment, and then estimate the possibility that they could have obtained these…

This opinion statement points out some of the considerations and pitfalls in using virtual reality computer programs in the teaching of life sciences. Emphasis is placed on the possibility of such programs leading to reductionist thinking including how reductionist thinking could foster the formation of misconceptions. Negative feedback is used as…

Teachers often overrate the importance of their content and underrate their influence. However, students forget much of the content that they memorize. Thus, attempts to teach students all that they will need to know is futile. Rather, it is important that students develop an interest and love for lifelong learning. Inspiring and motivating…

The goal of this article is to reflect on the contemporary ethical standards that should be applied to the publication of physiology education research. As teachers, we are all education researchers to some degree but our appreciation of when and how regulatory requirements apply to our work is variable. A significant number of articles in…

In the sequel to their guidelines for reporting statistics in American Physiological Society journals, Curran-Everett and Benos highlighted that the initial guidelines of 2004 have had little effect on the statistical reporting practices of authors. In the present article, I suggest that the guidelines have also had little impact on both journal…

Physiology as a discipline is uniquely positioned to engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research in response to the 2006-2011 National Science Foundation Strategic Plan call for innovative transformational research, which emphasizes multidisciplinary projects. To prepare undergraduates for careers that cross disciplinary…

Life sciences can be complicated enough without getting into the names of all its Dalton-scale participants. For many students, composing a project plan or writing a paper is rather like learning a foreign language. In this article, the author argues that there is a linguistic jungle of science, and it may well discourage students from pursuing a…

Few medical faculty members are adequately prepared for their instructional responsibilities. Our educational traditions were established before we had research-based understandings of the teaching-learning process and before brain research began informing our understandings of how humans achieve lasting learning. Yet, there are several advantages…

The terms "autonomous" or "vegetative" are currently used to identify one part of the nervous system composed of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and gastrointestinal divisions. However, the concepts that are under the literal meaning of these words can lead to misconceptions about the actual nervous organization. Some clear-cut examples indicate…

The 2005 Claude Bernard Distinguished Lecture was presented at the XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) in San Diego, CA, by Ann J. Sefton. Dr. Sefton is an Emeritus Professor of Physiology of the University of Sydney and co-Chair of the IUPS Education Committee. A full profile of Dr. Sefton is included in this issue's "The…

Discusses the factors that have determined the author's approach to writing medical physiology textbooks. Reviews the author's career and the events surrounding the development of each textbook. Explains the motivation behind critical decisions made during the authoring process. (DDR)

Reviews the impact of legislation on animal experimentation that has been in effect since 1876 in Great Britain. Focuses on the impact of these laws on the teaching of practical physiology to undergraduate students. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

There is a generation gap in physiology teaching. Speculates on the causes of this phenomenon and reviews the predominant attempts at correction in programs over time. (DDR)

Presents the theoretical foundation for discovery learning and argues that it is a version of science in the real world as scientists live it rather than science as calcified in textbooks. (DDR)

Examines the idea that greater clinical and research demands on faculty time threaten to diminish the use of problem-based learning in existing medical school curricula. (DDR)