An instructional design process based on expert knowledge for teaching students how mechanisms are explained.

Area of Science:

• Life Sciences Education
• Physiology and Biology Instruction

Background:

• Students struggle with the abstract and complex nature of molecular and cellular mechanisms in biology and physiology.
• Explaining these mechanisms is a significant pedagogical challenge for instructors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how instructors can transform their understanding of biological mechanisms for improved student comprehension.
• To develop and implement an instructional design process for teaching complex biological mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed the MACH (Methods, Analogies, Context, How) model for explaining biological mechanisms.
• Developed and piloted instructional materials using a physical MACH model.
• Applied design-based research cycles to refine the MACH model and integrate it into undergraduate courses.
• Created a rubric to assess and address student difficulties with mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Students using the MACH model showed improvements in explaining mechanisms, alongside some new challenges.
• The iterative design process led to an improved physical MACH model for classroom use.
• A rubric was developed to target common student difficulties in understanding mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• The presented four-stage instructional design process, centered on the MACH model, provides resources for physiology and biology instructors.
• This approach aims to enhance pedagogical content knowledge for teaching molecular and cellular mechanisms.
• The process is adaptable for various models across the life sciences to advance instruction.