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Contributors:
  1. Jon-Philippe K. Hyatt
  2. Jeffrey Kingsbury
  3. Tonya A. Penkrot
Affiliated institutions: Arizona State University

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Description: Students preparing for health science careers must develop a deep understanding regarding how biological systems work together to maintain homeostasis in the body. In their undergraduate coursework, these students must read and integrate content learned across multiple physiological systems in order to acquire this deep level of understanding and adequately prepare them for their careers. However, students often struggle with integrating course content, as systems are often taught in isolation. The present study explores how students’ self-reported integration strategies and their enacted integration capabilities are associated with end-of-semester biology knowledge. Participants (n = 213) completed a survey at the beginning of the semester measuring self-reported integration strategy use (pre), participated in four in-class learning activities (ILAs) as part of their course, and completed a survey at the end of the semester measuring integration capability (post). In order to gather a more detailed understanding of how participants engaged in the ILAs, a sample of participants (n = 5) with high and low integration strategy use scores were invited to participate in an interview after the end of the semester. Their responses to the ILAs were also coded to explore the degree to which they exhibited cross-system integration during the ILAs. Findings revealed that after accounting for prior knowledge, students’ integration capability mediated the relationship between self-reported integration strategy use and both course grade and exam score. Students exhibited modest levels of integration across all four ILAs with some questions eliciting more integration than others. In the interviews, students noted completing ILAs independently, without collaborating with peers or seeking guidance from the instructor. They predominantly used class slides/notes and Google as resources to identify the answers to the questions, and they reported using strategies such as summarizing or elaborating as they completed them. Some students said the ILAs were helpful study aids for exams, but one noted a preference for lecture. The key contribution of this study is that it offers evidence of the association between self-reported integration strategy use, integration capability, and two measures of biology knowledge (e.g., exam/grade) for a diverse sample (~50% white) of student participants engaged in an authentic learning experience. Future research will explore how these ILAs can be revised and refined to bolster integration further for all students (e.g., by promoting collaboration). In addition, coding will be expanded to examine responses to the ILAs in full sample as well as other courses. Finally, as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on transitioning in person courses to online, future research will also explore students’ completion of the ILAs in online, small-group discussions. Cite as: Firetto, C. M., Hyatt, J.-P. K., Kingsbury, J., & Penkrot, T. A. (2020, August 6-8). Using in-class learning activities to promote integration strategy use. Presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/K2DHU

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