Loading...
Unpacking the homeostasis core concept in physiology : an Australian perspective
Beckett, Elizabeth Gaganis, Voula Bakker, Anthony J. Towstoless, Michelle Hayes, A. Hryciw, Deanne Lexis, Louise Tangalakis, Kathy Brown, Daniel Cameron, Melissa
Beckett, Elizabeth
Gaganis, Voula
Bakker, Anthony J.
Towstoless, Michelle
Hayes, A.
Hryciw, Deanne
Lexis, Louise
Tangalakis, Kathy
Brown, Daniel
Cameron, Melissa
Author
Beckett, Elizabeth
Gaganis, Voula
Bakker, Anthony J.
Towstoless, Michelle
Hayes, A.
Hryciw, Deanne
Lexis, Louise
Tangalakis, Kathy
Brown, Daniel
Cameron, Melissa
Choate, Julia
Chopin, Lisa
Cooke, Matthew B.
Douglas, Tracy
Estaphan, Suzanne
Etherington, Sarah
Masters, Nicole
Moorhouse, Andrew
Moro, Christian
Paravicini, Tamara
Perry, Ben D.
Phillips, Ruben
Scott, Chris
Todd, Gabrielle
Uebergang, Tanya Narelle
Wadley, Glenn
Gaganis, Voula
Bakker, Anthony J.
Towstoless, Michelle
Hayes, A.
Hryciw, Deanne
Lexis, Louise
Tangalakis, Kathy
Brown, Daniel
Cameron, Melissa
Choate, Julia
Chopin, Lisa
Cooke, Matthew B.
Douglas, Tracy
Estaphan, Suzanne
Etherington, Sarah
Masters, Nicole
Moorhouse, Andrew
Moro, Christian
Paravicini, Tamara
Perry, Ben D.
Phillips, Ruben
Scott, Chris
Todd, Gabrielle
Uebergang, Tanya Narelle
Wadley, Glenn
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 5 themes and 18 subthemes arranged in a hierarchy. Using a five-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 were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA to compare between and within concept themes and subthemes. There were no differences in main themes for level of importance, with all ratings between essential or important. Theme 1: 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.
Keywords
core concepts, higher education, homeostasis, physiology
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
Book
Volume
47
Issue
3
Page Range
427-435
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open
Notes
Copyright © 2023 the American Physiological Society.
APS Open Access articles are subject to a Creative Commons CC-BY license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
APS Open Access articles are subject to a Creative Commons CC-BY license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en