Anatomy Laboratory Learning Correlations: Contact Hours and Recitations with Course Completion and Increased Grades
Authors: Olivieri Nina Ruthie , Oh Alice , Georger Lesley A. , Holz Jonathan D. , Shimanovich Yana Eugenia Tzipporah , Hurley Mary I. , Stephen Frank , Olivieri Marion Pace 
Published: June 2021

Significant changes to offerings and support for a Human Anatomy and Physiology I laboratory course were introduced to enhance student performance. The number of semester long open laboratory sessions with peer tutor availability were increased by 50%. Using the IBM SPSS statistics software (SPSS), analysis revealed that the withdrawal rate decreased through subsequent semesters. The likelihood of withdrawing was also predicted using logistic regression based on variables that indicate prior academic achievement of students [i.e. GPA, cumulative credits, and previous experiences in completing related courses]. Cross tabulation showed a positive trend. The change in withdrawal rate from the fall of 2013 to the spring of 2016 was analyzed using a Fisher's Exact Test. A significant association was observed from this analysis. A weak, but statistically significant correlation between the number of open laboratory sessions attended and student grades was also analyzed by SPSS.

Figure 1 shows that the withdrawal rate decreased, while the percentage of students getting a letter grade of “A” increased over the years. In the fall of 2013, 40% of students withdrew from the course, and the percentage dropped to 21% in the spring of 2016. Also, in the fall of 2013, 16% of the students received an “A,” and this percentage increased to 35% in the spring of 2016. This overall positive trend indicates an improvement in student performance. The p‐value for the Fisher's Exact Test for Association was less than 0.001. There was a statistically significant association between each semester and distribution of grades including withdrawal status from the fall of 2013 to the spring of 2016, inclusively.

The correlation between the open laboratory attendance and the first exam grade is presented in Figure 2. As shown in the graph, zero attendance at open laboratory session showed a wide range of grade distribution. The grade range was narrowed toward higher grades as attendance increased. The Spearman's Rank Correlation, rs=0.342 (p<0.001), that attendance at open laboratory sessions was a weak positive indicator of student success in the course.

This study provides evidence for correlation between teaching anatomy and factors such as the number of laboratory course contact hours, recitation sessions, and student success, specifically a decrease in withdrawal rate and an increase in the percentage of students earning a letter grade of “A.” The results of this study can be used as a starting point for other studies analyzing the correlation between teaching anatomy and factors such as teaching contact hours, recitation sessions, and student success. Further analysis using additional variables, [i.e. students' majors, grade requirements, or their grades in more advanced classes such as the Gross Anatomy laboratory], may be helpful in maintaining and understanding the long‐term effects of this positive trend.

Support or Funding Information

Work supported by the Department of Biology and Mathematics, D'Youville College.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.