Evaluation of a challenge-based human metabolism laboratory for undergraduates

This paper discusses an effort to enhance the learning and affective experience of students in a laboratory module in metabolism through the use of the "How People Learn" framework, which is grounded in educational theory and research. The laboratory, which was a component of a systems physiology course in biomedical engineering, was modified such that some students had educational experiences informed by How People Learn principles while other students encountered a more traditional laboratory. Students were compared on a number of dimensions including knowledge acquisition, ability to use information to solve problems, transfer, and perceptions of their course experience. Several differences were observed between groups, with students in the "How People Learn" group out-performing controls on measures that required a deeper ability to use the material, but not differing in basic acquisition of information. Implications for the development of similar laboratories are discussed.