The A&P Professor

Latest Episodes:

49 Tricks for Retention & Success in Online Courses | TAPP Episode 21 Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

Online courses continue to have a notoriously low retention rate and success rate compared to traditional courses. Kevin shares some general concepts and practical ideas that have helped him improve retention and pass rates in his distance courses. But there are more! The conversation will continue in the next episode.

Transcripts, captioned audiograms, & more! (7.5 min)
Intro to featured topic (1 min)
49 tricks for retention & success in online courses (32.5 min)
Connecting with this podcast (1 min)

If you cannot see or activate the audio player click here.

Questions & Feedback: 1-833-LION-DEN (1-833-546-6336)

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(0:41) We've reached 5,000 downloads because of your kind support! All TAPP Radio episodes have a full transcript, useful for reading along or searching for specific content. Captioned audiograms of all episodes are now available on The A&P Professor YouTube channel. There are many ways to listen!

Transcript links are listed at the Episode List and on each episode page at theAPprofessor.org
The A&P Professor YouTube channel for captioned audiograms: my-ap.us/TAPPyoutube
Choose your TAPP Radio source:
- Apple iOS app
- Android OS app
- Kindle Fire OS app
- Main TAPP Radio podcast page
- Subscription page for more options

(7:58) Intro. It's too long for one episode, so Kevin will cover the featured topic in three episodes: 21 (this one), 22, and 23.

(9:13) Online courses are notorious for high dropout rates and high failure rates, compared to traditional face-to-face classes. Kevin shares a bunch (perhaps not exactly 49) strategies he has found to work in creating and nurturing the kinds of connections that help retain students and support their success in the course.

Episode 19: Caring for Students Helps Them Succeed
Episode 12: Storytelling is the Heart of A&P

(33:00) Call or write! Really. Any time.

1-833-LION-DEN or 1-833-546-6338
podcast@theAPprofessor.org

Please nominate The A&P Professor for The People's Choice Podcast Awards!

Simply click here my-ap.us/award to register (free) and select The A&P Professor in the Education category. Listener nominations close on July 31st. So now would be a good time.

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Transcript available at the script page.
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Reading A&P Terms Out Loud Helps Reading Comprehension | TAPP Episode 20 Jun 25, 2018

Show notes

Why we should encourage A&P students to say the difficult terms out loud before reading. Will we ever pin down the number of genes in the human genome? Get a free book of brain facts from the Society for Neuroscience. Please help Kevin extend the reach of TAPP Radio! Summer is a good time to binge listen all the episodes of this podcast, perhaps enjoying the beverage of your choice (mine is iced tea...unsweet).

How many genes in the human genome? (3.5 min) Free book of brain facts (2.5 min) Expand the reach of this podcast (3.5 min)Why students should read A&P terms out loud(10 min) Binge much? (1 min)

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(0:43) New research increases the number of coding genes in the human genome up from around 19,000 or so genes to just over 21,000 genes.

New human gene tally reignites debate (recent news item in Nature)
Thousands of large-scale RNA sequencing experiments yield a comprehensive new human gene list and reveal extensive transcriptional noise (2017 unreviewed research preprint)
Size of the human genome reduced to 19,000 genes (2014 new item from Science Daily)
Multiple evidence strands suggest that there may be as few as 19 000 human protein-coding genes (2014 research article in Human Molecular Genetics)

(4:12) Brain Facts book: great summary of basic concepts of neuroscience (with great pictures).

Brain Facts (from Society of Neuroscience; has links to low- and high-resolution PDFs, audio files of previous editions, and requests for free print versions for educators)

(6:50) I ask your help to spread the news and share this podcast with others who might be interested. Or complete strangers. Okay, maybe just folks you know who are actual A&P teachers or have related interests.

(10:23) It sounds wacky, for sure, but reading complex terms out loud before reading the textbook can helps speed up reading and improve comprehension.

Reading Information Aloud to Yourself Improves Memory (article from Neuroscience News)
This time it's personal: the memory benefit of hearing oneself (journal article in Memory)
Reading Terms in A&P (post in The A&P Professor blog; has additional links to resources)
Reading Scientific Terms (post in The A&P Student blog; you can provide this link to students)
Word Lists Help Students Build Their Mental Lexicon (post in Patton's Anatomy & Physiology blog
Say It Out Loud 18 Times (post in o-log-y blog)

(20:57) Even if you've already heard them all, it's worth your while to listen again, starting at Episode 1 and working your way through. If you know you've missed some previous episodes, that's an even better reason to binge!

Exploring the Benefits of Binge Listening to Podcasts (post at Life by Cyndi blog)
Choose your TAPP Radio binge:

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Caring for Students Helps Them Succeed | TAPP Episode 19 Jun 11, 2018

Show notes

Kevin Patton discusses his renewed commitment to demonstrating compassion for students, including practical tips. Will sleeping in on weekends lengthen our lives? Should we give our lecture slides to students?

Summer schedule reminder ( Giving slides to students (6 min) Update on the TAPP APP (1.5 min) Catch up with sleep on weekends (3 min) Commit to caring for our A&P students (19 min)

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You've probably heard that students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Hold that thought.

(0:42) Reminder: episodes released about twice a month during the summer.

(1:01) Students often want a copy of our slide presentation before class, so that they can take notes by simply annotating our slides. Is that a good idea?

(7:11) The easiest way to listen to (and follow) this podcast (TAPP Radio) is with the feature-rich TAPP APP

(8:58) Is it okay to sleep in on weekends to "catch up" with sleep lost during the week? Some new evidence from a large study.

Kevin's Newsletter (from The A&P Professor, and powered by Nuzzel)
Sleeping in on The Weekend Could Save You From an Early Death, Says Study (brief summary)
Sleep duration and mortality – Does weekend sleep matter? (research article)

(11:20) Why Kevin is committing to take specific steps to show his students that he really cares about them. And how he is committing to care, no matter what.

HAPS Instagram
ProfessorAnatomeme (Aaron Fried's Instgram)
- Can you find Kevin's picture with a heart?
What Happened When I Committed to Loving My Students Unconditionally (article by Kyle Redford)
- [POST-PRODUCTION NOTE: I refer to Kyle Redford as "he" but she is a woman. My apologies.]
The Transformative Power of Trauma-Informed Teaching (article by Lauren Dotson)
- Resilience (from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child)
Caring About Students Matters (a related article by Maryellen Weimer)
Checking Our Attitudes About A&P Students "These Days" (post from The A&P Professor blog)

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Contour Drawing Helps Students Learn Anatomy | TAPP Episode 18 May 26, 2018

Show notes

Kevin interviews professor and author Paul Krieger, who describes a simple activity with contour drawing to get his students primed to learn human anatomy. Apps for your mobile device are now available, providing the easiest way to listen to this podcast.

TAPP APP now available! (2 min) Introduction to Paul Krieger (2 min) Contour drawing for anatomy with Paul Krieger (19 min)Change to a biweekly podcast schedule (1 min)

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Jean Fernel once wrote, "Anatomy is to physiology as geography is to history. It describes the theater of events."

(0:44) This episode announces the availability of the dedicated app for this podcast--the TAPPradio app or TAPP APP. Kevin mentions the Android version, but after production, the Apple iOS app also became available. The app will provide some bonus materials and will usually have episodes available about 6 hours before they are released to other channels. It's the easiest way to keep up with this podcast!

App details on the Subscribe page

(2:30) Paul Krieger of Grand Rapids Community College is a long-time professor and the author of Morton Publishing's Visual Analogy Guide series. Kevin and Paul have been friends and collaborators for over 15 years.

Paul Krieger bio (Paul's LinkedIn profile)
Visual Analogy Guides (catalog of Krieger's books)
HAPS Institute (website for HAPS-I program)

(6:10) In an interview with Kevin, Paul Krieger discusses a teaching experiment he is trying with his community college students that involves drawing as a pre-lab activity. Contour drawing, or outlining, organs can help students get a good sense of the general structure of organs they'll see during the lab activity. Hand labeling the sketches adds additional learning opportunities. Paul describes his method for moving students slowly and simply through a series of easy steps using PowerPoint slides.

Sample slide file: Respiratory Structures (contour line drawing activity)

(22:26) The summer break is a great time to switch to a slower pace for this podcast. After a series of weekly episodes, TAPP Radio now shifts to a twice-a-month goal for new episodes. Thanks for your support!

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Kevin's Unofficial Guide to the HAPS Annual Conference | TAPP Bonus Episode May 21, 2018

Show notes

Getting ready for the annual conference of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS)? Long-timer Kevin Patton gives some tips on how to get the most out of your experience, including Kevin's Law of Professional Development.

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"I learn SO much at these things!" Kevin Patton (at every HAPS Annual Conference since 1990)

(0:37) Bonus Episode Intro

(2:00) Kevin's Guide

You do NOT need a guide to the HAPS Annual Conference!
- The HAPS (official) guide for first-timers.
My creds for being your guide.
My creds for being your guide.

(4:04) Way Before the Conference

hapsweb.org
Early bird registration rate
Conference hotel block
Get to know the HAPS staff (including Skelly)

(7:51) Just Before the Conference

HAPS app and website
Read up on speakers and workshops
Business cards
Dress business casual, more or less (mostly less)
- Don't forget your HAPSwear!

(16:11) Conference Basic Plan

Opening reception
Update seminars
Workshops

(18:44) Update Days

General networking
Exhibit hall
- Attendance prizes on last update day
Update seminars
Fun run/walk
Business meeting
Posters
Index cards
- Index card wallet
- Leather index card wallet

Kevin's Law of Professional Development

If I learn just ONE useful thing in a professional development experience, it's worth it.

(30:45) Workshop Days

Workshops
Committee meetings

(35:34) Other Stuff

HAPS Institute
Field trips

(38:28) After the Meeting

Tend your network

(40:01) Subscribe

Subscribing in a mobile app is the easiest way to keep up with this podcast!

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

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Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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End-of-Term Reviews Help Keep Your Course on Track | TAPP Episode 17 May 14, 2018

Show notes

Walk away from each semester with confidence by doing an intentional course review before you leave. Which is the correct spelling, mamillary or mammillary? Put your A&P course into high gear with a new episode of TAPP Radio.

How do you spell mamillary? (5.5 min) Leave each semester with confidence after a course review. (22.5 min)

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"We can only be said to be truly alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." Thornton Wilder

(0:42) Which spelling is correct, mammillary or mamillary?

Is it Mamillary or Mammillary? (from the o-log-y blog)
How Do YOU Pronounce It? (previous TAPP Radio episode)
Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary (includes Latin and Greek word parts)

(6:10) A slate of intentional review activities at the end of the semester can provide multiple benefits. That includes leaving things in good order for a more relaxed break.

TestDebriefing Boosts Student Learning (previous TAPP Radio episode)
Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (classic book of simple but powerful teaching strategies)
What the Best College Students Do (another classic book about what makes a great college teacher)
Check Marks Make Me Happy! (Kevin's blog post)

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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How Do YOU Pronounce It? | TAPP Episode 16 May 07, 2018

Show notes

Kevin reviews News & Notes: keeping pig brains alive, new form of DNA found in cells, your HAPS road trip. A discussion of which pronunciation of A&P terms is "correct." The A&P Student blog is a useful resource for students.

News & Notes | pig brains, new DNA found, TAPP, HAPS roadtrip (9 min) Pronouncing issues with A&P terms (10 min) The A&P Student blog (1.5 min)

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(0:50) News & Notes

Pig brains kept alive in the lab.

Scientists 'keep pigs' brains alive without a body for up to 36 hours' (article in The Guardian)
Researchers are keeping pig brains alive outside the body (report in MIT Technology Review)
Researchers Succeed in Keeping Disembodied Pig Brains Alive (article in The Scientist)

New DNA Structure

BREAKING: Scientists have confirmed a new DNA structure inside human cells (brief illustrated article)
I-motif DNA structures are formed in the nuclei of human cells (journal article)

How to access journal articles: ask your librarian!

What is TAPP?

Your road trip on TAPP!

HAPS 2018 Annual Conference

(9:25) Pronunciations in any language differ for a variety of reasons. This happens in A&P terminology, too.

How do you pronounce it? (Kevin's blog post on this topic)
Dorland's Medical Dictionary (a respected standard)
Kenneth S. Saladin (I mention Ken's workshops on pronunciation)

(19:08) Kevin's blog for A&P students has many bits of advice to help students succeed in their A&P course.

The A&P Student

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Actin & Myosin - A Love Story | TAPP Radio 15 Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

Kevin shares his version of the classic love-story analogy of muscle contraction. Why does the Golgi apparatus looks so weird? it's the cytoskeleton. And don't forget the Alexa skill for this podcast!

Why does the Golgi apparatus looks so weird? (5.5 min) A love story analogy for muscle contraction? (8 min) Don't forget the Alexa skill for this podcast! (2 min)

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(0:47) The Golgi apparatus has a distinctive flattened shape. It turns out that it's the functioning of the cytoskeleton that is responsible.

Why the Golgi Apparatus Looks So Funny (Kevin's blog post)
GOLPH3 bridges phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate and actomyosin to stretch and shape the golgi to promote budding. (research article)
Golgi's Job Stretches it Thin (article from Science News)
Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology (book plus CD)
Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology (online version)

(6:02) Kevin tells the story of actin and myosin as an analogy to a classic love story. This playful story reflects the focus of recent episodes about the use of storytelling and analogies in teaching A&P.

Episode 12: Storytelling is the Heart of Teaching A&P (introduces the strategy of storytelling)
Episode 13: Playful and Serious is the Perfect Combo for A&P (introduces the value of playful analogies)
Survival Guide for Anatomy & Physiology (Kevin's brief manual for A&P students features a version of the actin-myosin love story)
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscle: A Love Story? (article from HAPS Educator with a version of this story)
Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject (book that addresses many issues, including English-language learners)

(17:50) Don't forget the Alexa skill for this podcast!

Enable the Alexa skill (Kevin's instructions on how to enable and use the new skill for this podcast; includes a video)
Alexa skill (Amazon's page for this Alexa skill)
Alexa-enabled devices (Amazon's devices that use Alexa skills; purchases made through this link help fund this podcast)

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Are Learning Styles Real? Why or Why Not? | TAPP Radio 14 Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

Can adult brains make new neurons? Kevin revisits this question and examines new evidence. See you at HAPS 2018 Annual Conference in Columbus OH? Learning styles. Harm or help? Or a bit of both?

Can adult brains make new neurons? Again. (4 min) See you at HAPS 2018? (5.5 min) Learning styles. Harm or help? Or a bit of both? (12 min)

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0:57 Kevin revisits the notion of whether neurogenesis (growing new neurons) can occur in the adult brain, particularly in the hippocampus. A past episode mentioned a study that said "no" to adult neurogenesis in the brain, bucking current thought. However, a newer paper now supports adult brain neurogenesis. This is fun, isn't it?

New Evidence Suggests Aging Brains Continue to Make New Neurons (article by Francis Collins on the new paper)
Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis Persists throughout Aging (new research paper in Cell)
Human hippocampal neurogenesis drops sharply in children to undetectable levels in adults (recent paper in Nature suggesting otherwise)
Episode 5 (Previous episode of this podcast, Segment 1: Can the Adult Human Brain Produce New Neurons?)

5:07 Kevin once again invites you to the 2018 Annual Conference of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) in Columbus Ohio--and to look him and say "hi" while you are there!

HAPS 2018 Conference Website
Succeed in A&P (podcast featuring interview with Peter English, Executive Director of HAPS)

10:40 Recent buzz about the Husmann/O'Loughlin paper on learning styles prompts a conversation about what learning styles are and are not. And what, if anything, we should do with them.

Another Nail in the Coffin for Learning Styles? Disparities among Undergraduate Anatomy Students' Study Strategies, Class Performance, and Reported VARK Learning Styles (the recent Husmann/O'Loughlin paper)
The VARK Questionnaire (the now-classic learning style system)
Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection (the paper that started the VARK approach)
Seven learning styles (another system of learning styles)
Are Learning Styles Real? (Kevin's blog post from November 2015)

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
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Playful & Serious Is the Perfect Combo for A&P | TAPP Radio 13 Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

Kevin explains why the term meatus is weird (hint: it's the plural form). The topic of storytelling in teaching continues with an emphasis on playfulness and the use of analogies (especially playful analogies).

Why the term meatus is weird. (3 min) Convenient ways to subscribe to TAPP Radio. (2 min) Playfulness and analogies have a role in storytelling. (14 min)

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(0:46) The term meatus is properly pluralized as meatus or meatuses (not meati)

Meatus | Weird Word (post explaining meatus from o-log-y the terminology blog)
Meatus as a fourth-declension noun (page from a terminology text)

(3:31) There are a lot of options for convenient listening to this podcast!

Subscribe page (links and directions on how to subscribe to this podcast)
Alexa skill (shows you how to listen to this podcast on your Alexa device)

(5:19) The previous episode (TAPP 12) explained Kevin's view that effective A&P teachers are good storytellers. This episode "continues the story" by discussing analogies. Analogies can be stories that help students understand complex concepts. Sometimes, they are most effective when they are playful, which helps engage students and makes the stories easy to remember. Kevin relates his use of "phosphorylation frogs" in a story that can be referred to every time ATP generation comes up in the course. What are the pros and cons of using analogies?

Storytelling is the Heart of Teaching A&P | TAPP Radio 12 (where the story of storytelling in A&P begins)
Frog pop-ups (toys similar to those described by Kevin in this episode)
Books by John Dewey (book sales help pay for podcast expenses)
Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject (book that addresses many issues, including English-language learners)

If the hyperlinks here are not active, go to TAPPradio.org to find the episode page.

More details at the episode page.
Transcript available at the script page.
Listen to any episode on your Alexa device.
Join The A&P Professor social network:
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