The A&P Student

T-charts

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:28:00 +0000

T-charts are a simple way to help visually organize concepts when studying anatomy and physiology. T-charts are a type of graphic organizer or concept map.

Basically, you just take a sheet of paper and draw a huge T on it. Above the crossbar of the T, write a title for your chart. Then just below the title, create a title on each side of the crossbar. These are headings for what each area (left and right) below the crossbar will contain.

Then fill in the spaces below the two sides of the crossbar.

Fill them in with what, you say? Glad you asked!

The sky is the limit, but here are some ideas (with simple examples).

Put new terms on one side and their definitions on the other.

Example: nucleus; central membranous structure of cell containing DNA
Example: diffusion; tendency of particles to spread out and reach an equilibrium of concentration

Put the names of organs on one side and their functions or descriptions on the other.

Example: small intestine; digestion and absorption of nutrients
Example: kidney; filtering and balancing of blood plasma, resulting in the formation and excretion of urine

Compare/contrast two functions by putting on each side.

Example: anaerobic pathway; aerobic pathway

Organize structures or functions by area or type.

Example: humerus; upper extremity
Example: brain; central nervous system

List two divisions of a system or organ

Example: central nervous system; peripheral nervous system
Exampl: sympathetic division; parasympathetic division

Want to know more?

T-chart
[A FREE online tool for fast and easy creation of T-charts.]
my-ap.us/Lzxuko

T-chart graphic organizers
[Blank, printable T-charts in a variety of styles. FREE.]
my-ap.us/Ka1Vtg

Say it 18 times

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:58:00 +0000

Want to learn your A&P terminology quickly and easily? In a recent post, I told you that one way to do that is to work on six new words every day. My friend Jane, the foreign language professor, gave me another tip to help learn new terminology: say each new term out loud at least 18 times.

Apparently, there's evidence suggesting that to "own" a new word, you have to say it out loud at least 18 times. The vocalization, along with the repetition, apparently help to reinforce memories in the various language areas in your brain. Which means that you can recall and use the terms easily.

I know that seems silly . . . even childish. But think about it. Silly as it may seem, isn't it worth reducing your study time and improving your knowledge quickly?

Want to know more?

Six a day

Terminology tips

Using flash cards

Heart attacks in women

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow is National Wear Red for Women Day!

In the past, heart disease and heart attack have been predominantly associated with men. Historically, men have been the subjects of the research done to understand heart disease and stroke, which has been the basis for treatment guidelines and programs. This led to an oversimplified, distorted view of heart disease and risk, which has worked to the detriment of women.

Because women have been largely ignored as a specific group, their awareness of their risk of this often-preventable disease has suffered. Only 55 percent of women realize heart disease is their No. 1 killer and less than half know what are considered healthy levels for cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol. The Go Red For Women movement works to make sure women know they are at risk so they can take action to protect their health.

To help spread awareness at a time that many of you are studying the heart's structure and function, I'm sharing this brief video:

Need help studying the cardiovascular system?

See previous helps posted in this blog!

[Text source: my-ap.us/AjGQ0u]

New look!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Your favorite blog for A&P students is now sporting a new look!

The new design is easier to read, easier to navigate, and easier to potty train. It also facilitates sharing on social media (see the icons below each post on the blog).

Have comments on the new design? Click the COMMENTS link below this post on the blog, OK? I want to hear from you!

Six a day

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

As you begin a new anatomy and physiology course, you will likely feel a bit overwhelmed with the flood of new terminology. Or a lot overwhelmed with all the new terms.

However, it need not be as big a struggle as you might first think. There are some tricks and shortcuts . . . and I'm here to let you in on a few of those.

Today's tip comes from my friend Jane, who is a very talented professor of foreign language. She told me that research as shown that most people can easily learn five to seven new words a day. That is, if you work at it, you can add about six new words to your vocabulary each day without too much trouble.

That doesn't seem like a lot, but if you spend a few minutes a day you can easily pick up about 45 new terms a week. That's over 700 new terms in a semester!

But of course, the trick is to put a little bit of effort into every single day. Simply make yourself six or seven new flash cards, each with a new term, every day. Review them for just a few minutes, but do that several times throughout the day.

Don't forget to spend a few minutes reviewing your cards from the days before . . . you don't want to forget those new terms.

If you make this a habit, then you'll find that those few minutes a day can really make a huge difference in your mastery of the terminology of A&P.

Here are some more tips to help you get started learning the terminology of A&P:

There's more!

Click here to browse my many tips for mastering the terminology of A&P.

Why be honest?

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

What if your health professional
cheated their way through school?

As you begin a new semester of anatomy and physiology, the notion of academic integrity is worth thinking about.

What is it? Academic integrity is the honesty with which you participate in your course and other learning activities.

Characteristics of students with academic integrity include:

Honestly represent personal work as their own. These students do not copy the work of others and represent it as their own work.
Communicate with the instructor and others truthfully. These students do not make false statements about computer failures, family emergencies, etc., in order to extend deadlines, excuse absences, or gain sympathy.
Engage other students with integrity. These students do not enable academic dishonesty by illicitly providing test answers or other academic assignments to other students. They do not "look the other way" when they observe dishonesty, but instead report it to the instructor.

The main reason you want to be honest in your anatomy and physiology course is that you need to learn these concepts. A&P is the foundation of everything else you will encounter in your professional training program and your career. If you use dishonest shortcuts to give the illusion that you have learned more than you actually have, then you will be underprepared for the rest of the course and the rest of your academic program. It's likely that you won't be able to successfully begin your career.

If you get through your program by cheating, which is not very likely, you may later cause death or illness in a client! How? Because there will be concepts missing from your professional knowledge base.

Now is a great time to develop an ethical, professional mindset. And that mindset MUST include integrity because this is so important for health professionals. You don't want to set yourself up for failure as a professional and as a person, do you?

A few more reasons students want to practice integrity in the A&P course:

They want their credentials from their course and their college/university to be "worth something" . . . and the credentials won't be worth much if integrity is not the norm.
They don't want to be one of the folks listed in the professional newsletters that have been censured, suspended, license revoked, jailed, sued, etc. for offenses that are essentially failures of integrity. Often, these are the "one time, this won't hurt anyone, itty-bitty" cheating incidents.
They don't want their classmates caring for their family and friends (or handling their health records) if their classmates made it through school by cheating, even a little.
They want to be prepared fully for the next class, the next program, the next profession. And you cannot be fully prepared with missing pieces in your training.
They don't want to be known by your colleagues, your friends, and your teachers as a cheater.
How will they find folks to give them glowing references if they are known to them as dishonest?

When it comes right down to it, you should ask yourself . . . what kind of person do I want to be? You'll sleep better every night for the rest of your life having made the better choice about integrity. This is a big deal when you are older and suffer from insomnia. Just wait.

You may want to review my prior article Why are you here? addressing the importance of learning everything you can in A&P . . . rather than just trying to get through it.

How to start concept mapping

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Concept maps are a great way to bolster your understanding of human anatomy and physiology.

They're easy . . . concept maps are merely simple sketches that summarize the elements of a concept. Concept maps can also show how different concepts relate to each other.

By drawing out a concept, you are arranging ideas in the way that your mind works. It's how you picture an idea, not how your teacher or your textbook author visualizes that idea. Therefore, it makes the concept easy for you to understand and remember.

As you construct a concept map, you may run into spots where you're not quite sure how things fit together. That's great! This shows you where your "weak spot" is with the concept . . . something you may not have discovered until you faced it in a test. But when you face it in a concept map, you can stop and figure it out. You can even take your map to your instructor, your tutor, or your study group and ask for help in figuring it out. Then you'll "own" the concept and will not likely forget it.

Because it's a picture of a concept, a concept map helps you recall a concept easily. You'll have the concept stored in your mind as a picture that makes sense to you. Memory experts tell us that pictures of concepts help us recall those concepts.

If you are primarily a visual learner or kinesthetic learner (or both), then concept maps may become a favorite (and efficient) way of learning A&P!

However, if you've never made a concept map, it may be hard to figure out where to start . . . HOW to start. So here's a short video that shows you an easy way to get started . . .

Check out this pencast on how to start a concept map.

Concept Maps - How to Start
brought to you by Livescribe

Want to know more?

Click here for earlier articles from The A&P Student on concept mapping.

Click here for the Lion Den Tips & Tools article on concept mapping.

Want to make your own pencasts?

Cells hate calcium!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0000

my-ap.us/p2CIFl

I always tell my students to remember these three things:

Cells hate sodium ions (Na⁺).
Cells hate calcium ions (Ca⁺⁺).
Cells love potassium ions (K⁺).

OK, that's not literally true. As far as we know, cells are not conscious and therefore do not love or hate anything. But they sure act like they do!

Think about it. All living cells have Na-K pumps that pump Na⁺ out while at the same time pump K⁺ in. When Na⁺ leaks into the cell, out it goes. Likewise, when K⁺ leaks out of a cell, it's pumped back in.

As far as cells are concerned, Na⁺ is like a rattlesnake and thus is repulsive and must be gotten rid of when it sneaks in. And K⁺ is like a puppy that the must be brought in and cuddled. Should K⁺ escape to the cold, cruel world outside a cell, it should be brought back inside and cuddled.

Knowing these facts about sodium and potassium ions is useful to A&P students. Why? Because it helps explain where these ions are likely to be found in the human body:

If you're looking for Na⁺, look in the solution outside the cell (extracellular fluid). You won't find much Na⁺ inside the cell, because it is continually pumped out of the cell.
If you are looking for K⁺, don't look in the extracellular fluid. You'll find very little K⁺ there. Most of the K⁺ will be inside the cell (intracellular fluid).

my-ap.us/nLkG2W

The fact that there are these sodium and potassium ion concentration gradients help explain the concept of membrane voltage (membrane potential). This idea, then, is the foundation of understanding nerve impulses and muscle stimulation.

During a nerve impulse, Na⁺ rushes into the nerve cell because of the concentration gradient described above (most of the sodium is outside the cell). This gives the membrane a temporary inside-positive charge… and that's what a nerve impulse is. The normal membrane voltage is restored quickly when K⁺ is allowed to rush out of the nerve cell, thus moving the net positive charge to the outside of the cell membrane.

All living cells have calcium pumps that pump calcium out of the cell. Some calcium pumps also pump calcium into sacks (the smooth ER). To a cell, Ca⁺⁺ is like a cobra. When it leaks into a cell, and it will, it is pumped out quickly or pushed into a sack.

Knowing this fact about calcium ions is useful for understanding many different concepts in A&P.

For example, muscle fibers pump calcium ions out of the plasma membrane (sarcolemma) and into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR, a form of smooth ER). When the muscle membrane is stimulated (see the paragraphs above), the Ca⁺⁺ comes rushing into the intracellular fluid from the SR and/or from the extracellular fluid. Ca⁺⁺ immediately binds to the cytoskeleton, which then produces muscle contraction.

A similar thing happens at the end of a neuron when a nerve impulse (see the paragraphs above) gets to its farthest distance and permits Ca⁺⁺ to flow into the cell. The Ca⁺⁺ binds to the cytoskeleton and thereby triggers the movement of vesicles filled with neurotransmitter. These vesicles crash into the plasma membrane and release neurotransmitters by exocytosis, thus allowing them to signal another cell.

Ca⁺⁺ gradients are also key to understanding how many hormones trigger their target cells. It even helps explain some of the functions of sperm cells and egg cells during human reproduction.

So you can see that this idea of cells hating sodium and calcium ions and loving potassium ions comes in pretty handy when trying to understand many of the concepts of human physiology.

Study Droid

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Looking for a way to tame the thousands of terms you are flooded with in your A&P course?

Looking for a shortcut to memorizing structures in your A&P lab?

How about an easy way to practice identifying histology specimens, anatomical structures, and important concepts?

Maybe you've already found out what bazillions of A&P students before you have discovered . . . flash cards!

One of many web-based tools that you can use is Study Droid.

If you want to see one student's take on Study Droid, then check out this video.

If you want a more focused tutorial on how to use Study Droid, then check out this video.

Already using Study Droid to study for A&P, then let's hear about your experience!

The Bloodmobile

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:12:00 +0000

Sometimes catchy little songs can help us learn even very complex concepts.

My friend Ellen recently sent along this video with the snappy tune Bloodmobile. This song from They Might Be Giants summarizes the main functions of the blood . . . a very timely topic for those of you at the beginning of your A&P 2 course.

While we're on a cardiovascular theme, you may recall seeing my previous post Pump Your Blood that features the classic song of the same name that has been used by countless A&P students to learn the path of blood through the heart.

Have any more? Why not share them?

Learn your anatomical directions!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:00:00 +0000

As you begin studying the structure and function of the human body, you'll find that you need to be thoroughly familiar with the terminology used in anatomy to describe directions and orientation.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but it's a necessary step in learning everything else in anatomy. It's like knowing north from south and east from west when beginning a course in geography.

Extra time and effort spent to learn anatomical directions and orientation at the beginning of the course will make most of the next semester or two . . . and beyond into other courses and your career . . . go way more smoothly. Really. It's hard to see that now, I know. But trust me!

Besides your learning in the lab and lecture course, and working through your textbook and lab manual, you may find this FREE mini-course to be helpful. It's called simply Anatomical Directions and it's provided as a free service from Insight Medical Academy. It requires a free registration to use the course, so be sure to register before trying to access the course. Here's a brief video explaining how the free course works.

Sleeping through A&P

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Research confirms it . . . sleeping helps you learn A&P!

OK, I'm not talking about sleeping during your A&P class. That kind of sleeping hurts your ability to learn A&P.

Although we've known about this for a long time, recent research in mice adds to the evidence that a session of uninterrupted sleep helps you learn things. Here's a link to a brief, easy-to-understand explanation of the research: my-ap.us/ne2WaP

What this means is that you should make great effort to get a good night's sleep every day that you study A&P. That means sleeping well on nights that follow your lectures, labs, and study sessions. Or even better: getting a good night's sleep every night!

Yeah, I know . . . there are all kinds of things that interrupt your sleep. What I'm saying is that it's important to reduce those interruptions as much as possible. It may mean that you need to get others in your life "on board" with your learning goals, as I explained in a recent post. It may mean changing your schedule around a bit.

A lot of folks don't really have good sleep habits . . . at that prevents them from sleeping well. Which prevents them from learning well. There are a lot of resources for learning good sleep habits, so if you have trouble sleeping well you should do a bit of research or find some professional help.

Besides helping you learn, good sleep habits also help you stay awake during class . . . no matter how boring your professor is! Regular, uninterrupted sleep also helps you stay healthy and live a longer, happier life!

My A&P students are always looking for ways to help them remember things. So here's something that's easy: just make sure you get a good night's sleep!

Here's a short video on good sleep hygiene using tips from the CDC and acted out by students at Miami University.

The art of listening

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:55:00 +0000

I just ran across a short video in which "listening expert' Julian Treasuresummarizes five easy ways to become a better listener.

He also points out why listening is important and why it's a skill that, as a culture, we are losing. And perhaps more importantly for our quest for success in our anatomy & physiology course, he mentions why good listening skills are important for students.

I see so many students "out of focus" and "out of tune" with what is happening in the A&P lecture and lab. So I know that good listening skills are not common in today's students. This video will help make you a better student!

Mr. Treasure also talks about having the"listening position" appropriate to the kind of listening in which we are engaged.

He sums up with a quick acronym, RASA, that helps us remember some key points in listening effectively:

Receive

Appreciate

Summarize

Ask

Check out the video! (and listen carefully)

Click image to view video

Not just for A&P!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:00:00 +0000

If you've wrapped up your A&P course, you may think you no longer need advice, tips, and shortcuts from this blog.

But you'd be wrong!

As I mentioned in a previous article (my-ap.us/is1Wa6), this is just the beginning of a lifetime of using A&P! I suggest staying tuned in to this blog because you can continue to benefit from most, if not all, future articles as you struggle through your professional training and the continuing education that is required of working health professionals.

An easy way to keep up with this blog is by signing up for the FREE email updates using the form at the right of the blog page or at theapstudent.feedblitz.com

And while I have your attention, I'd like to make my usual end-of-semester plea:

Do NOT sell, give away, recycle, or burn your A&P textbook!

Really, I mean it! You will regret it if you do. You're going to need it as you progress through future studies and into your practice as a health professional. See my advice at my-ap.us/mhYggB

Future Health Scholarship

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Are you pursuing a career in health care?

Could you use an extra $5,000 or $10,000 to help pay for your schooling?

Then you should check this out:

Tylenol 2011 Future Health Scholarship

http://my-ap.us/jV4bKy

Synapatic Cleft rap video

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Need a fresh perspective on the function of nerve signaling?

Here's a parody of Wu-Tang's "Gravel Pit" made by students to help them integrate their knowledge of synaptic signaling and the role of neurotransmitters.

Check out the video (after making sure that your speakers are cranked up):

Download the audio

You may want to review the nerve cell outline before or after watching the video.

Did you know that the discovery of the first neurotransmitter happened in a dream? Really! Check out Receptors by Richard Restak.

Looking for other silly songs?

Use Word Stash for learning new terms

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

In several previous articles, I mentioned that the first step in learning the concepts of anatomy and physiology successfully is to learn the language. You need to master the terminology before you can begin to understand the ideas.

And in many of those previous articles, I pointed out that learning new terms--even a huge number of new terms--can be fast and easy if you simply practice, practice, practice. Every day. Several times a day. But just a few minutes at a time.

And an easy way to practice is using flashcards. Flashcards can be either traditional paper 3"x5" index cards or any of the many computer-based variations of the flashcard technique.

Recently, a reader of this blog recommended another of the web-based varieties of flashcards. It's called Word Stash it's a great FREE tool that's very easy to use.

It gives you several options to create word lists, using previously used definitions from a database or using definitions that you write or copy from your course materials.

If you tell your A&P professor about Word Stash, they can create a "class" and load in word lists from their course. Or your study group or tutor can create a "teacher account" and create a list that is shared by anyone who is part of that class.

I created a class called, you guessed it, The A&P Student . . . and loaded in a word list to show you how it works. Join this "class" to see how Word Stash works:

http://wordstash.com/academic_classes/190

Password: theapstudent

You'll have to register as a user during the process of accessing this class and word list. Then play around with the different ways to practice the terms!

Practice!

Video on running concept lIsts

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

What in the world is a a running concept list, anyway?!

Put simply, running concept lists are a set of lists, each list relating to a single concept, that you update continually as you learn more about each concept. They are easy to make and to maintain. And they are very handy tools for learning new concepts . . . or for reviewing old concepts.

But they are even more helpful for learning the connections between concepts . . . thus developing your critical thinking skills!

Concept lists are also called connection pages because they help you see connections.

I've outlined this ongoing study technique several times before. You may want to review those previous articles.

As you grow your library of running concepts lists, you'll find that you have constructed a personal encyclopedia of knowledge! One that you can build on (and refer back to) for a lifetime.

If you haven't bothered to learn about running concept lists before, you may want to reconsider this powerful tool.

Recently, I added this video to my page on Concept Lists found in the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools.

Why are you here?

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0000

I know this sounds like a dopey question, but I'll ask it anyway . . .

Why are you taking this course in anatomy and physiology?

Based on my experience of decades teaching A&P, I've found that all too many students can only answer, "because it's required."

An answer that is much better for the student is, "to learn the concepts of human structure and function that I will need in later courses and in a lifetime career in a health or sports career."

Really, the A&P course is required of you for a reason. It's not simply to jump through a hoop. Or to weed out the weak students. The reason is simple. You cannot fully understand, or even begin to understand, many of the concepts you'll run into later without a thoroughly embedded understanding of the principles of human anatomy and physiology. Period.

If you pick up ANY textbook from a course in the health professions, you will find references to human anatomy and physiology principles scattered throughout. Many such textbooks will even refer to "what you learned in your anatomy and physiology course," sometimes providing a quick review before jumping into a more complicated topic. If you fail to learn your A&P now, then those quick reviews won't be just a review, will they? They'll be a warning sign that you are about to get into something you are not prepared for!

So why do I ask this question? And propose a "correct" answer?

Because if you get on board with the "correct answer" now, you'll dramatically change how you study A&P . . . for the better!

The sooner you realize that you'll need all of these concepts to be successful in your later learning--and in your ongoing career--the sooner you will realize that studying for the test just won't cut it. You have to shift out of the short-term view and start thinking about learning for a lifetime.

Instead of cramming just before a test, to learn some facts that will stay with you for only a few hours, you'll study every day so that you'll never forget what you are learning. You'll continually review material from previous topics because you'll notice them coming up again and again.

With the long view, you'll also start working on understanding relationships among the various principles you are learning. You'll begin to see why it's important to know the basic principles deeply because it makes everything you encounter in human science more understandable and thus easier to learn.

Not to scare you, but a conversation I recently had with some teachers in a health-professions program confirmed again for me the fact that you will fail your professional courses if you don't remember most of your A&P.

Isn't that a good reason to evaluate how you approach your studies in A&P?

[Need some help in finding ways to learn more deeply? Besides asking your A&P professor for advice, why not try the tips I offer my students at the Lion Den Tips & Tools?]

Concept Map Video

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

I've outlined the benefits (and how-to instructions) of concept mapping several times before. You may want to review those previous articles.

Also known as mind maps, these tools are simply a way to visualize a concept.

Concept maps are diagrams that related different elements of a concept to each other and/or to the main idea. These diagrams can be simple or complex—depending on your own style of learning and what helps you understand the concept.

If you haven't bothered to learn about them before, you may want to reconsider this powerful tool.

Recently, I added this video to my page on Concept Maps found in the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools.

Help significant others help YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Do you struggle with balancing the time and effort it takes to succeed in A&P with the time and effort you'd rather be devoting to family, friends, or your partner?

Welcome to the club! This is a common issue in rigorous, time-consuming courses like anatomy and physiology.

A&P is a foundational course, one that you really cannot skimp on because the whole rest of your training and your career rests on success in learning the concepts of A&P thoroughly. But then again, you need your personal relationships to succeed, too!

One strategy that I've seen work well is summarized in my book Survival Guide For Anatomy And Physiology: Tips, Techniques And Shortcuts. It's actually pretty simple and pretty easy, for something that works so well!

As early in your studies as possible, take some quality time with those close to you to bring them on board with your commitment to doing well in A&P. Explain to them what your career goals are and how success in achieving those goals may benefit them as well. If for no other reason than they love and support you. But sometimes, career success may bring many other rewards to family and spousal relationships.

After they are on board with your careers goals, make it clear how hard--and how time-consuming--some of the steps along the way are going to be. Explain how success in A&P is a critical first step . . . a step that will be particularly draining and time-consuming.

After explaining the sacrifices that you'll be making--the great effort that you'll be putting into success--ask them if they are willing to help support you by giving you the time you need. Explain that by doing so, each of them will by part of your team.

Assuming that those who love you want to be part of your team, work together to find specific ways they can help you. The more that they can come up with on their own, the more ownership they will take in their part of the team effort.

Here are some examples your team may come up with:

Trying not to pester you when you study
Taking over one or more of your household/farm/yard/work chores
Not giving you grief when you have to occasionally reduce your fun time with them
Agreeing to occasionally help you with your studying (like quizzing you with flash cards)
Acting as a child sitter or backup child sitter when you need to go to

class
participate in study sessions
get help from your professor
visit the library or learning center
have time alone to study

Such a discussion, if handled well, can go far in helping you balance things in your life while you tackle A&P . . . by bringing your loved ones on board early and making them part of the process.

Something that is especially helpful for families, couples, or friendships, is to work together to compose a pledge that you can hang on your refrigerator or keep in your notebook. This pledge would state the kinds of support that you can expect. And your pledge to be mindful of their efforts and your intent to be appreciative. When things get tough, it may help diffuse the frustration by calmly renewing your mutual pledge.

Record with your pen!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Sometimes newfangled technology products really do revolutionize how we learn. One of the newer, niftier learning aids is the set of Smartpens offered by Livescribe.

Smartpens are pens that record both sound and what you write as you use it.

For example, you can turn on the Smartpen as your A&P class begins, then record the professor and student discussion as you write your notes.

After class, all you have to do is tap on a part of your notes to replay the audio that goes with it! Or you can replay the whole class! If you are using the earbuds that come with the pen, you could also replay a part of the class that you want to replay.

If you want to, you can then dock your Smartpen in a small USB penholder that comes with your Smartpens to upload the recording to your Livescribe library.

Once a recording is in your library, you can upload it to the Livescribe site as a pencast. You can then review the pencast any time you like. You can keep your pencasts private or you can share them publicly.

This is a great way to replay an entire class to review it . . . or to go back to a part of the class that puzzles you so you can replay your note taking while the voices of your professor and classmates are also replayed. What a great way to review your newly learned A&P concepts!

If you use the Smartpen to record others, make sure you have their permission first. Not all professors permit their classes to be recorded. And test out the volume settings and your location in the room to get the best recording.

Here is a simple example of a pencast that quickly summarizes one concept in A&P.

Bone Cell Actions
brought to you by Livescribe

A great study project for your A&P study group would be to produce pencasts like this example and post them to share with the whole class!

To use the Smartpen you have to use the special paper that comes with the pen. Livescribe also provides a file that allows you to print the special paper on your computer printer. However, I prefer to use the inexpensive notebooks available from Livescribe.

This video briefly summarizes the concept of the Smartpen and how you can use it to improve learning.

If you already have some pencasts for A&P that you've posted for public viewing, why not post the link here? Just "comment" on this blog article and include the link.

FREE body browser

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

I recently saw a story about one of the newest Google Labs creation: Body Browser. I immediately thought of how helpful this will be for A&P students.

The Body Browser is a FREE online tool that you can use to explore the anatomy of the human body in a "virtual dissection" format. Using the familiar Google Maps navigation tools, you can . . .

Peel (or fade) away layers of the body . . . removing the skin, then muscles, then bones, to reveal the internal organs
Select systems (skeletal, muscular, nervous, cardiovascular) to view
Click on any structure to show its label
Type the name of any structure in the search box to find it in the body
Tilt, zoom, turn the body to a variety of positions to see organs in more views that usually available in a textbook, atlas, or chart

The Body Browser runs inside any WebGL-enabled browser, meaning that you don't have to worry about having the latest Flash or Java plugins installed.

I think Body Browser a is a great FREE tool for A&P students to have access to an online model of the human body that can be used for a beginning study of anatomy. Because it allows the user to type in the names of organs for which they are looking, you can be certain it will work well with what you need to know for your course.

There are a few minor limitations of the Body Browser:

The only available specimen is female (that is, there is no male specimen available to complement the female specimen)
The specimen is partially clothed. Although one can see some of the underlying surface structures as the "skin" layer fades back, it's not the same as seeing these structures clearly. An odd feature that makes certain regions of the body "off limits." (I've seen some hacks to fix this, but none of them work for me using the Chrome browser)
Some of the organs are roughly rendered, so it's not as detailed (at least in some areas) as you may like to see
Only a few systems can be shown in entirety. Some useful system views that are missing are the lymphatic system and the respiratory system
You cannot select or hide individual organs for display
I could find no documentation or even a help button (pretty typical of the experimental Google Labs resources)

Even with some minor limitations, Body Browser is still a fantastic learning and study tool. As an A&P student, you might use Body Browser as . . .

a study tool during a solo or study group session to demonstrate the location and structure of specific organs

you could use it live or you could record a session with Jing or similar recording tool and use the pre-recorded exploration to review or to share with others in your study group or class
you can send the URL of a specific view (perhaps with a label) to a student or group of students or post it to Facebook, Twitter, or a class website

alternative lab model to use along with physical models in the lab

use it as a reference side by side with your lab manual and your laboratory model
use it in place of a laboratory model when studying at home or away from the lab

a way to create images for

your class notes
concept maps
study guides and review sheets
class presentations, lab reports, term papers, and other assignments

Do you have some other ideas for using Body Browser in an undergraduate A&P course? Just use the comment feature and share your ideas with us!

Check out this video to see a demo of the currently available features of Body Browser

Painless memorization with Quizlet

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Understanding anatomy and physiology often begins with building a foundation of basic terminology and identification of structures by name and location. Yikes, that means memorization.

A lot of folks dread memorization tasks because they simply don't know how to do it in a quick, pain-free manner. Once you know the tricks of memorization, it's not that bad.

The essential trick is to practice, practice, practice.

That means every day, several times a day, if possible.

However, this will only work if you spend just a few minutes at a time practicing. If you try to get in all in one long session, it won't work . . . or at least least is won't work very well. In fact, the "long session approach" can sometimes burn you out so badly, it'll be hard to make yourself study the same topic again.

One of the easiest ways to practice painlessly is to make and use flashcards. I have a previous blog post and a study tip web page and even a YouTube video devoted to methods of using flashcards to study A&P effectively.

My friend Monica Hall-Woods (another A&P professor) reminded me recently of a website called Quizlet.com where you can easily make a set of flashcards online (for FREE) and use it to study and to quiz yourself. In fact, Quizlet.com gives you some alternative methods to quiz yourself, including some fun, game-like activities.

The more practice sessions you do on Quizlet.com, the more you'll almost effortlessly pick up the basic facts that you are trying to learn. Quizlet.com helps you keep track of what you've studied and how you are doing.

You can also upload photos from Flikr.com . . . which means that you can take photos of your lab specimens with your smartphone, then upload the images into a set of flashcards!

Another great feature of Quizlet.com is that you can form study groups. This allows one or more users to post and share sets of flashcards related to a particular topic.

Quizlet.com also lets you use flashcard stacks that others have created. (Warning: be careful those you use are accurate before using them to study.) Here's a stack of cards that I created simply by cutting and pasting a list I already had into the Quizlet.com editor:

Bone Marking Types

Try it! Use different options for quizzing yourself and playing games. I think you'll have fun with it. Which is the point . . . the less pain, the more gain. At least in this case.

Let me know what you think! And use the comment feature (below this blog article) to post your favorite Quizlet.com sets you've made or found . . . so other A&P students can benefit.

Don't forget to breathe!

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Patton) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Exam time is just around the corner! I have some advice for you:

Don't forget to breathe!

Well, duh-uh, of course you are going to breathe. What I'm referring to is a proven, effective way to quickly and easily reduce test anxiety during a final exam. We all suffer from some degree of text anxiety, right? So I think we can all benefit from this technique.

It's simple: when you start to feel anxious or stressed during an exam simply stop focusing on the exam and start focusing on your breathing. Breathe slowly and try to soften your focus, so that you're not really concentrating on anything in particular. But you are vaguely aware of the slow inhalation and exhalation of quiet breathing.

As a recent report on National Public Radio reminds us, this seems to trigger our parasympathetic "quiet breathing" response . . . thus counteracting the sympathetic "stress response" that is often characterized by rapid breaths. This "trick" gets the body to reduce the stress response all around.

Because we know that stress can reduce test performance outcomes, it's a good idea to do what you can to reduce test anxiety during an exam right?

By the way, it seems to work better if you practice it frequently . . . so why not start right now?

Listen to (or read) the story at Just Breathe: The Body Has a Built-in Stress Reliever.

To help you get ready, look at some of my previous blog articles for tips, tricks, and videos on various other exam strategies.