A conceptual framework for homeostasis: development and validation.
We have developed and validated a conceptual framework for understanding and teaching organismal homeostasis at the undergraduate level. The resulting homeostasis conceptual framework details critical components and constituent ideas underlying the concept of homeostasis. It has been validated by a broad range of physiology faculty members from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, research universities, and medical schools. In online surveys, faculty members confirmed the relevance of each item in the framework for undergraduate physiology and rated the importance and difficulty of each. The homeostasis conceptual framework was constructed as a guide for teaching and learning of this critical core concept in physiology, and it also paves the way for the development of a concept inventory for homeostasis.
Biology Department, Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood, Washington; jmcfarla@email.edcc.edu.
Jenny
J
McFarland
Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington;
Mary Pat
MP
Wenderoth
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois;
Joel
J
Michael
Department of Biology, Niagara University, Niagara, New York;
William
W
Cliff
Department of Biology, Canisius College, Buffalo, New York; and.
Ann
A
Wright
Physiology Educational Research Consortium, Seattle, Washington.
Harold
H
Modell
D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D005178:Faculty; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
conceptual framework; core concept; homeostasis; physiology