Transforming Anatomy and Physiology Learning through Integrated, Interactive, and Inclusive Course Design

SOMS1912 Human Systems 1 is a level 1 introduction to anatomy and physiology for health science students across pharmacy, exercise physiology, nutrition and dietetics, and physiotherapy.

The Human Systems 1 (HS1) Convening Team, Dr Christina Byun, Dr Trevor Lewis, Dr Gabrielle van der Kraan, and Jo Tay (MHEDU), have applied innovation and student feedback to create an integrated, student-centred learning experience. Improvements were guided by universal design for learning (UDL) principles (Disability Innovation Institute UNSW, 2019).

The team were awarded a UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health Education Award for Innovation for this work.

A. Moodle page layout to aid navigation and reduce cognitive load.

Building on the standard week-by-week Moodle Enhance template, we have added graphic tiles with an icon to illustrate the different types of learning activities in the course. Links under each tile take the student directly to the corresponding activity for the week. Assessment tasks were also represented as graphic tiles. The purpose of this layout was to improve navigation by reducing the amount of scrolling required to reach links, provide visual as well as textual elements to identify the activities (an element of UDL), and thus support self-directed learning by reducing extraneous cognitive load (Müller & Wulf, 2023). Student feedback indicated the Moodle site was ‘beautifully organised’ and ‘the best layout of any course.’

B. Interactive, asynchronous delivery of content in Rise360 modules.

The team created interactive learning modules in Articulate Rise360. These packages scaffold knowledge with chunked videos that explicitly align with the learning outcomes. The videos are supported with accessible features (closed captions, transcripts, PDFs of slides, and pace of the video). The videos are interleaved with formative quizzes and activities that provide immediate feedback to enable retrieval practice. The topics for each week are linked with a case-based scenario that highlights relevance to the diverse cohorts in the course and provide a ‘hook’ for student engagement in the tutorials where they are further explored. Students report that these modules were ‘fun, clear, and easy to follow,’ with many highlighting that they ‘improved confidence’ and ‘made complex content manageable.’

C. Active, team-based tutorials with peer learning.

Tutorials used gamified and case-based tasks to promote teamwork, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary links. For example, when looking at bones, joints and calcium homeostasis, students worked collaboratively to create plasticine skeletons with key anatomical features. The case-based scenario was on different types of fractures, reinforcing knowledge of bones and joints, and revisiting the concept of anatomical planes. Fractures also provided a lead-in to discussing bone healing, the role of physiotherapy and exercise physiology in recovery, and the importance of nutrition for healthy bones, enhancing interdisciplinary understanding (Mirbahai et al. 2024). Students consistently described tutorials as ‘engaging, fun, and memorable,’ identifying them as the highlight of the course.

The impact of the team’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement is evident in overall student satisfaction rising from 76% (2023) to 97% (2025), with 98.2% feeling part of a learning community and 95.5% reporting resources supported learning. These innovations offer a scalable and transferable model for other disciplines.

REFERENCES

Müller, F. A., & Wulf, T. (2023). Differences in Learning Effectiveness Across Management Learning Environments: A Cognitive Load Theory Perspective. Journal of Management Education, 48(4), 802-828. https://doi.org/10.1177/10525629231200206

Disability Innovation Institute UNSW. (2019). Universal Design for Learning Framework. DIIU UNSW.

Mirbahai, L., Noordali, F., & Nolan, H. (2024). Designing an Interdisciplinary Health Course: A Qualitative Study of Undergraduate Students' Experience of Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design and Learning Experiences. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 11, 23821205241260488. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205241260488

Screen shot from the SOMS1912 Moodle site showing the tiles and links to the learning activities for week 3.

One of the slides from the tutorial on fractures, with the stimulus for students to discuss and identify the fracture.

One of the slides from the tutorial on fractures, showing the conclusion to the discussion and the key features from the image.

A student team working collaboratively to create a plasticine skeleton.

Completed plasticine skeleton.