Science For Living: Evaluating the Impact of Phenomenon-Based Learning on Student Attitudes and Science Content Knowledge in a High School Anatomy and Physiology Course

Student enrollment in science classes is dropping due to a lack of engagement with the subject. At the same time, the demand for workers in STEM fields is growing and is projected to continue growth. The drop in enrollment coupled with a demand for workers may leave positions unfilled. Encouraging students to take more science classes is becoming increasingly important and changing the delivery method of science curriculum could help bridge the gap between school and the real-world. In this study, a redesigned delivery of Human Anatomy and Physiology was implemented to improve student content knowledge and attitudes over the course of a school year. Using Phenomenon-Based Learning and Action Research, students were tasked with real-world scenarios to learn content.