Using Learning Assistants to Engage Students in Case/Problem-based Learning in a Physiology Course

This article details the design and first-time implementation of case/problem-based learning (C/PBL) and learning assistants (LAs) in conjunction in an upper-division physiology course within the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at UCLA, with the aim of evaluating their combined influence on student perception of metacognition and disciplinary identity through matched pre-/post-course survey responses. A majority of students reported that case/problem-based learning (C/PBL) worksheets and Learning Assistants (LAs) were integral to their learning experience, with students reporting gains in critical thinking, engagement, confidence, and sense of belonging in the physiology major. Matched pre/post analyses showed increases in self-reported metacognitive practices such as self-questioning and goal-setting. Demographic subgroup comparisons revealed broadly similar outcomes, with modest advantages for students with STEM family backgrounds, suggesting that students across diverse subgroups perceived these interventions as beneficial. We envision that this work will assist faculty in considering the adoption of these approaches together as evidence-based strategies for enhancing engagement and identity in Physiology education.