Charting My Progress: Using Graphs to Interpret Clinical /Lab Data in BIO 202

To take Acid Base Physiology from the classroom to the application level, analysis of clinical scenarios and lab values data is an essential part of learning in BIO202. In order to achieve this objective, we have used the format of lecture and practice problems. At times, I felt the students were having difficulty in grasping the basic concept and then applying it to analyze the given problem to reach diagnosis and predict compensation. Studies have shown that graphic representation of complex clinical data assist in its interpretation.
“Siggard Anderson Normogram” is a standardized graphic representation reflecting interrelationships of three variables of Acid Base Physiology. I used this graph in one of my BIO202 sections to facilitate learning and analysis. The use of the graph resulted in significantly higher mean quiz scores for the experimental class (M= 8.00, SD= 1.53) compared to the control class that did not use the graph (M= 6.73, SD= 2.12), t (39) = - 2.3, p < .05. Thus, the graph was an effective tool in helping students understand the interrelationship of the three variables of Acid Base Physiology. Student feedback and graph is attached below.