An Experiment in Teaching Histology and Cell Biology

Abstract

An experiment in teaching a course of histology and cell biology was undertaken at Tel Aviv University Medical School. Teachers were selected from different fields and formed a group which heard and discussed each lecture. Almost all teachers never had taught the subject and were free from bonds to the ‘orthodox’ ways of teaching histology. The course aimed at teaching morphology in relation to function, stressing understanding more than memorising, and relating the two-dimensional appearances of sections to three-dimensional structure.

The course consisted of frontal lectures, microscopical and EM labs and small-group lab sessions in which students performed various techniques and discussed them. These sessions aimed at understanding and discussing limitations of the techniques and why and when they could be useful, and not at teaching the techniques themselves.

The course was successful (judged by student evaluation and by the student knowledge of the subject, as reported by teachers or pathology and other courses). Some failures are discussed and ways to avoid them are proposed.