An investigation into the difficulties faced by high school students in learning homeostasis

Abstract

Homeostasis is a core concept not only for specialized physiologists but also for science students. Numerous studies around the globe suggest that homeostasis is a central and yet very challenging concept to grasp by students. However, to date, the existing research on this issue is remarkably limited –if not absent- in many Arab and African countries, including Morocco. In this vein, the present study sought to answer a central question: Does the comprehension of homeostasis present the same level of difficulty for high school students in Morocco asthe literature in other educational settings reveal? To answer this question, a mixed methods approach was employed, combining both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive overview on the issue. A random sample of 42 high school students participated in a structured interview, While 107 high school Sciences teachers participated in an online survey. Both thematic analysis and SPSS were used to treat the data collected. The results indicate a notable consensus among students and teachers regarding the challenges in grasping the concept of homeostasis. While most of students struggle to provide accurate answers to basic low and high orders questions on homeostasis during the interview, there was a strong consensus among teachers that the challenges faced by students fall into major categories including the complexity of the concept, the insufficient amount of time allotted for teaching the "Endocrine and Neural Signaling" unit in high school curriculum, and students' lack of prior knowledge to name but a few. The study concludes with a set of practical recommendations to address these challenges in the Moroccan context and beyond.