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James Heckman, PhD

Associate Professor, Physiology

Telephone:  215-707-3286

Fax:  215-707-4003

Office: Old Medical School Room 223

Email: james.heckman@temple.edu

Department of Physiology

BS, Biology, 1968

Juniata College

Huntingdon, PA

 

PhD, Physiology, 1972

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA

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My research is focused on the investigation of how best to help students with different learning styles optimize the way in which they learn physiology.  Our goal is to not only improve retention of material but to increase the understanding of concepts, help students better apply the concepts, reduce the time required to learn, and make learning more enjoyable. Our approach is to investigate the effectiveness of the application of principles of educational psychology, such as field preference, to enhance learning. We have created specialized software, the Knowledge Assembler, that makes it possible to present physiology to students in multiple ways in order to accommodate their learning styles. Information is conveyed by using brief audio clips, static images, animations, and simulations. We have found that students in the health professions, medicine, dentistry, podiatry, and nursing differ in their learning styles.  The Knowledge Assembler, because it is database driven, provides the means to collect information about how the students use the software and how they respond to questions which evaluate their knowledge of the physiology content.

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Panitch HB, Talmaciu I, Heckman JL, Wolfson MR, Shaffer TH. Quantitative Bronchoscopic Assessment of Airway Collapsibility. Pediatric Research 43:1-8, 1998.

Heckman JL, Hoffman J, Shaffer TH, Wolfson MR. Software for Real-Time Control of a Tidal Liquid Ventilator: Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology, 33:268, 1999.

To be presented:
Heckman J; Miller S,Noble KA. The Knowledge Assembler: Building Cognitive Models. To be presented at the 2006 AERA Conference, San Francisco, CA April 2006.

Submitted:
Noble KA, Miller S, Heckman J. The Cognitive Style of Nursing Students:
Educational Implications for Teaching and Learning. Submitted to
Journal of Nursing Education.

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Graduate Student:

Kim A. Noble

Email:  kim.noble@temple.edu

Recent Medically Related Publications, Obtained from PubMed (Click on PubMed ID to view abstract)

10360217. Heckman JL, Hoffman J, Shaffer TH, Wolfson MR, Software for real-time control of a tidal liquid ventilator. Biomed Instrum Technol 33:3(268-76)1999 May-Jun

9504789. Davidson A, Heckman JL, Donner RM, Miller TF, Shaffer TH, Wolfson MR, Cardiopulmonary interaction during partial liquid ventilation in surfactant-treated preterm lambs. Eur J Pediatr 157:2(138-45)1998 Feb

7887714. Davis DA, Speziali G, Wagerle LC, Heckman JL, Russo PA, Effects of halothane on the immature lamb heart. Ann Thorac Surg 59:3(695-8)1995 Mar

8010781. Sandhu SK, Heckman JL, Balsara R, Russo PA, Dunn JM, Chronic alterations in cardiac mechanics after fetal closed heart operation. Ann Thorac Surg 57:6(1409-15)1994 Jun

8431061. Weil SR, Russo PA, Heckman JL, Balsara RK, Pasiecki V, Dunn JM, Pressure-volume relationship of the fetal lamb heart. Ann Thorac Surg 55:2(470-5)1993 Feb

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