Preliminary study of applying modified Peyton’s four-step approach in teaching practical course of aerospace biodynamics

Peyton’s four-step teaching approach is a procedural skill training method that has been widely used abroad and it is of good application value in teaching skills in medical practice courses. In this study, we conducted a preliminary study on the application of the modified Peyton’s four-step teaching approach, in which the lesson “effect of acceleration on circulatory function of animals” in the practical course of “Aerospace Biodynamics” was used as an example. Based on the basic theoretical framework of the classical four-step method, the modified Peyton’s four-step teaching approach for group teaching was designed and developed according to the characteristics of the course itself. By introducing strategies such as “peer learning” and “multi-role division of labor learning”, we had the teaching process in our modified Peyton’s four-step teaching approach developed into six stages, with richer content and more flexible forms, which not only stimulates students’ interest in learning, but also improves their participation in classroom hands-on practice. Students could fully exercise in the essential teaching links of the modified Peyton’s four-step approach, such as repeated observation, detailed retelling, step-by-step rehearsal and timely feedback, so as to further strengthened their understanding and memory of each step concerning practical operation, and the efficiency of mastering practical skills was significantly improved. The preliminary results of this study show that the modified Peyton’s four-step teaching approach is indeed helpful to improve the teaching quality of the practical course of “Aerospace Biodynamics”, and it has the value and significance to be popularized and applied to all practical courses of the curriculum.