SHB102 – Integrated Concept Mapping of Homeostatic Pathways

Assessment Brief

Course: SHB102 – Human Bioscience 2
Institution: Torrens University Australia
Assessment Type: Individual Concept Map
Weighting: 30%
Due Date: Week 6
Word Count: N/A (visual concept map with 800–1,000-word accompanying written explanation)

Context

Health professionals must understand how each physiological and anatomical system operates in an integrated manner and how alterations in these systems can result in altered health and disease states. This assessment piece enables you to synthesise the biological systems studied within this course, examining the intricate ways all systems work together to maintain whole-system homeostasis. Concept mapping is a visual tool used across disciplines to integrate information; research demonstrates that concept mapping increases critical thinking skills, interpretation of information, and permanence in retention (Moattari et al., 2014; Erdem, 2017). These capabilities are essential for your future courses and professional career.

Assessment Task

Construct a concept map that integrates three (3) of the biological systems discussed in SHB102. To complete this task, you must:

1. Choose one homeostatic pathway (see examples below). Discuss your choice with peers and your Learning Facilitator during class time.

2. Choose three (3) biological systems from SHB102 that help regulate this homeostatic pathway. You must include at least one of the key regulatory systems – the Nervous System and/or the Endocrine System.

3. Design a concept map that clearly highlights:

   • Levels of structural organisation in the body systems (cells, tissues, organs, organ systems)

   • How these systems interact with each other to regulate and return the body to homeostasis

   • How these interactions relate to your chosen homeostatic pathway

4. Ensure all linking arrows are labelled with meaningful directional words (e.g., stimulates, inhibits, regulates, converts, releases).

Homeostatic Pathway Examples (Choose One)

Systems Available for Integration (Choose Three)

• Nervous System

• Endocrine System

• Cardiovascular System

• Respiratory System

• Renal/Urinary System

• Digestive System

• Musculoskeletal System

• Integumentary System

Note: You must include the Nervous System and/or Endocrine System as at least one of your three choices.

Requirements

1. Concept Map Format:

   • Use a digital tool (e.g., Lucidchart, CMapTools, Microsoft Visio, PowerPoint) or create a hand-drawn map (scanned or photographed clearly).

   • Include a minimum of 15–20 nodes (concepts).

   • Include labelled linking arrows between all connected nodes.

   • Use appropriate hierarchical structure (general to specific).

2. Written Explanation (800–1,000 words):

   • Provide a written rationale that explains your concept map.

   • Describe the homeostatic pathway you selected.

   • Explain the role of each of the three biological systems in maintaining homeostasis.

   • Detail the interactions between the systems, referencing specific physiological mechanisms.

   • Reference at least 5 scholarly sources (peer-reviewed journals or textbooks) published within the last 8 years.

3. Submission:

   • Submit your concept map as a PDF or image file.

   • Submit your written explanation as a Word document or PDF.

   • Include a reference list in APA 7th Edition format.

Marking Criteria / Rubric

Sample Answer Excerpt

The blood glucose homeostatic pathway exemplifies the integrated functioning of multiple physiological systems. When plasma glucose levels rise following a meal, pancreatic beta cells detect this change and secrete insulin, which facilitates glucose uptake into peripheral tissues and promotes glycogenesis in the liver (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019). Simultaneously, the endocrine system coordinates with the nervous system; the autonomic nervous system modulates pancreatic secretion via vagal innervation, ensuring rapid responses to glycaemic fluctuations. The cardiovascular system plays a supporting yet critical role by transporting insulin and glucose to target tissues; adequate cardiac output and peripheral perfusion are essential for effective glucose delivery and hormone distribution (Silverthorn, 2019). This tripartite interaction demonstrates that homeostasis cannot be attributed to a single system but emerges from coordinated physiological responses across multiple levels of structural organisation.

Clinical Relevance and Physiological Integration

Understanding these integrated pathways has direct clinical applications. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the failure of insulin-sensitive tissues to respond appropriately to insulin—combined with impaired pancreatic beta-cell function—illustrates how disruption in one system (endocrine) cascades into dysfunction across others (cardiovascular and nervous) (DeFronzo et al., 2015). Clinicians regularly assess glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as a marker of long-term glucose control, a measurement that inherently reflects the integrated performance of endocrine, cardiovascular, and metabolic systems over time. The concept mapping approach adopted in this assessment mirrors clinical reasoning processes: health professionals must visualise and articulate how a patient’s presenting complaint relates to underlying physiological disturbances across multiple systems. Research confirms that students who engage in concept mapping demonstrate improved diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgment compared to those using linear study methods (Daley & Torre, 2010).

Common Misconceptions and Key Study Considerations

A frequent error students make when constructing homeostatic concept maps is treating each biological system as an isolated entity rather than an interdependent component. For example, many students describe the endocrine system’s role in blood glucose regulation without acknowledging that insulin’s efficacy depends on adequate tissue perfusion (cardiovascular system) and appropriate neural signalling (nervous system). Another common pitfall involves confusing negative feedback loops with positive feedback; homeostatic regulation nearly always employs negative feedback to reverse deviations from set points. When developing your concept map, focus on identifying bidirectional relationships – for instance, not only does the nervous system influence endocrine secretion, but circulating hormones also modulate neuronal excitability. This reciprocal interaction is fundamental to understanding homeostasis as a dynamic, adaptive process rather than a static equilibrium. To strengthen your map, consider incorporating specific receptor types, signalling molecules, and effector organ responses, as these details demonstrate depth of physiological understanding.

Why This Matters in Practice

In clinical settings, health professionals routinely encounter patients with multi-system disorders. A patient with heart failure, for instance, presents with cardiovascular compromise that triggers compensatory neuroendocrine responses (sympathetic activation and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system stimulation), which in turn affect renal function, fluid balance, and respiratory status. Understanding these integrated pathways enables accurate clinical assessment, appropriate diagnostic testing, and evidence-based intervention. Concept mapping thus cultivates the cognitive skills necessary for patient-centred, systems-based practice.

This assessment requires students to demonstrate integration of physiological knowledge across multiple body systems, with particular emphasis on the nervous and endocrine systems as master regulators of homeostasis. The concept map must clearly illustrate hierarchical structural organisation (chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, system, organismal levels) and the functional interconnections that maintain physiological stability. The written explanation should synthesise information from authoritative sources, including peer-reviewed journals and standard physiology textbooks, to support the depicted relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I choose more than three biological systems for my concept map?
No. The assessment requires integration of exactly three systems. Selecting more than three may dilute the depth of analysis required. Focus on quality of integration rather than quantity of systems.

Q2: Do I need to include both the Nervous System and the Endocrine System?
You must include at least one of these two regulatory systems. Including both is permitted and often enhances the map’s depth, but you may choose one alongside two other systems.

Q3: What digital tools are recommended for creating the concept map?
Lucidchart, CMapTools, Microsoft Visio, and PowerPoint are all suitable. If using PowerPoint, use the SmartArt or shapes tools to create nodes and connectors. Hand-drawn maps are acceptable if scanned clearly.

Q4: How do I label linking arrows effectively?
Use active directional verbs such as stimulates, inhibits, activates, suppresses, converts, releases, transports, or regulates. Avoid vague labels like affects or relates to.

Q5: What happens if I exceed the word limit for the written explanation?
Submissions exceeding 1,100 words may be penalised. Concise, precise writing is valued over unnecessary elaboration.

References (Sample Sources)

DeFronzo, R. A., Ferrannini, E., Groop, L., Henry, R. R., Herman, W. H., Holst, J. J., Hu, F. B., Kahn, C. R., Raz, I., Shulman, G. I., Simonson, D. C., Testa, M. A., & Weiss, R. (2015). Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, *1*, 15019. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2015.19

Daley, B. J., & Torre, D. M. (2010). Concept maps in medical education: An analytical literature review. Medical Education, *44*(5), 440–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03628.x

Erdem, A. (2017). The effect of concept mapping on students’ learning achievements and attitudes. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, *17*(2), 451–469.

Marieb, E. N., & Hoehn, K. (2019). Human anatomy & physiology (11th ed.). Pearson.

Moattari, M., Jafari, S., & Kojuri, J. (2014). The effect of concept mapping on critical thinking skills of nursing students. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, *2*(2), 74–79.

Silverthorn, D. U. (2019). Human physiology: An integrated approach (8th ed.). Pearson.

Recommended Learning Resources

• Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2018). Principles of anatomy and physiology (15th ed.). Wiley.

• Sherwood, L. (2021). Human physiology: From cells to systems (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

• Widmaier, E. P., Raff, H., & Strang, K. T. (2019). Vander’s human physiology: The mechanisms of body function (15th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

• Develop a visual concept map with labelled links and a 3–4 page written rationale demonstrating how the nervous, endocrine, and other systems interact to maintain homeostasis. APA 7th referencing required.
• Next Assessment (Week 7 – Discussion Post)

  **Course:** SHB102 – Human Bioscience 2
  **Assessment Type:** Weekly Discussion Post
  **Week:** 7
  **Topic:** Pathophysiology Case Study – Disruption of Homeostasis

  **Overview:** Following the concept mapping assessment, Week 7 requires students to apply their integrated understanding of homeostatic pathways to a clinical case study. You will be provided with a patient scenario describing a specific homeostatic disruption (e.g., dehydration, hyperglycaemia, or hypothermia). Your task is to analyse the case, identify the disrupted homeostatic pathway, explain which physiological systems are involved, and propose evidence-based interventions to restore homeostasis. Your initial post should be 300–400 words and must reference at least two scholarly sources. You are also required to respond substantively to at least two peers’ posts (150–200 words each), providing constructive feedback or alternative perspectives. This discussion post aims to bridge theoretical knowledge from the concept map assessment with clinical application, reinforcing the integrated, systems-based thinking essential for professional health practice.