Mitochondria run hotter than the rest of the cell—by how much? A new podcast tells the story of medical education cadavers unearthed after a century. Revisiting cumulative testing, we find things to promote long-term learning in our courses and beyond.

The temperature of mitochondria. A podcast recommendation. Revisiting the cumulative approach.

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(0:50) Mitochondria run about 10 °C hotter than the other components of the cell. 

• Hot mitochondria? (an article in PLOS Biology)

(2:20) Paul Gabrielsen of the University of Utah introduces his new serial podcast that tells the story of the discovery of remains of medical education cadavers buried on campus about a hundred years ago.

• Secrets of the Campus Cadavers (web page for the podcast)
  • iTunes listing
  • Stitcher listing

(6:26) A comment on Episode 4 by Margaret Thompson Reece sparks continued discussion of the value of (and practical suggestions for) a cumulative approach to teaching and learning. 

• Medical Science Navigator (Margaret Thompson Reece's website; share this link with your students!)
• Episode 4 | Cumulative Testing Makes Learning Last (where we first encounter the cumulative approach)
• Cumulative Testing Enhances Learning (Kevin's blog post summarizing cumulative testing, including links to other resources).
• Episode 3 | Testing as Teaching (emphasizes the role of tests as retrieval practice rather than summative assessment)
• HAPS Comprehensive Exam (find out more about this cumulative test from the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society)
• Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning (one of Kevin's favorite books on teaching, it further explains the value of cumulative testing)
• Episode 1 | Why Spaced Retrieval Practice is Your Most Powerful Teaching and Learning Tool (a prior episode covering a related topic)
• Start A&P 2 with a Final Exam (a blog post about Kevin's Test Zero mentioned in this episode)
• Memorizing vs. Understanding (brief discussion about how to teach facts and how to teach understanding)

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