Abstract:

Introduction:
Teaching methods in modern society are constantly updated and improved. Since 2014, the new training exercise “The Human Body” (authored by O.M. Tsilmak and V.V. Artyomenko) was introduced into the educational process of the Odessa State University of Internal Affairs and the Odessa National Medical University.

Objective:
The main objectives of the tool were:
1. Systematization of students' knowledge about the basic functions of human organs and their significance for the functional activity of the human body.
2. Formation of students group unity.
3. Prevention of the occurrence of such a negative phenomenon in the study group as an outsider.
Materials and methods. The essence of the method: each student was offered cards with the names of human organs (kidney, heart, liver, spleen, stomach, etc.).

The tasks for all students were:
1) to indicate the main functions of the human organ;
2) to determine the negative consequences for the whole organism, if organ diseases are ascertained;
3) to indicate the relationship of the organ with other organs;
4) to determine the negative consequences for the whole organism, if this organ will not exist.

After 10 min of preparation each student should have made a presentation. Presentation conditions:
1) describe the organ from four positions;
2) to carry out the presentation of an organ depending on its affiliation with a certain system of organs (for example, digestive organs, organs of the cardiovascular system, etc.);
3) after the presentation of the organ, the student remains at the place where the presentation took place.

After all the presentations, students united by a group of organs of a certain system needed to summarize by specifying the organ’s significance for a particular system and the significance of the whole system for the functioning of the human body. After summing up, the students had to specify in turn the interrelation of their system organs with the organs of other systems (doing that, the interconnection should be emphasized holding hands). Then the teacher himself summarized and at the end said: “We are all different; however, each of us is valuable in his own way. Only in a team we can move forward effectively and efficiently. Together - we are a force".

It is noted that the main hypothesis of the method creation was: the degree of student group unity directly affects the success of the entire group of students training. First-year study groups were involved, 22 (637) - experimental and 22 (641) - control ones from Odessa State University of Internal Affairs and Odessa National Medical University took part in the research study.

Results:
The indicators of academic performance were analyzed in all 44 study groups before the exercise and one year after. The results of the study showed that in 11 experimental groups of students of the University of Internal Affairs, the learning success increased by 23%, and among students of the Medical University by 18%. At the same time, in the control groups of students of the University of Internal Affairs, the success of studies decreased by 5%, and of the Medical University by 9%. Interviewing students about the reasons for improving academic performance, it was found that one of these reasons is group unity around the result of learning activities.

Conclusion:
The new learning tool — training exercise «The human body" confirmed the hypothesis put forward by us and showed effectiveness and efficiency.

Keywords:

Students' academic progress, students’ motivation, undergraduate education, collaborative and active learning, non-technical skills, bullying prevention.