About the Lab Manual

Philosophy and Approach

This first volume in a three-part series introduces aspiring health professionals to the foundational concepts of the Human Anatomy and Physiology I laboratory. The manual is designed for a CSU- and UC-transferable sequence and aligns with program outcomes for the Medical Laboratory Technology A.A. degree.

This student-centered lab manual includes nine labs that preserve the strengths of hands-on anatomical identification while incorporating guided inquiry. In addition to asking students to identify structures, the manual encourages them to explore how body systems function and why that knowledge matters in health-related contexts.

The labs are designed to reinforce and deepen concepts introduced in lecture, including cell chemistry, cell biology, histology, and the integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems. Throughout the manual, students engage in active, hands-on exploration of anatomical structures and physiological concepts.

This manual supports learning by:

• emphasizing active investigation of structure and function
• encouraging collaboration through lab partners, small-group work, and guided discussion
• integrating observation, measurement, analysis, and simple experimental design when appropriate
• connecting laboratory activities to clinical relevance
• promoting the proper use and care of lab equipment, including microscopes
• providing scaffolding that prepares students for Parts II and III of the manual and for upper-division coursework after transfer

Framework

Students were placed at the center of the design of this lab manual. The primary goal was to support student success by making clear what students are expected to do, why the work matters, and how they can demonstrate mastery. To support this goal, the manual is organized with accessible steps, purpose-driven activities, and transparent criteria for success. This structure is intended to reduce barriers, build confidence, and guide students toward meaningful skill development.

Each lab begins with an introduction and clearly defined learning objectives. Background information helps bridge theory and practice by preparing students before they begin working with laboratory models, microscopes, and other equipment. This structure helps reduce cognitive load during lab procedures and makes the purpose of each step explicit by clarifying what students are doing, where they should focus, and why the task is important.

The sequence of labs is intentionally scaffolded. Early labs emphasize orientation, vocabulary development, and technical skills. Middle labs help students integrate learning across multiple levels of organization, such as cell, tissue, and organ. Later labs focus on system-level integration and functional anatomy. Across the manual, students build competency in:

• anatomical terminology
• microscopic identification of major tissue types
• identification of key bones, bone markings, and joints
• identification of major muscles
• description of basic body movements using correct anatomical terminology

Each lab also includes a glossary. Anatomy and physiology rely on a large number of specialized terms, many of which are derived from Latin or Greek. Including a glossary in each lab gives students a consistent and reliable reference point for unfamiliar vocabulary. This supports clearer communication and helps ensure that students and instructors share a common language when discussing body structures and functions.

Images and Accessibility

Images—including models, diagrams, micrographs, and clinical photographs—are essential to learning in anatomy and physiology laboratories. Because visual materials play a central role in student learning, this manual is designed to make those materials as clear, accessible, and instructionally meaningful as possible for all learners.

The manual includes high-resolution, clearly labeled visuals that support understanding of key topics such as:

• anatomical planes, directional terms, and body cavities
• cell structure and stages of cell division
• representative tissue micrographs with important features identified
• layers and structures of the skin
• bone classifications, compact and spongy bone structure, and cartilage
• major bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton, including key bone markings
• types of joints and body movements
• microscopic structure of skeletal muscle
• gross muscular anatomy, including major muscle groups and, where appropriate, origins and insertions

These visuals are selected to support clarity, accuracy, and transfer-level rigor while helping students connect structure to function.

To support accessibility in both print and digital formats, this manual uses:

• structured headings to improve navigation
• readable typography and consistent page organization
• high color contrast for text and visual clarity
• meaningful alternative text for instructional images and figures
• descriptive hyperlink text
• simple, tagged tables when tables are necessary
• captions and transcripts for media
• plain-language instructions that clarify expectations and reduce unnecessary cognitive load

Whenever possible, the manual uses Creative Commons–licensed visuals and references. This supports local adaptation, revision, and accessibility customization by instructors and institutions.

This manual reflects an equity-focused design philosophy. By providing zero-cost course materials, accessible formats from the outset, and inclusive learning supports, the manual is intended to promote equitable access, strengthen student persistence and success, and support program and accreditation expectations related to accessibility and inclusion.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) through Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) grants awarded to De Anza College.

This manual owes a special debt of gratitude to Shagun Kaur, Communications Studies faculty member and ZTC Grants Coordinator at De Anza College. Her weekly coaching guided this project from outline to publication. Her mentorship, organized process, and unwavering encouragement were essential to bringing this manual to completion.

We also gratefully acknowledge the leadership and support of Sam Bliss, Associate Vice President at De Anza College, for championing zero-cost, accessible learning and for providing steady support throughout the development of this manual.

We thank James Perla-Adams, Librarian and Open Educational Resources (OER) Coordinator at De Anza College, for his guidance and support in the development of this zero-cost, accessible lab manual. This project also benefited from De Anza’s accessibility expertise, including support for meaningful alternative text for figures, high-contrast visual design, tagged PDF and HTML formats for screen-reader access, and a cleaner, keyboard-friendly layout aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

Our sincere thanks also go to Jyothsna Viswanadha, Mathematics faculty member at De Anza College, for helping build equity and accessibility into every page. Her contributions included adding alternative text, improving visual contrast, supporting tagged PDF and HTML formatting, and streamlining the layout so that students can access and navigate the manual more easily.