The Virtual Anatomy Laboratory: Teaching Anatomy in the Virtual Age

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The Virtual Anatomy Laboratory Teaching Anatomy
in the Virtual Age

• Nadine Wiper-Bergeron, PhD
• Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
• University of Ottawa

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Medical Education The Past

• lecture-oriented
• Basic science heavy (anatomy, histology,
  pathology)
• Problem-based learning
• Late integration into clinical settings

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What makes a competent physician?
http//rcpsc.medical.org/canmeds/index.php
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Medical Education for the future

• Project Panel on the General Professional
  Education of the Physician and College
  Preparation for Medicine (S. Muller, Journal of
  Medical Education 59 (1984).)
• Recommendations
• reducing lecture hours
• increasing study time
• introducing more small-group learning
• A curriculum revolution

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So what happens to basic sciences?

• No one debates the importance of the basic
  sciences in the curriculum
• Focus is on emphasizing self-study, and
  practical, hands on sessions
• Consequence? Team-based in-lab learning, no
  lectures for anatomy
• Students teach themselves anatomy

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Studying Anatomy
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The practical lab
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Is there a better way?
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Objectives

• To create a virtual learning environment that
  would help students prepare for practical lab
  sessions and exams
• To create a learning tool that could be used in
  lab or off-site
• To engage students, to motivate them and to keep
  them focused
• Students keep their identities

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The Seven Principles of Good Practice

• Encourages student-faculty contact
• Encourages cooperation among students
• Encourages active learning
• Gives prompt feedback
• Emphasizes time on task
• Communicates high expectations
• Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

By Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. GamsonFrom
The American Association for Higher Education
Bulletin, March 1987
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What is the Virtual Anatomy Lab?

• a virtual medical school, designed to help
  students learn anatomy
• Recreation of the  mood  of lecture halls and
  labs was critical
• Designed for to integrate into the modern medical
  curriculum, but can also stand alone
• Is adaptable in field and scope to other
  disciplines
• Is designed to capture the spirit of the 7
  principles of good practice and therefore improve
  students engagement and motivation

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Contents

• Contents
• Home page (cooperation)
• Avatar (student-faculty contact)
• Objectives (high expectations)
• Virtual lectures (active learning, diverse
  talents, time on task)
• Video demonstration (active learning, diverse
  talents, time on task)
• Enhanced visual learning (active learning,
  diverse talents, prompt feedback, time on task)
• Quizzes (prompt feedback)

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Who is the eDemonstrator

• Students are guided through the Virtual Anatomy
  Lab by an avatar (VAL).
• The avatar represents an anatomy expert
• The avatar is easy-going and approachable
• She replaces contact with anatomy professors and
  demonstrators
• Acts to motivate and engage students
• She outlines the learning objectives, she
  conducts virtual lectures and in lab
  demonstrations with cadavers, and prepares
  quizzes to assess a students progress. guide
  through the learning material

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The Virtual Lecture

• Synchronized PowerPoint presentation and audio
  file
• Simulates a traditional lecture
• Completely navigable

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Video Demonstrations

• Mock laboratory environment
• Video demonstration with synchronized audio file

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Enhanced Visual Learning
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Quizzes
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VAL explains herself
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Acknowledgements

• Collaborators
• Dr. Beata Patasi
• Dr. Ali Jalali
• Dr. Maxwell Hincke
• Shannon Goodwin
• Jonathan Weber
• Monica Forero-McGrath
• Megan Rose
• Daniel Trottier
• Mariane Tremblay

• Centre de pédagogie universitaire à uOttawa
• FODEFAD (Fonds de démarrage et de formation
  à distance)