Blended learning pedagogy for teaching and learning Anatomy

Abstract

Teaching and learning of human anatomy involves cadavers, bones, histology slides, plastinated body parts, anatomy models, visualizing pictures, drawing and memorizing many new Latin terminologies. It is very challenging for faculty members to teach and difficult to learn for any year one student doing medical or health science courses. This paper provides an insight into the use of a blended learning pedagogy using Computer Based Teaching [CBT] along with other tools to create e-Leaming materials for teaching and learning of human Anatomy with better learning outcomes. We focus on four CBTs developed in-house for blended learning by the biological sciences department, namely HistoBox, BoneBox, Heart & Coronary Artery Disease [CAD] and Neuro atlas for Anatomy and Physiology. The survey result on students learning using CBTs showed significant improvements in their learning behavior and assessment grades. The students preferred blended e-Leaming using HistoBox compared with traditional lecture and practical using microscopy, p<0.001. Our student survey revealed that 93% of the students agreed that the BoneBox CBT helped them to understand and learn the subj ects better than the traditional methods. About 88% of the students also agreed that the BoneBox used in blended learning helped them to improve in their practical test grades. 98% of the students rated the BoneBox CBT pedagogy as good and excellent approach for learning with interactive features. The case-scenarios and assessment quizzes used in the CBT improved the higher order critical thinking skills. One interesting finding of the survey showed that students preferred interactive quizzes and assessment tools than game based learning activity. The tools used in our blended learning are YouTube videos, e-books, mobile apps, kahoot, socrative, padiet and articulate storyline2. We use these tools for both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. Most of the online learning materials are administered online using the “Blackboard” learning management system [LMS]. The department of biological science over time gradually moved away from the traditional 100% face-to-face classroom teaching to at least 30% of online blended learning methods using the CBTs and other e-Leaming materials. We compared the student module evaluation feedback and the students’ performance grade over the past 12 years and found that the use of blended e-Leaming has improved our student module delivery rating and student performance grades. Our module delivery ratings improved from 92.6% in 2004 to 96.4% in 2010 and finally to 99.85% in 2016 There is also a corresponding drop in student failure rates from 14.1% in 2004 to 8.5% in 2010 and finally to about 1.3% in 2016. We propose the use of blended learning pedagogy for teaching and learning Anatomy over traditional 100% face-to-face teaching to improve module delivery and students’ learning outcomes.