The importance of spatial ability and mental models in learning anatomy

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that spatial ability contributes significantly to the process of learning anatomy. While little has been done to understand the underlying mental processes, it has been assumed that students “acquire” mental models, or representations, of three-dimensional anatomical concepts by simply studying anatomy. Our study aims to understand the processes that students, with different levels of spatial ability, use to create mental models of anatomical structures. The Purdue Visualization of Rotations Test (ROT) was administered to 124 first-year medical and veterinary students. Our results indicate that professional students scored well above the general college population (mean ranges from 11.66 to 14.2) on the ROT. Interviews aimed at understanding the cognitive processes involved in the creation of mental models were conducted with students based on their ROT scores. Our findings indicate that high spatial ability students tend to integrate photographic images, line-drawings, and written and spoken descriptions into elaborate mental models of anatomical structures; while lower spatial ability students tend to be confused by written descriptions of anatomical structures and tend to rely more heavily on the course instructors for information. These findings will be used to develop innovative learning strategies to aid students in learning anatomical structures more effectively. Grant Funding Source: none