Understanding neuroanatomy in a virtual 3D environment: creation and use of a new survey tool to evaluate the effectiveness of 3D software in neuroanatomy education for understanding superficial and deep brain structures.

Abstract

Studying cross-sections is a critical approach to learning and testing knowledge in neuroanatomy and the role of 3D technologies have been gradually increasing in medical education, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. A study was conducted in a quasi-experimental one-group pre-post interventional design in an online setting by creating and evaluating the effectiveness of a virtual lab in neuroanatomy for all neuroscience students enrolled in the Fundamentals of Neuroscience course in our department at the University of Louisville. Study modules were created using the 2D resources used in previous years and 3D web applications of Visible Body and AnatomyLearning.com software. A newly developed 13-item Reaction-Relevance-Result survey measured the effectiveness of these resources, along with Confidence in topics surveys and test results. Results of the study confirmed the advantages of using 3D software for neuroanatomy, with mostly large effect sizes for the pre-post effects. The study also sheds some light on the social need and justice regarding the utility of 3D intervention to bring equitable learning among all genders and academic levels without any effects of earlier performances. The study also uncovered some bias in student perception of the advantages of 3D software for students with any previous neuroanatomy experience. 3D software increased understanding of superficial and deep structures but was more beneficial for deeper structures, thus bridging the difficulty gap between superficial and deep structures, male students being more successful in narrowing this difficulty gap.