Sectioning Clay Models Makes Anatomy &amp; Development Tangible

Many first year students of anatomy and physiology courses demonstrate an inability to self-regulate their learning. To help students increase their awareness of their own learning in a first year undergraduate anatomy course, we piloted an exercise that incorporated the processes of (1) active learning: drawing and plasticine modeling and (2) metacognition: planning, monitoring, reaction, and reflection. The activity was termed "blank page" because all learning cues were removed and students had to create models and diagrams from reflection and recall. Two hundred and eighty-two students responded to a questionnaire reporting qualitative feedback on the exercise. Based on student responses, the "blank page" activity was a positive learning experience and confirmed a need to teach metacognitive skills. From this pilot study, we established that drawing or plasticine modeling is an excellent vehicle for demonstration of the metacognitive processes that enable self-regulation: a known predictor of academic success.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting metacognition in first year anatomy laboratories using plasticine modeling and drawing activities: A pilot study of the “Blank Page” technique

Naug

Colson

Donner

2011

“…As such, instructors attempt to find alternative methods to providing these hands‐on experiences that this study has shown provide valuable enhancement to learning. Others have used visuohaptic simulations (Magana and Balachandran, ), body illustration technology (Lisk et al, ), sliceable clay models (Oh et al, ; Howell and Howell, ), and animatronic robot creation (Sirinterlikci et al, ) to improve biomechanics‐related education. The findings in this study are in line with other recent research that supports the learning benefits of these other hands‐on activities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guided Hands‐On Activities Can Improve Student Learning in a Lecture‐Based Qualitative Biomechanics Course

Catena

Carbonneau

2018

A qualitative biomechanics (functional anatomy) course is a typical course in kinesiology curriculum. Most evidence suggests that biomechanics learning could be improved with the inclusion of laboratory experiences. However, implementing laboratories into biomechanics curriculum is difficult due to cost and time constraints. This study was conducted to evaluate whether hands-on activities in lecture improve qualitative biomechanics learning. A lecture format was compared to the same course with guided and unguided handson activities included during lecture. Test performance and student evaluations were compared between lecture formats to determine if hands-on experiences improve learning. The hands-on group performed better on the same test questions and they evaluated their overall course activities as beneficial to their learning. The findings suggest that guided hands-on experiences may improve learning compared to unguided activities. The handson experiences seem to provide an embodied cognitive learning experience, facilitating retention of learned material through three-dimensional and tactile mental representations. Findings from this research are currently shaping how biomechanics is taught to students at this university and could at other universities as well. Anat Sci Educ 12: 485-493.

“…A key concept behind these theories is that learning is constructed, with learners building upon previous knowledge (Fosnot and Perry, 2005). By introducing the appreciation of pathology to normal anatomical structures (Eftekhar et al, 2005;Manners et al, 2017) and creating cross-sections (Oh et al, 2009;Endres Howell and Endres Howell, 2010), clay is a creative medium that easily allows learners to progress their knowledge. Constructivist theories also suggest that learning is an active process, as information can be passively received An example of clay-based modeling used by the authors for teaching the basal ganglia to medical and physician associate students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clay‐Based Modeling in the Anatomist's Toolkit: A Systematic Review

Curlewis

Leung

Perera

et al. 2020

Anatomical education has suffered from reduced teaching time and poor availability of staff and resources over the past thirty years. Clay-based modeling (CBM) is an alternative technique for teaching anatomy that can improve student knowledge and experience. This systematic review aimed to summarize and appraise the quality of the literature describing the uses, advantages, and limitations of CBM compared to alternative methods of teaching human gross anatomy to students or qualified healthcare professionals. A systematic search of Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted, and the Medical Education Research Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used to assess study quality. Out of the 829 studies identified, 12 papers met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for this review. The studies were of high quality, with a mean MERSQI score of 11.50/18. Clay-based modeling can be used to teach all gross anatomical regions, and 11 studies demonstrated a significant improvement in short-term knowledge gain in students who used CBM in comparison to other methods of learning anatomy. Eight studies that included subjective assessment showed that CBM is rated highly. However, some studies showed that students viewed CBM as juvenile and experienced difficulty making the models. Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that CBM improves long-term knowledge. Clay-based modeling is an effective learning method for human gross anatomy and should be incorporated into the anatomists' toolkit. In the future, more randomized controlled studies with transparent study designs investigating the long-term impact of CBM are needed. Anat Sci Educ 0: 1-11.