Spatial abilities and technical skills performance in health care: a systematic review

Currently, medical education context poses different challenges to anatomy, contributing to the introduction of new pedagogical approaches, such as computer-assisted learning (CAL). This approach provides insight into students' learning profiles and skills that enhance anatomy knowledge acquisition. To understand the influence of anatomy CAL on spatial abilities, a study was conducted. A total of 671 medical students attending Musculoskeletal (MA) and Cardiovascular Anatomy (CA) courses, were allocated to one of three groups (MA Group, CA Group, MA + CA Group). Students' pre-training and post-training spatial abilities were assessed through Mental Rotations Test (MRT), with scores ranging between 0-24. After CAL training sessions, students' spatial abilities performance improved (9.72 ± 4.79 vs. 17.05 ± 4.57, P < 0.001). Although male students in both MA Group and CA Group show better baseline spatial abilities, no sex differences were found after CAL training. The improvement in spatial abilities score between sessions (Delta MRT) was correlated with Musculoskeletal Anatomy training sessions in MA Group (r = 0.333, P < 0.001) and MA + CA Group (r = 0.342, P < 0.001), and with Cardiovascular Anatomy training sessions in CA Group (r = 0.461, P = 0.001) and MA + CA Group (r = 0.324, P = 0.001). Multiple linear regression models were used, considering the Delta MRT as dependent variable. An association of Delta MRT to the amount of CAL training and the baseline spatial abilities was observed. The results suggest that CAL training in anatomy has positive dose-dependent effect on spatial abilities. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000-000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Section: Spatial Abilities In the Context Of Anatomy Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Students' Spatial Abilities Performance Improvementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Anatomy Computer‐Assisted Learning on Spatial Abilities of Medical Students

Guimarães

Firmino-Machado

Tsisar

et al. 2018

“…As such, visual‐spatial abilities are considered a successful predictor in anatomy learning and assessment (Yammine and Violate, ; Langlois et al, ). In health care professions, visual‐spatial abilities are also a successful predictor in the acquisition of surgical technical skills, especially in the early stages of learning (Maan et al, ; Langlois et al, ). For instance, Wanzel and colleagues () have evaluated the correlation between visual‐spatial abilities and surgical performance of dental students, surgical residents, and staff surgeons in performing a spatially complex surgical procedure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy Dissection Course Improves the Initially Lower Levels of Visual‐Spatial Abilities of Medical Undergraduates

Bogomolova

Hierck

Hage

et al. 2019

Visual-spatial abilities are considered a successful predictor in anatomy learning. Previous research suggest that visual-spatial abilities can be trained, and the magnitude of improvement can be affected by initial levels of spatial skills. This case-control study aimed to evaluate (1) the impact of an extra-curricular anatomy dissection course on visual-spatial abilities of medical undergraduates and (2) the magnitude of improvement in students with initially lower levels of visual-spatial abilities, and (3) whether the choice for the course was related to visual-spatial abilities. Course participants (n = 45) and controls (n = 65) were first and second-year medical undergraduates who performed a Mental Rotations Test (MRT) before and 10 weeks after the course. At baseline, there was no significant difference in MRT scores between course participants and controls. At the end of the course, participants achieved a greater improvement than controls (first-year: ∆6.0 ± 4.1 vs. ∆4.9 ± 3.2; ANCOVA, P = 0.019, Cohen's d = 0.41; second-year: ∆6.5 ± 3.3 vs. ∆6.1 ± 4.0; P = 0.03, Cohen's d = 0.11). Individuals with initially lower scores on the MRT pretest showed the largest improvement (∆8.4 ± 2.3 vs. ∆6.8 ± 2.8; P = 0.011, Cohen's d = 0.61). In summary, (1) an anatomy dissection course improved visual-spatial abilities of medical undergraduates; (2) a substantial improvement was observed in individuals with initially lower scores on the visual-spatial abilities test indicating a different trajectory of improvement; (3) students' preferences for attending extracurricular anatomy dissection course was not driven by visual-spatial abilities. Anat Sci Educ 13: 330-339.

“…A learner's innate spatial ability can also impact performance on anatomical knowledge tests and has been well documented in the literature (Rochford, ; Garg et al, ; Guillot et al, ; Preece et al, ; Berney et al, ; Langlois et al, ). The visuospatial results of our study expand on this body of research and suggest that students with low spatial ability are handicapped when they study a joint from one side of the body, but are presented with an image of the contralateral joint on a test.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

The skeletons in our closet: E‐learning tools and what happens when one side does not fit all

Nuland

Rogers

2017

In the anatomical sciences, e-learning tools have become a critical component of teaching anatomy when physical space and cadaveric resources are limited. However, studies that use empirical evidence to compare their efficacy to visual-kinesthetic learning modalities are scarce. The study examined how a visual-kinesthetic experience, involving a physical skeleton, impacts learning when compared with virtual manipulation of a simple two-dimensional (2D) e-learning tool, A.D.A.M. Interactive Anatomy. Students from The University of Western Ontario, Canada (n = 77) participated in a dual-task study to: (1) investigate if a dual-task paradigm is an effective tool for measuring cognitive load across these different learning modalities; and (2) to assess the impact of knowledge recall and spatial ability when using them. Students were assessed using knowledge scores, Stroop task reaction times, and mental rotation test scores. Results demonstrated that the dual-task paradigm was not an effective tool for measuring cognitive load across different learning modalities with respect to kinesthetic learning. However, our study highlighted that handing physical specimens yielded major, positive impacts on performance that a simple commercial e-learning tool failed to deliver (P < 0.001). Furthermore, students with low spatial ability were significantly disadvantaged when they studied the bony joint and were tested on contralateral images (P = 0.046, R = 0.326). This suggests that, despite limbs being mirror images, students should be taught the anatomy of, as well as procedures on, both sides of the human body, enhancing the ability of all students, regardless of spatial ability, to take anatomical knowledge into the clinic and perform successfully. Anat Sci Educ 10: 570-588. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.