Working in Creative Partnership with Students to Co‐Produce Neuroanatomy e‐Learning Resources in a New Era of Blended Learning

Abstract

Anatomists are well placed to tackle the transition from face-to-face to blended learning approaches as a result of the rapidly forced changes brought about by Covid-19. The subject is extremely visual and has therefore previously been a target for the development of technology enhanced learning initiatives over the last ten years. Today's students have come to expect the integration of technology in the classroom and remotely. They adjust quickly to the innovative use of new applications and software and have begun to integrate it within their own workflow for note taking and study aids. Given the intense drive towards blended deliveries of anatomy as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is easy to picture how the benefits of working in partnership with students (in order to achieve many of these aims) would be possible, particularly in difficult subjects like neuroanatomy. In doing so, it provides anatomists with new opportunities to engage students in a way that aligns well with best practice frameworks for engaging students through partnership. The current United Kingdom guidelines set out by Advance HE (a professional membership scheme for promoting excellence in higher education) strongly encourages the higher education community to seek out appropriate academic contexts where a balance of power can be struck between staff and student to create a community of practice. If such an approach can be fully embraced by anatomists, a strong argument can be made for seizing the opportunity to optimize the benefits of student partnership work in this discipline.

Introducing medical students to radiological anatomy: The importance of experiential learning during the Covid‐19 pandemic lockdowns

“…Radiologic anatomy e-learning provides a greater number and variety of images which allows students to engage in deeper and more comprehensive activities (Border et al, 2021). In this way, students become more invested and adapted to incorporating imaging examination into their future careers (Webb & Choi, 2014;Border et al, 2021).…”

“…These new realities impressed upon universities, academic departments, and course instructors the importance of adapting quickly to prevent or reduce a drop in pedagogical efficacy and content delivery, which would subsequently affect the safety and quality of higher‐level medical education. In anatomy, these changes affected almost every aspect of teaching because anatomists were unable to rely on their main teaching resource, i.e., the human body (Border et al, 2021 ). In this sense, the use of modern technologies in anatomy has even more relevance compared to medical education more generally (Davis et al, 2014 ; Dua et al, 2021 ; Chytas et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Such innovations have taken the form of digital applications (apps), games, and medical simulations with realistic dummy simulators (Guze, 2015 ). Today's students expect technology to be integrated into both the classroom and remote learning (Border et al, 2021 ) and have a native ability to integrate new digital tools into their personal studying workflows.…”

“…For these reasons, the implementation of technology‐enhanced teaching into radiological anatomy e‐learning is effective and popular with many students and educators alike, especially during the pandemic period. E‐learning encompasses a wide range of tools, including computer‐based atlases and tutorials, and e‐learning/traditional hybrid methods (Davis et al, 2014 ; Border et al, 2021 ). In anatomy specifically, the expanding role of medical imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and radiography mandates a greater emphasis on correlating anatomy and imaging examinations.…”

“…In anatomy specifically, the expanding role of medical imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and radiography mandates a greater emphasis on correlating anatomy and imaging examinations. Radiologic anatomy e‐learning provides a greater number and variety of images which allows students to engage in deeper and more comprehensive activities (Border et al, 2021 ). In this way, students become more invested and adapted to incorporating imaging examination into their future careers (Webb & Choi, 2014 ; Border et al, 2021 ).…”