Updated: 6 Jan. 2007
Balcombe J. The American Biology Teacher. 1998;60(8):555-556.
Criticism of study Matthews D. Comparison of MacPig to Fetal Pig Dissection in College Biology. The American Biology Teacher 1998;60(3):228–229. Eight biology undergraduate students who dissected fetal pigs scored significantly higher on an oral test with prosected fetal pigs than did twelve students who studied on a computerized pig (MacPig). Balcombe stated MacPig is not advanced enough for college level biology instruction, to which Matthews replied, adding nothing further of substance: Matthews D. Efficacy of fetal pig dissection alternatives questioned. The American Biology Teacher 1998b;61(2):88.
Berman W. Dissection Dissected. The Science Teacher 1984;51(6):42-49.
Cooper R, Cardan C, Allen R. Computer visualisation of the moving human lumbar
spine. Computers in Biology and Medicine 2001 Nov;31(6):451-469. Department of
Mechanical Engineering, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Southampton, UK.
Disorders of the spine which lead to back pain are often mechanical in origin
and, despite extensive research, diagnosis of the underlying cause remains
problematical, yet back pain is one of the most common rheumatological symptoms
presented to the general practitioner. Diagnosis must frequently be based upon
evidence gathered at the segmental level which invariably means that imaging is
used in the process. In addition, surgical fixation is increasingly used when
the spinal column is considered to exhibit instability. A solid model of the
spine creates the possibility of visualising spine motion, of assessing the
effects of loading of the spinal column in conjunction with finite element
analysis to investigate the consequences of vertebral fusion, and of planning
surgical intervention. Such a model could also be valuable in medical education
and for demonstrating spine motion to a patient to highlight abnormalities or
the effects of treatment. This paper describes a three-dimensional visualisation
of the human lumbar spine which runs on a personal computer operating under the
Windows environment. The user interface enables the clinician to select the
viewpoint for the spine model to allow the motion to be studied from different
angles. Motion data are currently acquired from fluoroscopic image sequences but
the model could be used to display data from different imaging modalities when
they are developed sufficiently for spine motion studies.
Cross TR & Cross VE. Scalpel or mouse: a statistical comparison of real and virtual frog dissections. The Amer Biol Teacher 2004;66(6):408-11.
Over a two-year period, four classes of eleventh and twelfth grade high school AP Biology students were tested, none of whom had previously dissected a frog. 36 students dissected real frogs, while 38 dissected virtual frogs using the ‘Biolab Frog Dissection’ computer simulation. The students were given two days to complete their assignments, after which their identification and knowledge of the functions of organs and tissues was examined. The first year (two classes), all students were tested only via a laboratory practical using real frogs. The second year (two additional classes), students were tested in laboratory practicals using both real and virtual frogs. Students dissecting real frogs performed significantly better on the laboratory practicals utilizing real frogs. No significant difference was observed in the virtual laboratory practical test scores, however.
Davies, A. S. How computers can reduce the use of animals in the teaching of veterinary anatomy. [Journal article] ANZCCART News. 1993. 6: 4, 1-2. 2 ref.
Downie R, Meadows J. Experience with a dissection opt-out scheme in university level biology. Journal of Biological Education 1995;29(3):187–194.
Cumulative examination results of 308 undergraduate biology students who studied model rats were the same as those of 2,605 students who performed rat dissections.
Fowler HS, Brosius EJ. A research study on the values gained from dissection of animals in secondary school biology. Science Education 1968;52(2):55–57.
High school students who watched films of animal dissections (earthworm, crayfish, frog, perch) demonstrated greater factual knowledge of these animals than did students who performed dissections on them.
Guttmann GD. Animating functional anatomy for the web. The Anatatomical
Record 2000 Apr 15;261(2):57-63. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology,
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. guttmann@duke.usask.ca.
Full Text:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext?ID=72001093&PLACEBO=IE.pdf.
Guy JF, Frisby AJ. Using interactive videodiscs to teach gross anatomy to undergraduates at Ohio State University. Academic Medicine 1992;67:132–133.
To determine whether interactive-videodisc lessons can effectively replace some of the labor-intensive laboratories in human gross anatomy, pre-nursing and allied-medical-professions undergraduates at The Ohio State University were randomly assigned to either a traditional cadaver-demonstration lab or an interactive-videodisc computer lab covering the same material. In a one-unit pilot study in the autumn quarter of 1989 (involving 190 students) and a full-quarter course in the spring quarter of 1991 (283 students), the performances of the computer-lab students were not significantly different from those of the students in the traditional cadaver-demonstration-lab groups.
Hariri S. Rawn C. Srivastava S. Youngblood P. Ladd A. Evaluation of a surgical simulator for learning clinical anatomy. Medical Education. 38(8):896-902, 2004 Aug.
BACKGROUND: New techniques in imaging and surgery have made 3-dimensional anatomical knowledge an increasingly important goal of medical education. This study compared the efficacy of 2 supplemental, self-study methods for learning shoulder joint anatomy to determine which method provides for greater transfer of learning to the clinical setting. METHODS: Two groups of medical students studied shoulder joint anatomy using either a second-generation virtual reality surgical simulator or images from a textbook. They were then asked to identify anatomical structures of the shoulder joint as they appeared in a videotape of a live arthroscopic procedure. RESULTS: The mean identification scores, out of a possible score of 7, were 3.1 +/- 1.3 for the simulator group and 2.9 +/- 1.5 for the textbook group (P = 0.70). Student ratings of the 2 methods on a 5-point Likert scale were significantly different. The simulator group rated the simulator more highly as an effective learning tool than the textbook group rated the textbook (means of 3.2 +/- 0.7 and 2.6 +/- 0.5, respectively, P = 0.02). Furthermore, the simulator group indicated that they were more likely to use the simulator as a learning tool if it were available to them than the textbook group was willing to use the textbook (means of 4.0 +/- 1.2 and 3.0 +/- 0.9, respectively, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our results show that this surgical simulator is at least as effective as textbook images for learning anatomy and could enhance student learning through increased motivation. These findings provide insight into simulator development and strategies for learning anatomy. Possible explanations and future research directions are discussed.
Huang SD, Aloi J. The impact of using interactive video in teaching general biology. The American Biology Teacher 1991;53(5):281–284.
Biology undergraduate students using a computer-assisted interactive videodisc system which included dissection simulations performed significantly better than students who had not used the computer-aided instruction.
Jones NA, Olafson RP, Sutin J. Evaluation of a gross anatomy program without dissection. Journal of Medical Education 1978;53:198–205.
Learning performances of freshmen medical students using films, computer-assisted instruction and prosected human cadavers were the same as those of students taught by traditional lecture and dissection.
Josephson Eleanor M., Moore Larry J. An electronic instructor for gross anatomy dissection. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 2006;33(3):465-73.
Gross anatomy is time consuming to teach and to learn. Because the process of dissection takes up so much student time, assistance in the form of an in-lab instructional DVD program might improve student performance. The DVD could be viewed with a portable device by individual dissection groups at their tables. Groups could dissect at their own pace, with access to step-by-step demonstrations and answers to frequently asked anatomical questions. We created an instructional DVD program demonstrating dissection of the canine ventral neck and thoracic limb. The effect on student exam scores of using the DVD versus not using it was measured in a controlled, two-sample study using incoming first-year veterinary students as volunteers. Volunteers were told the study was of two different dissection methods; the DVD was not specifically mentioned until after the students were separated into two groups (Blue/DVD group and Orange/No DVD group), and then only to volunteers in the Blue group. Except for the DVD, the two groups had the same resources. The difference in scores on an exam given after a single dissection period did not differ sufficiently to conclude that DVD use raised the mean score; however, 73% of the DVD group scored 60% or higher, while only 38% of the No DVD group scored 60% or higher. The difference in mean scores overall was 2.3 points out of a possible 49, suggesting that the DVD helped students, especially those with lower scores, to earn two to three more points than they would have otherwise.
Keiser TD, Hamm RW. Forum: Dissection. The case for. The Science Teacher 1991;58(1):13-15.
Kinzie MB, Strauss R, Foss J. The effects of an interactive
dissection simulation on the performance and achievement of high school biology
students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 1993;30(8): 989–1000.
Findings suggest that an interactive videodisc was at least as effective as actual dissection in promoting high school student learning of frog anatomy and dissection procedures.
Lieb MJ. Dissection: A valuable motivational tool or a trauma
to the high school student? Unpublished Thesis, Master of Education, National
College of Education, Evanston, Illinois. 1985.
Post-test scores were equivalent for high school students who dissected earthworms and those who received a classroom lecture on earthworm anatomy.
Linton A., Schoenfeld-Tacher R. & Whalen L.R. Developing and implementing an assessment method to evaluate a virtual canine anatomy program. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 2005;32(2):249-54. Department of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University, W103 Anatomy/Zoology, BMS-Anatomy, CSU, 1617 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1617, USA. alinton@lamar.colostate.edu.
A computer-based anatomy program, Virtual Canine Anatomy: The Head, was incorporated into a first-year veterinary dissection laboratory two years ago to address challenges inherent in the traditional pedagogical approach. The program uses specimen photographs, QuickTime Virtual Reality, and interactive features to help students study the dissection, osteology, and radiology of the canine head. Photographs of each phase of dissection are displayed in the program, along with dissection instructions. Students can click on anatomical structures in each photograph to highlight the selected structure and display a complete description of it. Related structures and views are accessible through hyperlinks. This study was designed to measure student and faculty attitudes toward the instructional software, to gauge its effect on student achievement, and to propose evaluation methodology and instrumentation for similar projects. Observations, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and test results were used for this assessment. Results suggest positive student and faculty attitudes toward the program. Students felt the program met their needs, increased their confidence and efficiency, and was easy to use. Both students and instructors felt the program was beneficial during dissection. There was no significant change in student achievement on course tests. Future research will measure the program's effect on student-instructor interactions.
Martonen TB, Yang Y, Hwang D, Fleming JS. Computer
simulations of human lung structures for medical applications. Computers in
Biology and Medicine 1995 Sep;25(5):431-446. Health Effects Research
Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
27711, USA.
Matthews D. Comparison of MacPig to Fetal Pig Dissection in College Biology. The American Biology Teacher 1998;60(3):228–229.
Eight biology undergraduate students who dissected fetal pigs scored significantly higher on an oral test with prosected fetal pigs than did twelve students who studied on a computerized pig (MacPig).
Balcombe J. The American Biology Teacher. 1998;60(8):555-556. Criticized the study because MacPig is not advanced enough for college level biology instruction, to which Matthews replied, adding nothing further of substance: Matthews D. Efficacy of fetal pig dissection alternatives questioned. The American Biology Teacher 1998b;61(2):88.
McCollum TL. The effect of animal dissections on student acquisition of knowledge of and attitudes toward the animals dissected. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Cincinnati. 1987.
Approximately 175 high school biology students taught frog structure, function, and adaptation via lecture performed better on a post-test than did approximately 175 high school biology students taught by doing a frog dissection.
Nicaise, M. Simoens, P. Lauwers, H. Demonstration of plastinated organs used in teaching veterinary morphology. [Abstract only. Conference paper] Anatomia Histologia Embryologia. 1994. 23: 1, 78.
Orlans FB. Debating dissection: pros, cons, and alternatives. The Science Teacher 1988b November;36-40.
Orlans FB. Forum: Dissection. The case against. The Science Teacher 1991;58(1):12-14.
Petersen N. Dissection on a Micro Scale. The Science Teacher 1986;53(8):19-21.
This study used a computer-based rat anatomy to compare student learning outcomes from computer-based instruction with a conventional dissection, The study was carried out with first-year undergraduate biology students. On average, students who completed the computer-based instruction did 7.4 percentage points better than students completing the conventional dissection. This pattern held across the three types of questions, namely text, pictures, and real rat questions. There was a significant relationship between the time spent on both classes and the marks gained. Students who spent longer on the class gained higher marks and, regardless of time, the computer-based students had higher marks. The increase in marks shown by the computer-based students was consistent across all grades of students. Possible reasons for the increase in marks is the flexibility of time using the computer-based instruction, the ability to see all structures clearly and the absence of smell and blood. This study shows that computer-based instruction can be a viable alternative to the use of animals in biology classrooms.
Prentice ED, Metcalf WK, Quinn TH, Sharp JG, Jensen RH, Holyoke EA. Stereoscopic anatomy: evaluation of a new teaching system in human gross anatomy. Journal of Medical Education 1977;52:758–763.
Based on physician-assistant student learning performances, the authors concluded that use of labeled sequential slides of anatomical dissections provided a viable alternative to dissection.
Presas, R. Melis, A. Media and methods of teaching practical anatomy. [Spanish] Medios y metodos de ensenanza en las clases practicas de anatomia. Instituto Superior de Ciencias Agropecuarias de la Habana,Habana, Cuba: 1989. 29. 7 ref.
Provo JA & Lamar CH. Prosection an an approach to student-centered learning in veterinary gross anatomy. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1995;206(2):158-61.
Ramprashad, F. Price, J. Students' evaluations on the use of visual aids as a laboratory tool in teaching and testing students in comparative vertebrate anatomy. [Journal article] Anatomia Histologia Embryologia. 1979. 8: 2, 186.
Rumph, P. F. Television: an aid in teaching gross anatomy. [Journal article] Anatomia Histologia Embryologia. 1977. 6: 4, 376.
Sack, W. O. Sadler, L. L. Microfiches in veterinary gross anatomy [dissection of horse]. [Journal article] Anatomia Histologia Embryologia. 1977. 6: 1, 90-91.
Strauss RT, Kinzie MB. Student achievement and attitudes in a
pilot study comparing an interactive videodisc simulation to conventional
dissection. The American Biology Teacher 1994;56(7):398–402.
Two groups of high school students performed equally on a test following either animal dissection or interactive videodisc simulation.
Van Ginneken
Christa J. & Vanthournout Gert. Rethinking the learning and evaluation
environment of a veterinary course in gross anatomy: the implementation of an
assessment and development center and an e-learning platform. Journal of
Veterinary Medical Education 2005;32(4):537-43.
Today's students belong to an interactive generation and receive information through multiple channels. In addition, veterinary medicine curricula are changing due to trends such as student-centered education and competence-based learning. In consequence, we were stimulated to rethink the way in which veterinary gross anatomy was taught and assessed. As a first step, the learning goals for the students participating in the veterinary gross anatomy course were clearly defined. Students had to acquire knowledge of and insight into the structure, the function, and the interrelationships of gross anatomical structures in various species. They also had to be competent in observing, palpating, and exposing the anatomical structures. Additionally, they had to attain some general skills and attitudes. Next, a learning environment was developed enabling students to accomplish these goals. The three main components of this new environment were, first, the reorientation of classic cadaveric dissections towards attaching an increased importance to the attainment of course-specific and general skills and attitudes; second, the incorporation of an e-learning platform; and third, an increase in the number of student–lecturer interactions during lecture hours. Finally, the assessment and examination were adjusted to complement the goals defined earlier and the redesigned learning environment. An assessment and development center (ADC) was introduced, where students demonstrated their skills and insights by completing job-relevant assignments within a set time limit. This ADC was used as a means of evaluating students as well as of giving them feedback. Students were enthusiastic about this way of teaching although they experienced it as difficult.
Velle S & Hal T. Virtual Frog Dissection—Reality Check? 1999. Unpublished. In Cross TR & Cross VE. Scalpel of mouse: a statistical comparison of real and virtual frog dissections. The Amer Biol Teacher 2004;66(6):408-11.
A study was conducted using 64 ninth grade students in Wisconsin. Two classes, led by different teachers, were utilized. The class of Teacher A dissected real frogs, while the class of Teacher B performed a virtual dissection. Students in both classes followed the same laboratory outline and submitted the same laboratory report. At the end of the lab, both classes were given two tests. One test was virtual; the other used real frogs. Students who had completed the virtual dissection performed better on both tests. Cross & Cross (2004) commented that the teacher conducting the virtual dissection was a veteran of 20 years in the classroom, while the teacher working with the students dissecting real frogs was a first year biology intern, and that the method by which the performances were judged was not indicated.
Vloeberghs M, Hatfield F, Daemi F, Dickens P. Soft tissue rapid prototyping in
neurosurgery. Computer Aided Surgery 1998;3(2):95-97. Department of
Paediatric Neurosurgery, University of Nottingham, England, U.K.
michael.vloeberghs@nottingham.ac.uk.
As part of our research into the fluid hydrodynamics of the human ventricular
system, a fused deposition model of the human ventricular system was made using
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. This article describes the manufacturing
of a positive cast of the ventricles as a first step in the construction of a
hollow model. After decryption of the original MRI file (ACR-Nema format), the
MRI slices were reassembled semiautomatically and a rapid prototyping station
produced a resin model. Because of its ease and speed, this method harbors great
potential for teaching purposes, research, and preoperative planning in complex
three-dimensional soft tissue targets.
