Anatomy drawing screencasts: enabling flexible learning for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy Instruction
• Digital Learning Tools

Background:

• Traditional lectures are a cornerstone of medical education.
• Modern medical curricula increasingly incorporate novel delivery methods.
• Mobile media devices offer flexible access to educational materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of anatomy drawing screencasts on medical student learning.
• To assess student engagement and preferences for digital learning resources.
• To align digital anatomy resources with established learning theories.

Main Methods:

• Five anatomy drawing screencasts were developed and hosted on a Virtual Learning Environment.
• Student usage data (downloads, access times) were collected.
• An end-of-module questionnaire assessed student perceptions and utility.

Main Results:

• Screencasts demonstrated high usage rates, with increased downloads near assessment periods.
• Students reported screencasts were valuable for consolidating information and revision.
• A significant preference for screencasts over traditional learning methods was observed.

Conclusions:

• Anatomy drawing screencasts are a well-received enhancement to medical education.
• These resources support flexible learning and cater to diverse learning styles.
• The design of screencasts aligns with cognitive load and multimedia learning theories.