Virtual Dissection: An Interactive Anatomy Learning Tool.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy Learning
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Three-dimensional visualization technology (3DVT), including virtual reality (VR), is increasingly adopted by educational institutions.
• Existing literature suggests 3DVT benefits learners with lower visuospatial abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the impact of VR and physical models on anatomy learning.
• To investigate the role of visuospatial ability in anatomy learning using VR and physical models.
• To assess the effect of a VR familiarization phase on learning outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A within-subjects, crossover study involving 78 undergraduate students.
• Participants learned anatomical structures using both physical and VR models.
• Knowledge assessments were conducted immediately and 48 hours post-learning.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in test scores between VR and physical models overall.
• Students with low visuospatial ability performed significantly worse with VR compared to high visuospatial ability learners.
• Both low and high visuospatial ability groups performed similarly with physical models.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality may be detrimental to anatomy learning for students with low visuospatial ability.
• Physical models appear to facilitate equitable anatomy learning across varying visuospatial abilities.
• A VR familiarization phase did not significantly impact learning performance.