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Is Augmented Reality the New Way for Teaching and Learning Veterinary Cardiac Anatomy?
W Brady Little1, Cristian Dezdrobitu1, Anne Conan1
1School of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts, Basseterre, West Indies USA.
Medical Science Educator
|August 30, 2021
Summary
Augmented reality (AR) learning is as effective as traditional methods for teaching cardiac anatomy to veterinary students. While both approaches improve knowledge, students overwhelmingly prefer the engaging IVALA® AR program.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medical Education
- Anatomical Sciences
- Educational Technology
Background:
- Cardiac anatomy is complex and challenging for veterinary students.
- Traditional learning methods may not fully engage all learners.
- Augmented reality (AR) presents a novel educational tool.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of the IVALA® augmented reality (AR) heart program for learning cardiac anatomy.
- To compare AR-based learning with traditional textbook methods in pre-veterinary students.
- To evaluate student preferences for different learning modalities.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving pre-veterinary students.
- Intervention groups used either traditional resources or the IVALA® AR program for 60 minutes with cadavers.
- Pre- and post-intervention testing assessed cardiac knowledge; spatial awareness was also evaluated.
Main Results:
- Both AR and traditional groups showed significant improvement in cardiac knowledge (average 24.5% increase).
- No significant difference in knowledge improvement was observed between the AR and traditional groups (p=0.9).
- A positive correlation existed between spatial awareness and knowledge improvement (p=0.03); 83.8% of students preferred AR learning.
Conclusions:
- The IVALA® AR program is as effective as traditional methods for teaching cardiac anatomy.
- AR learning enhances student enthusiasm and engagement in veterinary anatomy education.
- Student preference strongly favors AR-based learning experiences over traditional approaches.
