Can drawing instruction help students with low visuospatial ability in learning anatomy?

Area of Science:

• Anatomy Education
• Visuospatial Skills
• Medical Education

Background:

• Visuospatial skills are crucial for anatomy learning.
• Drawing is a potential training technique to improve visuospatial ability.
• The Mental Rotations Test (MRT) is a standard measure of visuospatial ability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a drawing tutorial on anatomy learning in undergraduate speech science students.
• To evaluate the relationship between visuospatial skills (MRT scores), attitudes toward drawing, and anatomy examination performance.

Main Methods:

• Undergraduate speech science anatomy students (n=92) participated in a drawing tutorial.
• Students completed the MRT, pre- and post-tutorial tests, and surveys.
• Examination performance was analyzed in relation to tutorial participation and MRT scores.

Main Results:

• Students in the drawing tutorial showed immediate improvement in post-tutorial test scores.
• Performance on most anatomy components improved, but not to statistical significance.
• A positive correlation was found between MRT scores and non-image-based anatomy questions and speech physics questions (r=0.315, p=0.002).
• Students who enjoyed drawing performed better on word-based and speech physics questions.

Conclusions:

• Drawing tutorials can enhance anatomy learning and test performance.
• The Mental Rotations Test (MRT) may not fully capture the visuospatial skills needed for all anatomy assessments.
• A nuanced understanding of visuospatial skill requirements in anatomy is important for effective teaching strategies.