Digital Learning Interactions in Veterinary Anatomy Education Enhance Self-Directed Learning and Student Satisfaction

With the advancement of digital learning in higher education, veterinary anatomy teaching has increasingly incorporated virtual methods to enhance accessibility and engagement. Despite the proliferation of virtual resources in blended learning environments, there is a notable gap in understanding the impact of these tools on self-directed learning outcomes among veterinary students. In response to the evolving blended learning educational landscape in anatomy education, novel directed learning interactions (DLIs) were developed as online, asynchronous, self-directed learning tools to enrich students' learning experiences in veterinary anatomy. DLIs focused on four challenging areas of gastrointestinal veterinary anatomy and physiology for learners: comparative dentistry, ruminant abdominal anatomy, equine abdominal anatomy, and the physiology of gastric ulcerations. These were created using a virtual learning environment's quiz feature combined with an interactive HTML5 Package plugin. DLIs aimed to enhance learning by assisting students in consolidating knowledge while offering an accessible, interactive, and asynchronous tool for learning anatomy. Participation and performance metrics were quantified from two cohorts. Participants' feedback was qualitatively assessed to explore the ease of use, applicability, and relevance of DLIs in the veterinary anatomy curriculum. Student participation and achievement of learning outcomes were higher in the cohort of graduate accelerated students compared with students in the 5-year BVetMed program. Marks varied across DLI topics, highlighting areas of proficiency and areas for potential improvement. Participants reported that, while lectures and practical sessions were preferred for initial anatomy learning, DLIs were valuable tools for revision and to reinforce understanding of specific anatomical topics.