Designing a cost-effective, low-fidelity physical model for the dorsal column-medial lemniscus tract

Incorporating diverse teaching resources, varied instructional approaches, and a structured core curriculum are strategies to enhance learning of neuroanatomy. Physical models, constructed structural representations, can enhance understanding, particularly in conveying spatial relationships, often outperforming 3-D virtual models and 2-D illustrations. Additionally, physical models provide a hands-on experience that reduces cognitive load, increases engagement, and improves communication. Since high-fidelity 3-D printed models can be expensive to produce and are not globally accessible, and plastic models can be costly due to constant use, damage, and theft that require replacements, the goal for this article was to share an intentional instructional design for creating a cost-effective, low-fidelity, easily replicable, multisensory physical model of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus tract (DCML) pathway. An illustrated instructional manual guided students through the assembly process, reinforcing their learning experience. Students collaborated in small groups to complete the activity within 20 min. To assess the physical model's proof of concept, student feedback was collected via pre- and post-surveys, which included a few multiple-choice questions. Overall, survey responses indicated positive feedback, and students' performance improved after building the DCML physical model, suggesting that incorporating cost-effective multisensory physical models is an effective pedagogical approach for teaching neural pathways.