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Comparison of 3D model-based and slide-based teaching for afferent and efferent spinal cord pathways: a
Ayşe Ömerli̇1, Hatice Kübra Aslantaş2
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Dentistry, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri, Turkey. aomerli@nny.edu.tr.
Background:
Understanding the organization of afferent and efferent spinal cord pathways can be challenging for students due to their complex spatial relationships. This study aimed to develop a three-dimensional (3D) educational model demonstrating these pathways and to compare student learning outcomes between model-based instruction and conventional slide-based teaching.
Methods:
A pre-test/post-test educational study was conducted with second-year dental students (n = 60). Transverse sections of the C4 and T7 vertebrae were designed and 3D-printed at four times their anatomical size. A spinal cord model made of modeling clay was placed within the vertebral canal, and afferent and efferent pathways were represented using color-coded cables. Students completed a 15-item multiple-choice pre-test assessing baseline knowledge of spinal cord pathways and were allocated into two groups. Group 1 (n = 30) received conventional slide-based instruction, while Group 2 (n = 30) was taught using the 3D model. After the instructional sessions, students completed the same test as a post-test. Within-group and between-group comparisons were analyzed using paired-sample and independent-sample t-tests.
Results:
Both instructional approaches resulted in significant improvements in post-test scores. In the slide-based instruction group, mean scores increased from 5.00 ± 1.98 to 8.47 ± 2.54 (p < 0.001). In the 3D model group, mean scores increased from 4.77 ± 2.39 to 10.27 ± 2.29 (p < 0.001). The mean improvement was significantly greater in the 3D model group (5.50 ± 3.07) compared with the slide-based group (3.47 ± 2.70) (p = 0.007). The effect size for the difference between groups was moderate to large (Cohen's d ≈ 0.70).
Conclusion:
Both instructional methods improved short-term knowledge of spinal cord pathways; however, model-based instruction was associated with greater learning gains. These findings suggest that three-dimensional models may serve as a useful supplementary tool in neuroanatomy education. Further studies using validated assessment tools and evaluating long-term knowledge retention are needed to confirm these findings.
