Volume 13, Issue 1 (Winter & Spring 2016)                   ASJ 2016, 13(1): 55-60 | Back to browse issues page

XML Print


1- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Hearing Disorders Research Center & Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:   (6242 Views)

Introduction: Medical undergraduates usually understand and memorize anatomical course material with difficulty. Also, the current text books and atlases of anatomy and histology do not fulfill all the learning needs of the undergraduates. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the role of internet websites and computer programs (i.e. the role of electronic learning) in teaching. The present research aimed to introduce the new teaching facilities in the field of anatomical sciences to improve learning among medical undergraduates and ameliorate the present teaching deficiencies. The present research also aimed at facilitating the continual training of graduates and lecturers in the anatomical sciences.
Methods: In this research, content analysis was conducted on 9 internet websites and 4 projects and computer programs related to anatomical sciences on the basis of those introduced by the lecturers of the anatomical sciences department of medicine faculty of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This review was conducted on the basis of teaching processes and technologies needed in electronic learning environment and also the necessary teaching facilities in learning of
the anatomical sciences.
Results: Having interactive programs, atlases and virtual tests, the capability of updating material and continual education are some of the properties of electronic learning environments in the teaching of anatomical sciences. According to this research, 100% of the investigated projects and the computer programs and 44% of the websites, had interactive programs. Furthermore, 50% of the projects and computer programs and 22% of websites had virtual updated atlases, and 22% of
websites had virtual tests.
Conclusion: By using the facilities in reliable educational sites of anatomical sciences and also the interactive learning computer programs, difficulties in learning and understanding anatomical sciences syllabus can be reduced and the level of knowledge in the field raised so that the way can be paved for improving clinical skills in the areas of diagnosis and treatment. Besides, the use of these technologies is effective in updating the knowledge of graduates and lecturers in the field of anatomical sciences.

Full-Text [PDF 457 kb]   (4721 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original |
Received: 2015/02/11 | Accepted: 2015/10/26 | Published: 2016/01/1

References
1. Moore JL, Dickson-Deane C, Galyen K. E-learning, online learning and distance learning environments: Are they the same? Internet and Higher Education, 2011; 14(2):129-35. [DOI:10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.10.001]
2. Frick GS, Conyers K, Laurance J, Brett G. Virtual reality brain project [Internet]. Brooklyn, N.Y.: SUNY Downstate Medical Center; 2008. Available from: http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/vr_brain
3. Clinical Anatomy Course New Media Resources [Internet]. New York, N.Y.: Columbia University. Available from: https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/itc/hs/medical/anatomy_resources/anatomy/main.html
4. The internet resource for surgical education Vesalius [Internet]. 2015 [Cited 2016 Oct. 19]. Available from: http://vesalius.com
5. Hersch R. Visible human server: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne [Internet]. 2000 [Cited 2000 Oct. 1]. Available from: http://visiblehuman.epfl.ch/index.php
6. Instant anatomy app: Instant Anatomy [Internet]. 2015 [2015 Oct. 8]. Available from: http://www.instantanatomy.net
7. Ackerman M. Visible Human Project U.S: National Library of Medicine [Internet]. 2000 [Cited 2015 Oct. 8]. Available from: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/visible/visible_human.html
8. Mackay RV, Mark A, Taylor T. The Virtual Autopsy [Internet]. Available from: http://www.le.ac.uk/pa/teach/va/titlpag1.html
9. Kubie OC. Downloadable Atlases SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Office of Educational Computing & Technology, Courseware, Neuroscience, NeuroQuiz Software [Internet]. 2014 [Cited 2014 Feb. 20]. Available from: http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/neuroscience/neuroquiz/index.html
10. Najman R. News releases. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Office of Institutional Advancement, News Releases; 2015 [Cited 2015 Oct. 26]. Available from: http://ect.downstate.edu
11. Krabbenhoft K. MD Program Curriculum: Integrated Medical Anatomy [Internet]. 2015 [Cited 2015 Mar. 12]. Available from: http://www.med.wisc.edu/education/md/curriculum/year-1/integrated-medical-anatomy/427
12. Ketcham B. Virtual microscope solves teaching challenge [Internet]. Newark: University of Delaware; 2006. Available from: http://www.udel.edu/present/profiles/ketcham/index.html [PMCID]
13. Krabbenhoft K. Body donation program [Internet]. Madison: University of Wisconsin-Madison's. Available from: http://www.bdp.wisc.edu

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.