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Creating A Contextual Learning Environment: Adapting An Anatomy Lab For Multidisciplinary Medical Education
Author(s) -
Johnson James E,
Henkel Craig
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a848-c
Subject(s) - gross anatomy , presentation (obstetrics) , virtual microscopy , multidisciplinary approach , computer science , learning environment , multimedia , medical physics , medical education , psychology , anatomy , radiology , medicine , mathematics education , pathology , social science , sociology
Objective This presentation reports the renovation of a traditional medical school Anatomy Laboratory into a novel learning environment adapted by principles of learning oriented instruction (LOI) (ten Cate et al., 2004). LOI implements principles of contextual learning theory in a dissection laboratory to integrate and apply multiple basic sciences to clinical practice. These disciplines include Gross Anatomy, Radiology, Histology, Embryology, Physiology, Pathology and Neuroanatomy. Methods / Results The physical space, equipment, computer assisted instruction (CAI) and multimedia resources of the lab are adapted with instructional methods to integrate disciplines around clinical applications. Learning tasks incorporate whole body CT and MR data archives acquired from the specific cadaver specimens dissected by students. TeraRecon thin client software is used by students to render structures from CT and MR data into virtual 3‐D images. Students can reexamine cadaveric structures after they have been dissected and cremated. Virtual Microscopy resources, Physiology Animations, live closed circuit TV demonstrations and clinical video presentations are all integrated into learning tasks. Summary Cognitive tenets of contextual and collaborative learning have been used as principles guiding the renovation of a former discipline based Gross Anatomy laboratory into a new multidisciplinary learning environment. Supported in part by the WFUSM Core Teaching Faculty (CTF).