Interdisciplinary Media Study of Anatomical Education via Virtual Worlds

The need for reusable anatomical resources is increasing; cost and accessibility of cadaveric materials become progressively difficult to organize with growing class sizes resulting in lost laboratory time. The project aims to provide groundwork for understanding the cognitive and social aspects of educational environments in virtual worlds. While lecture and supplemental reading‐type approaches provide a foundation of understanding, student‐to‐student interaction facilitates critical thinking and perspectives not possible through independent study. Utilizing virtual world technologies, paired with data gathered through CT or MR scans, anatomical 3D renderings of materials are displayed and interacted with in real time by groups of students. By combining the learning capabilities of immersive worlds with the uninhibited social interaction among students, this project samples and analyzes the methods by which students communicate as they comprehend complex anatomical structures in virtual space. Beyond the anatomical usage of this technology, this study provides insight into the process of online interaction and its effects on learning in a broad sense. Grant Funding Source : Departmental