Effectiveness of using blended learning strategies for teaching and learning human anatomy.
Pereira J.A., Pleguezuelos, E., Meri, A., Molina-Ros, A., Molina-Thomas, A., Masdeu, C. (2007)
Medical Education, 41, pp.189-195
The authors of this article describes what they see as blended learning in the Anatomy setting. They believe that blended learning is a synergic combination of traditional teaching methods with tactics that are characteristic of non-attendance-based distance teaching or e-learning. At the Pompeu Fabra University a variety of computer-based materials have been used since 1998 in the teaching of human anatomy. The long degree in biology is an integration between an attendance-based course of Anatomy (theoretical and practical lessons) and a variety of computer-based materials that is distributed through a virtual campus ('Campus Global'). Limitations that prompted a redesign of the teaching materials included:
- adapting materials to the needs of the students
- increasing the frequency and effectiveness of the use of the materials
- to get the materials to play a fundamental role in achieving the subject's teaching aims
The objective of the study was to analyze the impact of the use of semi-attendance-based teaching strategies on academic performance and satisfaction with the teaching of the anatomy of the human locomotor system. Students were divided into two groups: one group that received traditional teaching with access to the virtual campus for support materials; the second group received blended learning with purpose-designed computerized materials, with supervision. Both groups had free, unrestricted access to their respective teaching materials via the virtual campus. Both groups wrote three tests with different components and the blended learning group also had three continuous assessments that counted towards their final mark. At the end of the teaching both groups were administered a standardized survey to assess their level of satisfaction with the teaching they received.
Materials available on the web were more readily used by the blended learning group. Higher scores were obtained for satisfaction with the teaching style for the blended group learning, as well as a statistically significant higher score for the learning materials for the blended learning group. The students in the blended learning group also had a higher satisfaction with the course layout. The study revealed a clear improvement in the academic performance of students who were taught via blended learning, both in terms of their marks and the number of students who passed the assessment at the first attempt. Also their were fewer dropouts in the blended learning group than in the traditional teaching group.
The use of blended learning strategies, together with practical teaching with cadavers in human anatomy, could help towards adapting anatomy teaching to fit in with modern times.
This article has great applicability to my setting as we use the Blackboard management system were information about the course is available to the students, as well as teaching material. The only shortfall thus far is not utilizing Blackboard to it full extent where students can engage on a blog, submit assignments and can write a test. If Blackboard is used with all its extra innovations it can provide any Anatomy course a great blended learning experience.