gms | German Medical Science

Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA)

15.09. - 17.09.2022, Halle (Saale)

Tablet-based drawing as a learning method for gross anatomy

Meeting Abstract

  • presenting/speaker Amelie Styn - Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin, München, Deutschland
  • Katharina Scheiter - Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Fachbereich Psychologie, Tübingen, Deutschland; Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Martin R. Fischer - Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin, München, Deutschland
  • Felix Behrmann - Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin, München, Deutschland
  • Adrian Steffan - LMU München, Fachbereich Psychologie, München, Deutschland
  • Thomas Shiozawa - Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Institut für klinische Anatomie und Zellanalytik, Tübingen, Deutschland
  • Daniela Kugelmann - LMU München, Lehrstuhl Anatomie, München, Deutschland
  • Markus Berndt - Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin, München, Deutschland

Gemeinsame Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA) und des Arbeitskreises zur Weiterentwicklung der Lehre in der Zahnmedizin (AKWLZ). Halle (Saale), 15.-17.09.2022. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2022. DocV-16-02

doi: 10.3205/22gma102, urn:nbn:de:0183-22gma1027

Veröffentlicht: 14. September 2022

© 2022 Styn et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). Lizenz-Angaben siehe http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Gliederung

Text

Objective: Anatomy is an important building block in medical education to this day and the teaching and learning of this subject is of particular importance. While drawing has been shown to have a positive effect on learning in general [1], it can specifically contribute to learning gross anatomy [2]. As technology advances, findings on the effect of the use of tablets for drawing to learn gross anatomy are still inconclusive [3]. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of drawing on a tablet and compare it to paper-based methods in terms of learning outcome and quality of strategy implementation.

Methods: Data from N=105 medical students were collected in Germany (78 female, 26 male, mean age=23.18 years, SD 3.22). Following a text-based learning phase, participants either had to draw anatomical content on a tablet or paper, or had to create text summaries on paper. Drawings on the tablet were created within an app we developed for the purpose of learning gross anatomy, see figure 1 [Fig. 1]. Prior knowledge was tested with an anatomy knowledge test (Cronbach’s α=.71). The learning outcome and its sustainability were measured with a knowledge post-test immediately after the learning phase (α=.77) and a delayed post-test 4-6 weeks later (α=.72). In addition, the quality of drawings and summaries was assessed as a potential moderator using a scoring sheet (α=.89 for drawings and α=.95 for summaries).

Results: ANCOVAs showed no significant difference between the learning methods in terms of learning outcome in the post-test, F(2, 101)=.356, p=.701, partial η²=.007 or the delayed post-test, F(2, 101)=.271, p=.763, partial η²=.005. The quality of strategy implementation did not differ either, F(2, 102)=2.056, p=.133, η²=.039. Partial correlations showed that there are positive relationships between the quality of strategy implementation and learning outcome in all three groups that are independent from prior knowledge (range r(35)=.408-.736). Regression analyses and simple slope analyses revealed that at low quality, participants drawing on a tablet or writing summaries achieved lower learning outcomes and at high quality they achieved higher learning outcomes than participants drawing on paper.

Discussion: The results indicate that drawing on a tablet can be considered as a modern alternative learning method for gross anatomy in terms of learning outcome when drawings of high quality are created.

Take home messages: At a high quality, drawing on the tablet led to higher learning outcome than the paper-based drawing method. Considering that the drawing app used for this study is still in its infancy, there is a huge potential for further development and the implementation of support features to enhance the learning experience and outcome, especially in a way that results in high strategy quality.


References

1.
Ainsworth SE, Scheiter K. Learning by Drawing Visual Representations: Potential, Purposes, and Practical Implications. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2021;30(1):61-67. DOI: 10.1177/0963721420980753 Externer Link
2.
Chaudhuri JD. Changes in the learning styles and approaches of students following incorporation of drawing during cadaveric dissection. Clin Anat. 2021;34(3):437-450. DOI: 10.1002/ca.23673 Externer Link
3.
Cromley J, Du Y, Dane A. Drawing-to-Learn: Does Meta-Analysis Show Differences Between Technology-Based Drawing and Paper-and-Pencil Drawing? J Sci Educ Technol. 2020;29:216-229. DOI: 10.1007/s10956-019-09807-6 Externer Link