UTHSCSA Virtual for Medical Embryology Teaching Dr. Kris Vogel, C&SB Retreat, September 2006
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UTHSCSA Virtual for Medical Embryology Teaching Dr. Kris Vogel, C&SB Retreat, September 2006 : Because it is intensely visual and involves dynamic terminology, embryolo lt topic for many medical students, especially if they did not have an under mental biology course. For those students who received embryology instructio rgraduates, the emphasis of the course was usually molecular, rather than an cal. Although there are opportunities to receive tutoring and review sessio er anatomical disciplines (gross anatomy, histology, neuroscience), very few nities exist for the human embryology component of CSBL 1010. l: Initially, I proposed to create a dedicated embryology office or laborat Virtual, and to run 8 two-hour review or tutorial sessions in a synchronous oom” format. The images used in the tutorials would be stored in, and acces he UTHSCSA Virtual office. Tutorials would be scheduled throughout the dur 1010, and correspond to the 15 hours of embryology lecture.
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UTHSCSA Virtual for Medical Embryology Teaching Dr. Kris Vogel, C&SB Retreat, September 2006. Problem: Because it is intensely visual and involves dynamic terminology, embryology is a difficult topic for many medical students, especially if they did not have an undergraduate - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of UTHSCSA Virtual for Medical Embryology Teaching Dr. Kris Vogel, C&SB Retreat, September 2006
UTHSCSA Virtual for Medical Embryology Teaching
Dr. Kris Vogel, C&SB Retreat, September 2006Problem: Because it is intensely visual and involves dynamic terminology, embryology is a difficult topic for many medical students, especially if they did not have an undergraduatedevelopmental biology course. For those students who received embryology instructionas undergraduates, the emphasis of the course was usually molecular, rather than anatomicalor medical. Although there are opportunities to receive tutoring and review sessions forthe other anatomical disciplines (gross anatomy, histology, neuroscience), very few such opportunities exist for the human embryology component of CSBL 1010.
Proposal: Initially, I proposed to create a dedicated embryology office or laboratory in UTHSCSA Virtual, and to run 8 two-hour review or tutorial sessions in a synchronous“chat room” format. The images used in the tutorials would be stored in, and accessible from, the UTHSCSA Virtual office. Tutorials would be scheduled throughout the duration of CSBL 1010, and correspond to the 15 hours of embryology lecture.
Why do we teach embryology to first-year medical students?Carlson (2002) has reviewed many of the reasons for studying embryology as part of themedical curriculum, including understanding the genesis of common birth defects, identifying the origins of the gross anatomical patterns and organization of the body, and understanding advances in reproductive and embryo technologies.
How are innovative teaching projects funded?* Innovative Teaching Grants (UTHSCSA)* Instructional Technology Enhancement Grants (UTHSCSA, AT&T)* Outside sources (e.g. American Association of Anatomists)
How is the efficacy of new teaching methods evaluated, and what kinds of options areavailable for sharing and publishing educational research?* Quantitative and qualitative educational research (AIS-ERD UTHSCSA)* ACET website (www.uthscsa.edu/acet/index.asp)* Journals that publish educational research: The Anatomical Record, Academic Medicine, Medical Education, Journal of Dental Education,BMC Medical Education, American Journal of Physiology, etc.
Carlson BM (2002). Embryology in the medical curriculum. Anat. Rec. (New Anat.) 269:89-98.
Methods: What is UTHSCSA Virtual?
UTHSCSA Virtual is an online environment designed to facilitate academic collaboration, is accessiblefrom any computer in the world with a current Internet browser, and is available to all UTHSCSA faculty, staff, and students. Some of the options include virtual meetings with transcripts, a virtual reference librarian,an interactive shared desktop, secured document repositories, and a personal office with image repository. * Special thanks to Drs. Aggie Manwell-Jackson and Jim Bower, and to Michael Ottmers (UTHSCSA Virtual)
Screenshot of my UTHSCSA Virtual Embryology Office
This is the synchronous, or “chat room” venue. When a student logs in and enters the virtual office, his or her avatar appears in the room. The stage of the microscope is the entry point for the imagerepository and message board; the chair works as a shared desktop for synchronous discussion.
Screenshots of the asynchronous, or “messageboard”, venue. I can upload images and text tostart threads; students can access these threadsat any time, and view or download images.
The students can also leave questions or commentsas replies in each individual thread.
Students can also e-mail questions to me [email protected]
Each thread has a descriptive title, and athumbnail version of the image. So far,I’ve uploaded images corresponding to thefirst module (5 embryology lectures).
Some of the images are simplified orredesigned diagrams from Moore andPersaud, and a few are photos of 3Dmodels I created using Sculpey II (polymerclay). In addition, I’ve used Edward Tufte’sinformation design principle of “smallmultiples” to generate summary sheetsfor visual concepts and terminology.
Methods: “Tufte-izing” embryology diagrams from the Moore and Persaud textbook, i.e. applying principles of information design to medical education
www.edwardtufte.com
“Escaping Flatland”, or design strategiesthat sharpen the information resolutionof paper and the video screen:
1. Increase the number of dimensionsthat can be represented
2. Increase the data density (amount ofinformation/unit area)
Visual displays of information shouldencourage a diversity of individualviewer styles and rates of editing, personalizing, and understanding.
* from Tufte, Edward R. Envisioning Information (Graphics Press, 1990)
Sometimes the textbook organization isnot the same as that of the lectures.
Therefore, I included a diagram anddescription of ossification centers inthe developing vertebrae, to go along with my lecture on the gross anatomyof the back, vertebral column, andspinal cord.
In some cases, the Moore and Persaud DevelopingHuman textbook does an excellent job of information design. These “small multiples” of neurulation in transverse section only required a little tweaking to present a more basic concept, and to make the terminology consistent.
Direct methods can be used to increasethe number of dimensions that canbe represented.
Here, I’ve constructed polymer clay modelsof embryos and photographed them, todisplay 3 dimensions. The bilaminar discmodel (above) is one of three models in a series, so that the fourth dimension of timecan also be represented.The neurula model on the right was alsophotographed from the ventral view todisplay mesoderm and endoderm.
Summary of Second Week ofHuman Development
Design principles used:
* Small multiples- similar graphicdesign allows viewer to focus onchanges that occur
* Data compression- fit entiresecond week onto one sheet, sothat key points can be comparedwithin eyespan
* Color- here, color is used simplyto label and identify
* Narratives of space and time-emphasis on changes that occurfrom day to day
Premature infants may have persistent pupillary membrane, which appears as weblike connective tissue over the pupil. Because of the improvements in caring for very young premature infants (born at 25-26 weeks of gestation), some of your tiniest patients may still have fused eyelids. Once the eyelids begin to open (normally during fetal life), the bulbar and palpebral conjunctivae adopt their proper positions.
Summary of Eye Development
* Similar design principles (smallmultiples, data compression,color)
* Self-quiz on congenital eye defectsincluded in text for thread (canbe viewed side-by-side with imageon computer monitor)
* Addressing different learning stylesin the text associated with the image:
