Exploring Visualisation for Embryology Education: A Twenty-First-Century Perspective.

Embryology and congenital malformations play a key role in multiple medical specialties including obstetrics and paediatrics. The process of learning clinical embryology involves two basic principles; firstly, understanding time-sensitive morphological changes that happen in the developing embryo and, secondly, appreciating the clinical implications of congenital conditions when development varies from the norm. Visualising the sequence of dynamic events in embryonic development is likely to be challenging for students, as these processes occur not only in three dimensions but also in the fourth dimensions of time. Consequently, features identified at any one timepoint can subsequently undergo morphological transitions into distinct structures or may degenerate and disappear. When studying embryology, learners face significant challenges in understanding complex, multiple and simultaneous events which are likely to increase student cognitive load. Moreover, the embryology content is very nonlinear. This nonlinear content presentation makes embryology teaching challenging for educators. Embryology is typically taught in large groups, via didactic lecture presentations that incorporate two-dimensional diagrams or foetal ultrasound images. This approach is limited by incomplete or insufficient visualisation and lack of interactivity.It is recommended that the focus of embryology teaching should instill an understanding of embryological processes and emphasise conceptualising the potential congenital conditions that can occur, linking pre-clinical and clinical disciplines together. A variety of teaching methods within case-based and problem-based curricula are commonly used to teach embryology. Additional and supplementary resources including animations and videos are also typically utilised to demonstrate complex embryological processes such as septation, rotation and folding.We propose that there is a need for embryology teaching in the twenty-first century to evolve. This is particularly required in terms of appropriate visualisation resources and teaching methodologies which can ensure embryology learning is relevant to real-world scenarios. Here we explore embryology teaching resources and methodologies and review existing evidence-based studies on their implementation and impact on student learning. In doing so, we aim to inform and support the practice of embryology educators and the learning of their students.

Transition to Effective Online Anatomical Sciences Teaching and Assessments in the Pandemic Era of COVID-19 Should be Evidence-Based.

The world has changed rapidly since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the education community has not been immune to these changes. With abrupt school closings and a rapid transition to online teaching and learning, the educational technologies have been stretched to their limits and pedagogic approaches blossomed. As the world strives to reestablish normalcy, it will be under the influence of the long-lasting impact of the pandemic. This manuscript provides recommendations for the online conversion of anatomical sciences curricula in health sciences programs. Strategic guidelines are emerging for building on these changes to enhance teaching and learning in the current pandemic era.

Transition to Effective Online Anatomical Sciences Teaching and Assessments in the Pandemic Era of COVID-19 Should be Evidence-Based

The world has changed rapidly since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the education community has not been immune to these changes. With abrupt school closings and a rapid transition to online teaching and learning, the educational technologies have been stretched to their limits and pedagogic approaches blossomed. As the world strives to reestablish normalcy, it will be under the influence of the long-lasting impact of the pandemic. This manuscript provides recommendations for the online conversion of anatomical sciences curricula in health sciences programs. Strategic guidelines are emerging for building on these changes to enhance teaching and learning in the current pandemic era.