The The teaching and learning process of human anatomy

an evaluation of strategies

Abstract

Human anatomy is a compulsory subject in health courses, and it may
be taught using different educational strategies. This study analyzes the involvement
of students with anatomy learning, assesses previous knowledge about contents
covered, and evaluates the effectiveness of three strategies for the teaching of
anatomical structures: inspection of dissected anatomical specimens using an
anatomy atlas, drawings made after inspection of an atlas, and study of an interactive
atlas. Students (n = 120) of health-related courses answered a questionnaire about
relevant anatomy topics before and after the educational practices. Questions about
their involvement in the process were also included. The results show that students
performed better in the second test. Students also showed difficulty to understand
elementary concepts such as tangential planes and muscle layers. It was concluded
that there was a slight evolution in the acquisition of knowledge about anatomy, after
the application of the strategies used.