Conference Presentations by Sean C . McWatt
Developing lasting knowledge of human anatomy is foundational for students in the health sciences... more Developing lasting knowledge of human anatomy is foundational for students in the health sciences. Anatomy teaching methods are constantly adapting to achieve this goal, despite time and resource limitations. Interventions that target the laboratory environment, such as moving from dissection‐ to prosection‐based teaching or adding computer‐assisted learning resources, are widespread. However, the long‐term effect of such interventions on knowledge retention is not well understood. Accordingly, this study evaluated 1) the influence of the laboratory learning environment (dissection‐ versus prosection‐based) and 2) the impact of a curriculum‐targeted computer‐assisted learning resource on long‐term knowledge recall among non‐medical undergraduate human anatomy students at the University of Guelph. Participants reported their demographic information, approaches to learning in the course, and use of the computer‐assisted learning resource through a combination of online and written surveys. Knowledge recall was assessed through a written test of short‐answer questions administered three months after the course ended. The test included two low‐order questions and two high‐order questions (based on the Blooming Anatomy Tool), which were evaluated using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome Taxonomy to yield performance scores. The performance scores were compared between dissection‐ and prosection‐based groups, as well as between low‐ and high‐frequency users of the computer‐assisted learning resource with the Mann‐Whitney U test. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between 1) the laboratory learning environment and performance and 2) use of the computer‐assisted learning resource and performance, while controlling for students’ approach to learning scores, final grades, and how recently they studied the material. The laboratory environment was not found to influence knowledge recall (p > 0.05). However, high‐frequency users of the computer‐assisted learning resource demonstrated stronger knowledge recall than low‐frequency users (p = 0.003) and use of the resource was strongly positively correlated with performance on high‐order questions (p = 0.014) when controlling for the aforementioned variables. Deep approaches to learning were positively associated with overall knowledge recall ability in both comparisons (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the dissection‐ and prosection‐based laboratory teaching approaches at the University of Guelph offered equal opportunities for long‐term knowledge retention; however, using the resource more frequently and pursuing a deeper approach to learning in the course may help students develop stronger long‐term knowledge recall abilities. Therefore, supplemental computer‐assisted learning resources can be used as a low‐risk intervention to support cadaver‐based human anatomy education and promote long‐term knowledge retention.
Learning is difficult to quantify. Several metrics for successful student learning have been expl... more Learning is difficult to quantify. Several metrics for successful student learning have been explored, the most popular of which is academic performance. However, academic performance does not always accurately represent nuanced outcomes such as meaningful learning and skill development, nor is it a successful predictor of long‐term knowledge retention. One metric that has demonstrated alignment with such qualitative learning outcomes is student approach to learning; a framework that evaluates the depth with which students interact with their learning environment and the course content. However, the student approach to learning framework has yet to be adequately investigated for its reliability as a metric for learning in human anatomy, specifically. One measure that has been shown to predict learning achievement in human anatomy is visuospatial ability. Individuals with high visuospatial abilities are typically faster and more successful at performing three‐dimensional anatomy tasks than those with low visuospatial abilities. It has been suggested that this may be due to differences in strategies used for learning by students with high (versus low) visuospatial abilities. Despite this, the degree of correlation between students’ approaches to learning and visuospatial abilities has yet to be investigated. The present study therefore aimed to examine the relationship between students’ approaches to learning, visuospatial abilities, and performance in anatomy to investigate the validity of the student approach to learning framework as an alternative metric to evaluate anatomy learning. Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Kinesiology students (n = 35) completed a Mental Rotations Test and Revised 2‐factor Study Process Questionnaire after the end of their first anatomy course. Responses and final course grades were examined using regression analyses to detect their degrees of correlation. We hypothesized that visuospatial ability would correlate positively with both anatomy performance and deep approach to learning scores and have a negative correlation with surface approach to learning scores. However, no significant correlations were found between visuospatial ability and deep or surface approach to learning scores at p ≤ 0.05. Anatomy performance was positively correlated with deep approach to learning scores (β = 0.427, p = 0.02) and negatively correlated with surface approach to learning scores (β = ‐0.704, p < 0.01) but had no significant correlation with visuospatial ability at p ≤ 0.05. The data suggest that visuospatial ability does not significantly influence students' approaches to learning; however, additional research on larger populations is required to explore these relationships further.
Historically, human anatomy has been taught using lectures and dissection-based (DI) cadaver labo... more Historically, human anatomy has been taught using lectures and dissection-based (DI) cadaver laboratories. However, many institutions face challenges such as limited financial resources, inadequate cadaver availability, and curricular time constraints that limit the use of DI laboratories. Consequently, prosection-based (PRO) environments have been favoured as less resource-intensive alternatives to DI. The benefits and drawbacks of using either DI or PRO have been debated for decades; however, since most institutions employ only one of these instructional environments, direct quantitative comparisons are rarely available. The University of Guelph offers a comprehensive human anatomy course in the third-year of the Human Kinetics and Biomedical Science undergraduate degree programs that includes both DI and PRO cohorts. All students attend the same lectures and complete the same examinations, but are enrolled in either a DI or PRO laboratory. PRO students learn from the donors dissected by their DI peers, and therefore witness a 'slow reveal' of structures throughout the course. In the present study, course experience (CE), student approach to learning (SAL), and course performance, were compared between students enrolled in DI (n = 147) and PRO (n = 44). CE was measured using the course experience questionnaire (CEQ), preferred (p-) and contextual (c-) deep (DA) and surface (SA) learning approaches were measured using the revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F), and grades on laboratory tests (LT), written tests (WT), and in-laboratory oral assessments (LOA) were analyzed alongside final course grades as performance outcomes. No significant differences in scores on any CEQ subscale were found between students in DI or PRO (p > 0.05). There was no significant main effect of laboratory type on SAL [F(1,189) = 0.119, p = 0.731, partial η 2 = 0.001], but PRO students reported significantly lower cSA scores than pSA scores [F(1,43) = 5.89, p = 0.020, partial η 2 = 0.120] and DI students had significantly higher cDA scores than pDA scores [F(1,146) = 21.55, p < 0.0005, partial η 2 = 0.129]. Furthermore, the main effect of SAL type indicated that both groups adopted significantly higher DA scores than SA scores [DA = 34.95 ± 0.494, SA = 23.06 ± 0.480, F(1,189) = 181.54, p < 0.0005, partial η 2 = 0.490]. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses with demographic data, preferred SAL scores, and CEQ subscale scores as covariates revealed that although laboratory type did not significantly influence the prediction of cSA scores (p = 0.413), participation in DI was positively associated with cDA score (β = 1.474 ± 0.724, p = 0.043). There were no significant differences in grades on LTs or WTs between DI and PRO students at p ≤ 0.05; however, DI students performed significantly better on LOAs than PRO students (DI = 91.96% ± 0.357, PRO = 87.09% ± 0.829, p < 0.0005) and had higher resulting final grades (β = 1.842 ± 0.885, p = 0.039). These findings suggest that DI and PRO laboratories both foster stronger DA than SA to learning, thus PRO may serve as an acceptable method of human anatomy instruction at institutions with limited resources. However, DI may better promote skills used in oral assessment such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Human anatomy education relies heavily on the use of high-quality images of cadaveric dissections... more Human anatomy education relies heavily on the use of high-quality images of cadaveric dissections for student reference. Despite continual advances in the available camera equipment for digital photography, depth of field remains a limitation when photographing anatomical specimens. To circumvent this issue, some anatomists use focus-stacking algorithms to enhance depth of field in anatomical images. Focus-stacking is a commonly used technique in microscopy whereby image processing software is used to fuse multiple digital images with different focal planes to create a single image with an extended depth of focus. This procedure aims to improve the quality of images used in anatomical education; however, objective evaluation of image quality is notoriously difficult. This is largely due to an inability to code algorithms that adequately parallel the human visual system (HVS). For this reason, subjective assessment has remained the gold standard for image quality evaluation. The goal of this study was to determine if focus-stacked images were superior to non-focus-stacked images in subjective image quality. For this comparison, focus-stacked cadaveric images were paired with identical non-focus-stacked controls (25 focus-stacked, 25 non-focus-stacked) and analyzed for image quality by human subjects. Participants ranked the images on a slider labelled with five adjectives: " Bad " , " Poor " , " Fair " , " Good " , and " Excellent " , and scores were converted to integers between 1-100 for analysis. Overall, focus-stacked images received a significantly higher overall subjective rating (78.34mm ± 1.14) than non-focus-stacked images (68.04mm ± 1.71; p < 0.01). Focus-stacked images were also chosen more frequently (64.44%) than non-FS images (6.67%; p < 0.01) in side-by-side comparisons. These data suggest a preference for focus-stacked photographs for clarity and quality in cadaveric imaging. Ultimately, the purpose of capturing cadaveric images is to include them in educational material directed toward human anatomy students. Therefore, a difference between perceived image quality may have important implications for the creation of high quality educational material in human anatomy and student learning.
During the first and final weeks of the course, students enrolled in HK*3401 and HK*3501 at the U... more During the first and final weeks of the course, students enrolled in HK*3401 and HK*3501 at the University of Guelph were invited to participate in an online survey via email. Participants completed two surveys (one in September and one in December) during the fall semester of 2014 that consisted of questions targeting student demographic information and learning approach. Student Learning Approach: The Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) was used in a repeated measures application to gauge student learning approach. 14 This questionnaire poses a series of Likert scale questions that gauge surface (SA) and deep (DA) learning approaches and sum to a score (out of 50) for each. 14 R-SPQ-2F scores were measured at the beginning and end of the semester (Fall 2014). Demographic information (i.e., age, gender, program and year of study, cumulative GPA) was obtained at the beginning of the semester. Statistical Analysis: All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Software Version 23. Effects of time (September vs. December) and of laboratory enrollment (dissection vs. prosection) were tested for the dependent variables, R-SPQ-2F DA and SA scores, using two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance (rANOVAs). Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare the effect of laboratory enrollment on the change in Anatomy is a field that lends itself to a wide range of teaching methodologies depending on class size, course level, time constraints, and the level of anatomical detail addressed. 1,2 The method by which an enriching laboratory learning environment is achieved has long been a topic for debate in the literature. 3-13 Historically, the University of Guelph has offered a full-body dissection-based human anatomy course (HK*3401) for third-year students in Human Kinetics and Bio-Medical Science. In the fall semester of 2010, an additional prosection-based course (HK*3501) was introduced to accommodate a growing student population. The HK*3401 and HK*3501 courses share identical course content, learning objectives, and lecture-and laboratory-based testing procedures. All students attend the same lecture period (three hours per week); however, the laboratory-activities differ between courses. Students enrolled in HK*3401 explore anatomical structures and relationships as they complete detailed, regionally-based, full-body dissections in three-hour weekly laboratories. Each week, HK*3501 (prosection) students have a two-hour laboratory in which they study from dissections prepared by the HK*3401 (dissection) students to meet the same educational objectives. In doing so, prosection students witness the gradual 'reveal' of structures as the dissections proceed throughout the academic year. The demand for human anatomy courses at the University of Guelph is extremely high; combined enrollment in HK*3401 and HK*3501 is approximately 320 students per semester. Our ongoing challenge is to provide a very high level of human anatomy education with our current resources. Thus, a long-term goal is to create supplemental digital teaching modules for incorporation into our program. It is not our intent to reduce or remove the cadaver-based laboratory component of our courses, but to use these tools to enhance the laboratory experience for our students. By providing the students with the resources they need to be self-sufficient in the laboratory, we hope to increase the efficiency with which we teach inside the laboratory. The objectives of the present study are to 1) characterize the current student populations (HK*3401 and HK*3501) and 2) compare the learning approaches taken by the HK*3401 and HK*3501 students. The findings of this study will be used to inform the development and evaluation of the proposed learning modules.
Influenced by research from other institutions, the University of Guelph has implemented first-ye... more Influenced by research from other institutions, the University of Guelph has implemented first-year seminar (FYS) courses to help new students undergo a successful transition into a university learning environment (Andrade, 2009; Ross and Boyle, 2007). These courses allow students to interact with faculty, graduate students, and their peers in small, engaging, research-intensive, and learner-centred groups that focus on creative and unique topics. During the winter semester of 2015, we designed a FYS course that explored the physical, social, emotional, psychological, and economical phenomena that may be experienced by an individual living with a spinal cord injury (SCI). The course was designed to provide an interdisciplinary and interactive learning experience through group-based activities, experiential learning, laboratory sessions, and guest lectures. The primary goal of the course was to develop transferable skills such as research, communication, and problem solving, while cultivating a love of learning. The students studied the anatomy of the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system with respect to cervical SCIs, and also learned from the perspectives of guest-lecturers with SCIs in order to foster their awareness of issues and common experiences within the SCI community. Assignments were aligned with course outcomes to facilitate the construction of knowledge within these areas (Biggs, 1996). Together, the assignments and teaching practices helped to shape the students into advocates for SCI and accessibility through community engagement. This poster aims to provide a forum for discussion with the instructors and past students of the FYS course to share teaching experiences, and ideas for innovation in other early post-secondary courses. Thus, by visiting this poster presentation, attendees will be able to: Discuss the challenges and opportunities of teaching first-year students with different backgrounds and interests Identify potential successes and failures of course design from the perspectives of both the
Papers by Sean C . McWatt
As hours devoted to human anatomy curricula fall under threat and curricular delivery methods rem... more As hours devoted to human anatomy curricula fall under threat and curricular delivery methods remain in flux, many new teaching innovations are emerging, which require comprehensive evaluation to ensure evidence-based teaching is maintained. Although grades are the predominant measure of 'learning', alternative metrics can assess more nuanced and meaningful outcomes. Two common predictors of students' three-dimensional understanding of the body and depth of learning are visuospatial abilities and approaches to learning, respectively. This study evaluated and compared This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Medical Science Educator, 2022
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person cadaveric dissection laboratories for teaching... more Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person cadaveric dissection laboratories for teaching anatomy were omitted by many schools around the world. While knowledge domains can be easily evaluated via remote exams, non-traditional discipline-independent skills such as those encouraged through reflection on the topic of death are often overlooked. This study investigated how different anatomy course formats played a role in initiating students’ reflections on death during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method
In fall 2020, 217 medical, dental, premedical, and health sciences students from 13 international universities discussed differences in their anatomy courses online. Formats of anatomy courses ranged from dissection-based, prosection-based, hybrid (combination of dissection and prosection) to no laboratory exposure at all. Students’ responses to the question, “Did/does your anatomy course initiate your thinking about life's passing?” were collected, and they self-reported themes that were present in their reflections on death using a multiple-choice prompt. Statistical analyses to detect differences between students with and without exposure to cadavers were performed using the chi-squared test.
Results
When comparing students who had exposure to human anatomical specimens to those who had no exposure, the majority of students with exposure thought that the course did initiate thoughts about life’s passing, compared to students without exposure (P < 0.05). Reflection themes were consistent across groups.
Discussion
These findings indicate that anatomy dissection courses are important for the initiation of students’ feelings about the topic of death. Omission of cadaveric dissection- or prosection-based laboratories will decrease the likelihood that students initiate reflection on this topic and gain important transferable skills.
Anatomical Sciences Education, 2021
Many institutions rely upon prosection‐based laboratories as more resource‐efficient and time‐eff... more Many institutions rely upon prosection‐based laboratories as more resource‐efficient and time‐effective alternatives to traditional cadaver dissection for human anatomy education. To facilitate growing enrollment numbers despite resource limitations, the University of Guelph (a non‐medical institution) introduced a modified ‘stepwise’ prosection‐based laboratory cohort to supplement a dissection‐based course. In this design, all students attended the same lectures, but those in the dissection‐based cohort learned by performing regional dissections and students in the prosection‐based cohort studied from those dissections. Prosection students thereby witnessed a ‘slow reveal’ of structures throughout the course. This study compared the perceived course experiences, student approaches to learning, and academic performance between the two groups. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to isolate the effect of the laboratory environment on student approaches to learning and academic performance from demographic and situational covariates. Both groups reported positive course experience ratings and high average final grades that were not statistically dissimilar (P > 0.05), increased reliance on deep approaches to learning (P = 0.002), and decreased reliance on surface approaches to learning (P = 0.023). When controlling for covariates, participation in dissection had small but statistically significant positive associations with deep approaches to learning (P = 0.043), performance on laboratory oral assessments (P < 0.001), and average final grades (P = 0.039). Ultimately, both designs promoted meaningful learning and desirable performance outcomes, indicating that both dissection and stepwise prosection have the potential to facilitate high quality human anatomy instruction.
Anatomical Sciences Education, 2021
In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) global pandemic forced many post‐secondary... more In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) global pandemic forced many post‐secondary institutions to move their teaching online, which had a substantial impact on students enrolled in laboratory‐based courses in fields like human anatomy. This descriptive study collected students’ perspectives on the transition to remote education, with specific attention to the teaching activities, resources, and assessments used in an undergraduate Clinical Human Visceral Anatomy course at McGill University. Through inductive semantic thematic analysis, student‐held values for effective remote education were identified and grouped into the following themes: (1) preferences for communication, (2) values for remote learning activities and resources, (3) values for remote assessment, and (4) perceived positive and negative impacts of remote education on learning. Students generally valued having clear communication, opportunities for both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, and flexible assessment formats that maintained alignment with the course outcomes and activities. Many felt that remote education had a net‐negative impact on their learning, satisfaction, and sense of community. However, there were no significant differences in grades on laboratory quizzes administered before and after the shutdown (P = 0.443), and grades on the remote final examination were significantly higher than those on the in‐person midterm examination (P < 0.001). These findings are discussed in the context of modern educational theories and practices related to remote teaching. Strategies for facilitating a student‐centered environment online are also proposed. Future longitudinal research into learning outcome attainment and the evolving perspectives of students and instructors operating in remote education contexts is warranted.
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Conference Presentations by Sean C . McWatt
Papers by Sean C . McWatt
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person cadaveric dissection laboratories for teaching anatomy were omitted by many schools around the world. While knowledge domains can be easily evaluated via remote exams, non-traditional discipline-independent skills such as those encouraged through reflection on the topic of death are often overlooked. This study investigated how different anatomy course formats played a role in initiating students’ reflections on death during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method
In fall 2020, 217 medical, dental, premedical, and health sciences students from 13 international universities discussed differences in their anatomy courses online. Formats of anatomy courses ranged from dissection-based, prosection-based, hybrid (combination of dissection and prosection) to no laboratory exposure at all. Students’ responses to the question, “Did/does your anatomy course initiate your thinking about life's passing?” were collected, and they self-reported themes that were present in their reflections on death using a multiple-choice prompt. Statistical analyses to detect differences between students with and without exposure to cadavers were performed using the chi-squared test.
Results
When comparing students who had exposure to human anatomical specimens to those who had no exposure, the majority of students with exposure thought that the course did initiate thoughts about life’s passing, compared to students without exposure (P < 0.05). Reflection themes were consistent across groups.
Discussion
These findings indicate that anatomy dissection courses are important for the initiation of students’ feelings about the topic of death. Omission of cadaveric dissection- or prosection-based laboratories will decrease the likelihood that students initiate reflection on this topic and gain important transferable skills.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person cadaveric dissection laboratories for teaching anatomy were omitted by many schools around the world. While knowledge domains can be easily evaluated via remote exams, non-traditional discipline-independent skills such as those encouraged through reflection on the topic of death are often overlooked. This study investigated how different anatomy course formats played a role in initiating students’ reflections on death during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method
In fall 2020, 217 medical, dental, premedical, and health sciences students from 13 international universities discussed differences in their anatomy courses online. Formats of anatomy courses ranged from dissection-based, prosection-based, hybrid (combination of dissection and prosection) to no laboratory exposure at all. Students’ responses to the question, “Did/does your anatomy course initiate your thinking about life's passing?” were collected, and they self-reported themes that were present in their reflections on death using a multiple-choice prompt. Statistical analyses to detect differences between students with and without exposure to cadavers were performed using the chi-squared test.
Results
When comparing students who had exposure to human anatomical specimens to those who had no exposure, the majority of students with exposure thought that the course did initiate thoughts about life’s passing, compared to students without exposure (P < 0.05). Reflection themes were consistent across groups.
Discussion
These findings indicate that anatomy dissection courses are important for the initiation of students’ feelings about the topic of death. Omission of cadaveric dissection- or prosection-based laboratories will decrease the likelihood that students initiate reflection on this topic and gain important transferable skills.