The effectiveness and required mental effort of using virtual reality in anatomy learning

Abstract

<p>At the University of Hong Kong, we use Virtual Reality (VR) platforms to teach anatomy to medical and dental students. VR offers students the opportunity to visualize anatomical structures in detailed 3D models with an increased sense of immersion, realism and stereopsis. However, we have noticed that there is a steep learning curve associated with the use of VR that may increase cognitive load and impede learning. Therefore, in this pilot study, we compared both the effectiveness and required mental effort of using VR versus paper-based atlases on the ability to recognize anatomical structures. We conducted a simple experiment with a pretest/posttest design with sixty first-year undergraduate students of Dental Surgery at the University of Hong Kong. A group (n= 33) used our VR systems to identify the extraocular muscles in the orbit whereas another group (n= 27) used atlases. All students were assessed with a spotter test both one week prior to the learning session and immediately after it. Moreover, all participants responded to the Paas 9-point Likert mental-effort rating scale at the end of the learning activity. Both the VR group (pretest mean = 0.88; posttest mean = 2.15; p<0.0001) and the atlas group (pretest mean = 1.11; posttest mean = 1.96; p=0.0054) achieved significantly higher scores in the posttest compared to the pretest. The reported mental effort required to complete the learning activity was significantly higher in the VR group (mean atlas = 3.48; mean VR = 6.06; p<0.0001). Our results suggest that using either 3D models in a VR environment or simple 2D illustrations enhances the ability to recognize newly learned anatomical structures in cadaveric specimens. Although VR has unique and exciting advantages in anatomy education, its use involves a possibly hindering amount of mental effort. While several factors may explain this phenomenon, we argue that the application of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, as a framework for instructional design, could improve the cognitive load efficiency of VR-based teaching and learning in anatomy. This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Hong Kong (EA210204). <br></p>