Abstract:

Neuroscience has traditionally been a difficult subject to teach and learn. In an effort to ease the cognitive burden to the student when learning about the human brain, an interactive digital project was envisaged, based on the Visible Human Project of US National Library of Medicine.

It consisted of two digital sagittal images of the human head, hyperlinked to a series of sequential transverse-sliced images of the same brain at 10-20 mm intervals from the top of skull to its base, all loaded on a mobile PC-based offline platform. Copious labels, descriptive texts, explanatory notes, cross-links and on-the-fly quizzes supplemented the learning experience, besides rendering it an enjoyable interactive exercise.

Preliminary qualitative evaluations from medical students were encouraging. Non-dependency on Internet connectivity, sophisticated gadgetry or software enhanced its portability, versatility and usefulness. Comparison with eight similar digital learning media from other sources on the basis of 7 parameters confirmed the present digital project to be better than all of them, with a score of 6 on a 7-point scale.

Across the board viewers were also awed by the single-click, seamless interactivity and interconnectivity of the digital media-based project, making it an experience worth remembering by all observers.

While students can continue to learn from the project already created, definitive usability testing of the program with standardized instrument will cement its effectiveness. Furthermore, this work can be expanded to other fields of research and education which will benefit Health science students, Clinicians, Educators and Researchers in Anatomy, Radiology and Surgery.

Keywords: Interactivity, Digital media, College education, Neuroscience, Mobile platform, Standalone

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