Defying the dominant discourse: why contesting neoliberalism needs critical pedagogy in economics education

Both the dominant narrative in the economics discipline and the predominant mode of delivery of an economics education in colleges and universities mutually reinforce the authority of neoliberalism. This paper argues that a counterhegemonic pedagogy in addition to a pluralist curriculum equips students with the knowledge they need to exercise their own judgment as future economists, business leaders and policy makers. Beyond opening discussions of alternative theoretical and methodological approaches or separately, diversifying modes of delivery to promote critical thinking, an economics education engaging critical pedagogy can create the space students need to discuss not only the different assumptions about material relations and individual behavior intrinsic to various economic models, but also the assumed social relations in both the models studied and the construction of which knowledge defines economics as a field of study.     

Acquiring Clinical Knowledge from an Online Video Platform: A Randomized Controlled Experiment on the Relevance of Integrating Anatomical Information and Clinical Practice

Basic subjects in medical education, such as anatomy, are often taught through teaching formats that do not always sufficiently demonstrate the relevance of this basic information for clinical practice. Accordingly, it is a recent trend in anatomy education to link anatomical information more explicitly to clinical practice. This article presents an online video platform (Tuebingen’s Sectio Chirurgica [TSC]) as one means of explicitly integrating preclinical anatomical knowledge and clinical application. The purpose of the study presented here was to examine the effects of videos through which medical students were educated about Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction. A TSC video about this surgical procedure was compared to a video with a traditional lecture providing the identical information. Participants (n = 114) perceived the TSC video to be superior in comprehensibility of the presentation (P = 0.003) and conceivability of the surgical procedure (P = 0.027), and to be more entertaining (P < 0.001). Moreover, participants in the TSC condition acquired more clinical knowledge than in the lecture condition (P = 0.043) but did not differ in their acquisition of anatomical knowledge. Mediation analyses indicated that the effect on the acquisition of clinical knowledge was mediated by comprehensibility, conceivability, and entertainment. These findings are discussed regarding their implications for medical education in terms of contributing to the general trend of linking preclinical anatomical knowledge to clinical application. A discussion about the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also provided.     

The Twelve Cranial Nerves of Christmas: Mnemonics,Rhyme, and Anatomy – Seeing the Lighter Side

Anatomy, has in history, been linked to helpful ways to remember structures, branches of nerves, structures passing through foramina, etc. Scalp is even a mnemonic in itself (S kin, C onnective tissue, A poneurosis, L oose areolar tissue, P ericranium). There has been concern by some educators that using mnemonics or rhymes promotes a surface approach to learning and is unhelpful in establishing long-term and meaningful deep learning. This article argues that mnemonics and rhyme can be used, in the appropriate way, at the right time, by students as an important learning strategy. That strategy can help lay a foundation of knowledge to be developed and later built upon, or simply recall information more easily. Mnemonics, like all information that is to be recalled, is consolidated by rehearsal. In examining the neuroanatomy of learning theories, it is therefore possible to suggest that when students begin to learn an area of anatomy, such as the cranial nerves, using a mnemonic or rhyme, it can help students remember the names and facilitate the engagement of the working memory processes assisting the student to build a construct for subsequent deeper layers of knowledge. Modern approaches to anatomy education involve a myriad of learning opportunities, but educators must assess the value of each one before recommending them to students. It appears that using mnemonics and rhyme is as valid today as it has been for centuries.     

The Role of History and Ethics of Anatomy in Medical Education

While time spent on anatomical education in medical school curricula has been diminishing over the last decades, the recognized role of anatomical dissection has expanded. It is perceived by many students and faculty not only as the means of learning the structure and function of the human body, but also as an opportunity for the acquisition of professional competencies such as team work, patient–doctor interaction, medical epistemology, self-awareness, and an understanding of medical ethics. This viewpoint article proposes that this learning process can be supported effectively through studying examples from the history of anatomy, as insights from this history can help illuminate contemporary ethical issues in anatomy and medicine. Anatomical education can thus provide not only the opportunity of gaining awareness of ethical questions, but also a chance to practice these new insights within the protected environment of the laboratories, in interaction with the dead and the living. Consequently, a new role has developed for anatomists, which includes the interweaving of the scholarly exploration of the history and ethics of anatomy with the practical application of research results into a reframed concept of anatomical education. Anatomy, as a foundational discipline in the medical curriculum, can thus provide a first step on the educational path of empathetic and humane medical caregivers.     

Enhancement of Anatomical Education Using Augmented Reality: An Empirical Study of Body Painting

Students in undergraduate premedical anatomy courses may experience suboptimal and superficial learning experiences due to large class sizes, passive lecture styles, and difficult-to-master concepts. This study introduces an innovative, hands-on activity for human musculoskeletal system education with the aim of improving students’ level of engagement and knowledge retention. In this study, a collaborative learning intervention using the REFLECT (augmented reality for learning clinical anatomy) system is presented. The system uses the augmented reality magic mirror paradigm to superimpose anatomical visualizations over the user’s body in a large display, creating the impression that she sees the relevant anatomic illustrations inside her own body. The efficacy of this proposed system was evaluated in a large-scale controlled study, using a team-based muscle painting activity among undergraduate premedical students (n = 288) at the Johns Hopkins University. The baseline knowledge and post-intervention knowledge of the students were measured before and after the painting activity according to their assigned groups in the study. The results from knowledge tests and additional collected data demonstrate that the proposed interactive system enhanced learning of the musculoskeletal system with improved knowledge retention (F_(10,133) = 3.14, P < 0.001), increased time on task (F_(1,275) = 5.70, P < 0.01), and a high level of engagement (F_(9,273) = 8.28, P < 0.0001). The proposed REFLECT system will be of benefit as a complementary anatomy learning tool for students.     

Effects of an Educational Film About Body Donors on Students' Empathy and Anxiety Levels in Gross Anatomy

While most German anatomy institutes provide only limited information about body donors and their lives, students have expressed a desire to learn more about these individuals, especially about their motivations to donate their bodies for the sake of medical education. In order to gratify this wish, as well as to further humanize body donors, an educational film was compiled, and a study designed to capture the film's effects on medical students. This is the first study using standardized, validated psychological tools to evaluate the impact of an educational film about body donors on students’ empathy and psychological stress levels. The study followed a longitudinal, controlled, and cluster randomized design, including 77 (48 females/29 males) participants who watched the video either before, midway, or after the dissection course. Questionnaires were completed at four points in time applying the Jefferson Scale for Empathy (JSPE-S) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to measure empathy. Psychological stress levels were recorded by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Overall, students recommended the film to be shown to all students (median 6.0; maximum on the six-point Likert scale). Viewing the film revealed no significant changes between study groups or over time in JSPE-S sum scores. All groups demonstrated a significant reduction of BSI values before the dissection course actually started and increased values during the course, but both developments appeared not to be associated with the intervention. Overall, the educational film did not correlate with any negative effects on students’ empathy and psychological stress levels, and it was strongly approved of by students, as it provided more humanizing personal information about body donors without violating their anonymity.     

Undergraduate Medical Students' Usage and Perceptions of Anatomical Case-Based Learning: Comparison of Facilitated Small Group Discussions and eLearning Resources

While case-based discussions can empower students to apply knowledge to contextual clinical situations, scheduling these activities is a challenge in crowded curricula. Case-based eLearning activities, derived from existing cases discussed within anatomy small group tutorials, were created incorporating principles such as interactivity, reinforcement, and feedback. Over half of the students accessed one or more of these online cases, with 18% accessing all eight online cases provided. Access increased as the semester progressed, particularly just before summative examinations, implying students used these primarily as revision aides. Students rated both formats highly, but favored the online format with regard to enjoyment (P = 0.048), learning (P = 0.101), and feedback (P = 0.086). However, more students discussed these cases in small group tutorials within the anatomy dissecting room than completed them online (122 vs. 67) and themes emerging from free text comments included a desire to have more time dedicated to these cases during small group tutorials, and an appreciation for the opportunity for discussion with staff and learning through doing. Additionally, native English speakers rated the anatomy room discussions significantly higher in all aspects than non-native English speakers, suggesting that non-native speakers may be hesitant or reluctant to fully participate in front of peers. While online case-based learning activities are a useful adjunct to anatomy teaching, particularly for revision, assumptions that “digital natives” have an innate preference for digital resources require critical evaluation, as students still place a high value on opportunities for discussion with staff during their studies.     

Improving Academic Performance of Sport and Exercise Science Undergraduate Students in Gross Anatomy Using a Near-Peer Teaching Program

Peer and near-peer teaching programs are common in medical undergraduate courses. However, there are no studies that have investigated the effectiveness of a near-peer teaching program on the academic performance of undergraduate students pursuing sport and exercise science coursework. This study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of such a program for students who participated in a course on the functional anatomy of the locomotor apparatus. A total of 39 student participants were divided into two groups: students in one group voluntarily attended at least one session of a near-peer teaching program, and students in the other group attended no sessions. The final grade (range 0–100%) was recorded and used as an indicator of academic performance. The final grade of students who attended the near-peer teaching program (69.5 ± 16.0%) was 38.7% higher (P = 0.002, d = 1.06) than those who did not (50.1 ± 20.4%). When the academic performance of the same students was evaluated in another course (exercise physiology) that did not offer a near-peer teaching program, there were no significant differences between the groups (students who attended or did not attend the near-peer teaching program). A significant positive association was found between near-peer teaching program frequency and the number of students approved and not approved in the course (P = 0.041). A significant difference (P = 0.001) was found in the attendance at regular classes between the group who participated in the near-peer teaching program (median: 62 hours; IQR [interquartile ranges]: 4.0 hours) and those who did not (median: 58 hours; IQR: 4.0 hours). Gender was not a moderating factor on academic performance or near-peer teaching program attendance. These results highlight the effectiveness of a near-peer teaching program on the academic performance of students from a sport and exercise science degree program while enrolled in an anatomy course. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

What Does a Modern Anatomist Look like? Current Trends in the Training of Anatomy Educators

Anatomical sciences are foundational to the health professions, yet little is known about the qualifications of anatomy educators at the graduate and professional level in the United States. Moreover, there is concern that the number of qualified anatomy educators being trained may be insufficient to meet the growing demand posed by new and expanded programs in medicine and allied health specialties. The authors surveyed anatomists from across the country to (i) characterize the educational credentials of current anatomy educators and (ii) assess the perceived need for education-focused postdoctoral positions or formal mentorships to prepare anatomists for teaching-intensive faculty positions. To probe the survey responses more deeply, one-on-one interviews were conducted with eight individuals selected to represent a diverse sample of respondents in terms of institution, gender, and academic rank. Results indicate that 30–40% of educators at the graduate level and approximately 60% of those at the undergraduate level lack graduate coursework in histology, embryology, and neuroanatomy. Forty-five percent of respondents had completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Eighty-six percent replied “yes/maybe” to the question of whether an anatomy education postdoctoral fellowship would benefit doctoral graduates. The top 3 reasons for this recommendation were to (i) establish independent educational research, (ii) improve a publication record, and (iii) gain additional teaching experience. Notable weaknesses of education-focused postdoctoral training were related to finances, fear of exploitation, and undervaluing of teaching. Moving forward, postdoctoral fellowships and other forms of postgraduate training may represent a key strategy for training anatomists in the current educational climate. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000–000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.