To Dissect
or not to dissect?
Shannon Shackles
With technology on the rise, many people argue that live dissections are no longer necessary since there are virtual programs available that teach anatomy with the same effectiveness. Virtual dissection allows students to use interactive software featuring animated objects, charts and diagrams, and multimedia such as video clips (Lalley et al, 2013).
Research based in middle schools and high schools have indicated that learning outcomes in science can be met with virtual alternatives and student knowledge gain can be equivalent, sometimes better than a live dissection (Oakley, 2011).
One example of a virtual dissection tool is V-Frog. This is a virtual reality software that allows students to work with a specimen that can be cut and explored in ways that are unique to each individual student. Each individual cut is a live, real-time interaction creating unique experiences for each student (Lalley et al, 2013).
The video to the left gives an overview of this V-Frog technology.
You can learn more about virtual dissection technology on the V-Frog website below.
Introduction