Abstract
Zoom is a feasible alternative supporting subject that adopts conventional face-to-face teaching pedagogy. It, however, raises challenges among subjects, such as Anatomy teaching which emphasizes hands-on practicum in dissection sessions using plastinated cadaveric specimens for the health professional students. The inadequacy of Zoom needs to be overcome by using additional teaching materials to meet the teaching quality and expectation.
The principle aim of this project is to evaluate how the live demonstration by using Zoom can generate student engagement in gaining the experiential learning. The proposed project will organize three Zoom Practical sessions performing live shooting specimens for demonstrations. We also hold the interactive activities with Zoom function modes, e.g. “Whiteboard”. “Share Screen” or “Breakout room” to make students actively learning. The interactive communication can guide them to review and proceed the new knowledge in the virtual environment when they join the Zoom teaching activities, which provide better resources in filling up of the gap in the competencies.
At the end of the project, survey will be conducted to investigate if the strategy can still make available good practices for students to consolidate and broaden their understandings. Importantly, our team will explore the feasibility of them serving the urgent need of the flipped classroom in education.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The principle aim of this project is to evaluate how live demonstration by using Zoom can encourage student engagement in gaining experiential learning. The proposed project will organise three Zoom practical sessions performing live shooting specimens for demonstrations. We also hold interactive activities with Zoom function modes, e.g. “Whiteboard”. “Share Screen” or “Breakout room” to facilitate students’ active learning. The interactive communication can guide them to review and gain new knowledge in the virtual environment when they join the Zoom teaching activities, which provides better resources to fill the competency gap.
Activities, process and outcomes
The practical activity via Zoom is arranged to be conducted within the two-hour period in the practical session of the two courses scheduled from 11:30 to 13:15, which is the regular teaching hour in the timetable. The itinerary has to be well in order to achieve our objectives. The arrangement has been planned as below:
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Duration
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Activity
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5 mins
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Brief how the Zoom practical run
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35 mins
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Zoom for a live demonstration on the
platinated specimen in systems
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25 mins
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10 Breakout rooms sessions for the group
discussions (6 to 7 students per group)
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40 mins
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Group presentations
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After the
practical
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Survey via the Blackboard system
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Deliverables and evaluation
The deliverables and outcomes of the project will be executed and applied to the three courses as stated in our proposal. Due to the cancellation of the anatomy practical, our team has revised the planning to two courses as listed below:
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Courses/Programme
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Target Students
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Class Size
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Human Anatomy and Physiology II (SBMS1432)
and Anatomy and Physiology II (PHAR1434)
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Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacy
Students
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~100 students
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Online anonymous surveys using a 5-point Likert scale ranges from (1) ‘strongly disagreed’, (2) ‘disagreed’, (3) ‘neutral’, (4) ‘agreed’, and (5) ‘strongly agreed’ have been administered to students of the two courses. Data analyses have been conducted for evaluation purpose.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
Based on our experience of the practical zoom activity, we can share our creative and innovative insight in using Zoom for the interactive eLearning practical teaching, including areas such as setting up interactive eLearning environment for students, encouraging team spirit among project team members, and having a good plan for execution and inspiration.
Impact on teaching and learning
Anatomy is a core subject that requires hands-on practicum. Now, its traditional delivery format for knowledge acquisition moves to unprecedentedly new normal due to restriction of face-to-face teaching in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The video conferencing system (VCS), such as the CUHK’s adopted Zoom platform, is a real-time network connecting remote participants from different locations for interactive communication. It is a good alternative for subjects requiring only didactic lectures but might not be realistic for anatomy teaching and learning.
This presentation describes (1) the challenges in modifying teaching materials that suit online medium; and (2) a teaching strategy – inviting senior peers from Medicine and Biomedical sciences Programs to join the session with junior students from the Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacy Programs.
Our team has investigated if students still have the opportunities to learn interactively through the live demonstration via the ‘screen sharing’ functional mode. We also evaluated if the senior peers work as facilitators to discuss learning initiatives with students via the ‘breakout room’ function mode can extend the potential clinical relevance to their learning in anatomical structures.
Our experience and students’ feedback showed that stakeholders overcome the limitation with some concerns. Compared with face-to-face teaching, the demand for teaching preparation online is neither easy nor light but challenging at another escalated level. It requires a multiple-disciplinary effort in preparing video shooting ahead of the real-time class. On-sites challenges, including spatial examination of platinated specimens, didactic interpretation of the anatomical structures and the clinical significance of the structures were encountered.
Our poster presentation “
The Video Conference System Facilitates Synchronous Teaching and Learning in Anatomy Education” was awarded ‘People’s Prize Certificate’ in the Teaching & Learning Innovation Expo 2019, CUHK.
