Medical Anatomy and Pathology E-Learning Laboratory

“Teaching is the highest form of understanding.”

~ Aristotle
(Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scientist and Physician, 384 BC-322 BC)

Located on level three, Building 4 of the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences (JCSMHS) at Monash University Malaysia, the Medical Anatomy and Pathology E-Learning (MAPEL) Laboratory is an innovative teaching and learning facility developed and designed specifically to support collaborative learning in a technologically-enhanced environment. Currently, the Lab hosts anatomy and pathology learning materials, including an extensive collection of specimens and models supported by interactive multimedia and technological enhancements. Supported by a wide range of quality teaching and learning resources, the lab has been playing a significant role, through the integration of cutting-edge technology, in creating a conducive learning platform for today’s digital-generation learners by engaging medical and allied health students in active learning of anatomy and pathology, as well as other basic and clinical medical sciences since 2007.

As part of the initiative to enhance learning outcomes, the School constantly innovates and develops education strategies that support a collaborative learning and peer teaching framework for large student cohorts using the Lab. This approach encourages and motivates students to learn practical skills through more hands-on participation and interaction with resources, and also through working in teams. This multimodal approach helps students to improve their learning and higher-order thinking skills, whereby students are encouraged to learn to amalgamate theories and applied skills that will pave the way of their future practice in allied health sciences.

Objective

The Lab aims to facilitate practical learning experience for basic and clinical medical sciences in an innovative and technology-enhanced learning environment.

Educational Approach

Activity-based learning has been adopted as the main pedagogical approach at the Lab as it has been proven to be effective. Learning takes place when students interact with the digital technologies and learning resources, such as anatomy models, prosected human cadaveric specimens, anatomy e-books and interactive anatomy software. Such practical learning made available through the integration of multimedia and anatomical specimens as learning resources enhances the delivery of course content and helps students to develop core competencies in areas such as surface, radiological, procedural, and clinical and applied anatomy. It also supports students in honing soft skills such as communication and teamwork through a collaborative learning environment. Besides that, the use of the Audience Response System (or clickers) for students to give real-time feedback has been proven instrumental in engaging large student groups during anatomy practical skills learning.