The effectiveness of using interactives on students in a high school human anatomy classroom

Abstract

My students have a difficult time staying attentive for long periods of lecture which leads to declining test scores. This project examines the integration of various interactive and visual activities to a traditional lecture-based high school anatomy class. The effects on short-term comprehension as well as long-term understanding along with student engagement and interest were studied. The effects of instructor comfort were also considered. This project made additions to the traditional lecture that was already being used in a high school Human Anatomy class in a small rural school in Iowa. The additions included podcasts, multiple pictures, short videos imbedded in the PowerPoint lectures, games used with iTouches, Webquests on the computer, and full length videos. Data were collected using preunit, postunit, and delayed assessments to determine student long-term and short-term comprehension. Also included were interviews of students and an on-line survey of students. The student interviews and an on-line survey were used along with an on-task checklist was used to gauge student engagement and student interest. In order to address instructor comfort, an instructor journal was used along with an interview and instructor assessment. The data indicate positive results as to students' short-term understanding and long-term retention of concepts. There was also an increase in student engagement and student understanding during the treatment units. Finally, there was an increase in instructor's comfort level during the treatment units.