in the classroom
Teaching dissection through digital methods ensures that no student or school misses an experience .
Heart of the matter
Bringing dissections into the 21st century .
By Edwina Baden-Powell
Dissection is an often contentious topic , but it remains a fundamental skill for any student looking to pursue the fields of nursing , veterinary science and dentistry , to name but a few . Skills learnt in dissections help students to better prepare for their future careers .
Dissections take things from a 2D perspective to a 3D perspective , and real life dissections will invariably be different to that of a diagram . They increase the opportunity for students to observe , reason and identify parts that can in fact look nothing like what they have seen in a textbook or imagined in their reading or viewed on a plastic model .
But despite the clear educational benefit for in-class dissection , there are some vocal critics who argue that the practice is outdated and unnecessary .
While there are valid ethical reasons why some students and teachers would not want to participate in dissections , it ’ s important to remember that all organs available for dissection in Australia come from animals that were set euthanised for alternative reasons or were by-products of the food production process . The cane toad , for example , is a pest animal that is exterminated every day .
Plus , any teaching activities that involve the care and use of , or interaction with , animals must comply with the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes , in addition to relevant state or territory guidelines .
GOING DIGITAL For those teachers and students who remain reluctant , however , there are options . We ’ re living in the world of Zoom and online classrooms , where digital education is simpler and more effective than ever before . Video is a great way for students to learn about dissection , and doesn ’ t result in the same issues of cost and accessibility of traditional in-classroom dissection .
Video allows a flexible approach to teaching , encouraging a whole-class student interaction with dissection . The ability to pause and discuss the content can help enhance the assimilation of information , and allows students to rewatch content in their own time , returning to master or refresh particular concepts . Dissection is performed by experts for the highest quality demonstrations , while clear , illustrative diagrams can help convey the structural organisation of each organ .
THE CHALLENGES OF IN-CLASS DISSECTION In many cases , video and digital anatomical models may be the only option . Organ availability , budget and specialist knowledge are all huge barriers for teachers looking to teach dissection in the classroom .
Strict rules and regulations related to handling blood products for schools discourages teachers from doing hands-on procedures , while some teachers and students simply don ’ t want to perform hands-on dissections for ethical or moral reasons .
Research from the University of Sydney has revealed that one in eight STEM teachers often teach out of their subject area , with a significant number of Year 10 students across Australia being taught STEM by an out-of-field teacher . There ’ s no doubt that this applies to dissection , too , an area that requires specialist skills and training .
Many organs received for dissections in schools are not complete or there is an anomaly in the organ . While this is interesting , it can lead to confusion in students who are trying to identify something that is either not present or is instead inverted , much smaller , or completely different to what it would normally be .
Teaching dissection through digital methods ensures that no student or school misses an experience entirely . Students who have strong ethical , moral reasons or lack of parental consent need not be removed from the class , and can work on other activities in the same room .
The modern classroom already does a great job of combining the best elements of in-class teaching with digital and video . There ’ s no reason why dissection shouldn ’ t evolve in the same way , and in turn , provide an even better experience for students and teachers alike . ■
Edwina Baden-Powell is the Head of Production for ClickView Australia .
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