Showercap mindmap: A spatial activity for learning physiology terminology and location

Thea Vanags; Mira Budimlic; Elissa Herbert; Melena M Montgomery; Tracy Vickers

doi:10.1152/advan.00095.2011

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Showercap mindmap: A spatial activity for learning physiology terminology and location

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Showercap mindmap: A spatial activity for learning physiology terminology and location

Thea Vanags, Mira Budimlic, Elissa Herbert, Melena M Montgomery and Tracy Vickers

Advances in Physiology Education, Vol.36(2), pp.125-130

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00095.2011

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Abstract

anatomic terms

kinesthetic learning

spatial learning

Students struggle with the volume and complexity of physiology terminology. We compared first-year undergraduate psychology students' learning of physiological terms using two teaching methods: one verbal (control group; n = 16) and one spatial and multisensory (experimental group; n = 19). The experimental group used clear plastic shower caps to mark brain regions and affix labels to another participant's head. The control group learned the material verbally through a game. When tested verbally, both the control and experimental groups recalled more of the 10 terms immediately after the activity (+106% and +83%, respectively) and 2 wk later (+53% and +31%, respectively) than at the pretest (P less than 0.0005). When participants' knowledge was tested spatially (labeling a brain diagram), the experimental group recalled more terms at the posttest (+76%) and followup (+73%) than at the pretest (P less than 0.0005), but the control group who showed no improvement at either time point (+12% and +14%, respectively). These findings support the notion that spatial and multisensory learning produces improved spatial recall over time while also supporting the notion of transfer-appropriate processing.

Details

Title: Showercap mindmap: A spatial activity for learning physiology terminology and location
Authors: Thea Vanags (Author) - University of Canberra
Mira Budimlic (Author) - University of Canberra
Elissa Herbert (Author) - University of Canberra
Melena M Montgomery (Author) - University of Canberra
Tracy Vickers (Author) - University of Canberra
Publication details: Advances in Physiology Education, Vol.36(2), pp.125-130
Publisher: American Physiological Society
Date published: 2012
DOI: 10.1152/advan.00095.2011
ISSN: 1043-4046
Organisation Unit: Centre for Support and Advancement of Learning and Teaching; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99448894602621
Output Type: Journal article

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Web Of Science research areas: Education, Scientific Disciplines; Physiology