Proposal Title
Rethinking norms in educational practices to promote appreciation of variation: Lessons from human anatomy
Session Type
Presentation
Room
Somerville House, room 3317
Start Date
12-7-2023 1:30 PM
End Date
12-7-2023 1:50 PM
Keywords
Educational resources, teaching practices, norms and variations, scoping review, gross anatomy education, anatomical variations
Primary Threads
Teaching and Learning Science
Abstract
Across disciplines, teaching approaches and educational resources that are based on norms prevail—a norm is defined as a standard or typical practice, convention, or procedure. Although norms often have a historical basis and may be used to simplify complex content, their frequent use in education often disregards and disvalues variation. Variation can present valuable learning opportunities for students, promoting the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills, and humanizing their learning. An example of norms and variation in the discipline of gross anatomy is the frequent use of the “standard human body” in teaching. This idealized view typically does not account for anatomical variations despite their prevalence across the human population. This practice can contribute to alienation within gross anatomy classrooms, with students not feeling represented in the images and terms that they are exposed to. The main aim of this study is to investigate the impact of anatomical variations in gross anatomy courses to inform the creation of updated educational resources. A scoping review was conducted to explore teaching approaches for, and student outcomes of, including anatomical variations in undergraduate, graduate, and professional gross anatomy courses. Scoping reviews are a valuable approach in educational research to systematically explore available evidence related to a problem, elucidate knowledge gaps, and inform updated inclusive practices. Awareness of the norms present in one’s discipline can inform the intentional inclusion of variations in educational approaches and resources, contributing to the inclusion and appreciation of diversity within and across fields of study.
Elements of Engagement
The presentation will incorporate a description of the process behind the development of the research project, specifically the scoping review. It will also include personal anecdotes from the presenter’s own experiences in gross anatomy courses as a student and instructor. Polls will be incorporated into the presentation to understand the demographics of the room, specifically in relation to individuals’ disciplines and experience with gross anatomy. A think-pair-share will also be incorporated for the audience to reflect on norms in their own discipline and ways that variations can be incorporated.
Rethinking norms in educational practices to promote appreciation of variation: Lessons from human anatomy
Somerville House, room 3317
Across disciplines, teaching approaches and educational resources that are based on norms prevail—a norm is defined as a standard or typical practice, convention, or procedure. Although norms often have a historical basis and may be used to simplify complex content, their frequent use in education often disregards and disvalues variation. Variation can present valuable learning opportunities for students, promoting the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills, and humanizing their learning. An example of norms and variation in the discipline of gross anatomy is the frequent use of the “standard human body” in teaching. This idealized view typically does not account for anatomical variations despite their prevalence across the human population. This practice can contribute to alienation within gross anatomy classrooms, with students not feeling represented in the images and terms that they are exposed to. The main aim of this study is to investigate the impact of anatomical variations in gross anatomy courses to inform the creation of updated educational resources. A scoping review was conducted to explore teaching approaches for, and student outcomes of, including anatomical variations in undergraduate, graduate, and professional gross anatomy courses. Scoping reviews are a valuable approach in educational research to systematically explore available evidence related to a problem, elucidate knowledge gaps, and inform updated inclusive practices. Awareness of the norms present in one’s discipline can inform the intentional inclusion of variations in educational approaches and resources, contributing to the inclusion and appreciation of diversity within and across fields of study.