Abstract:

Teaching anatomy in health sciences remains a significant challenge due to the extensive descriptive content and the need to memorise complex terminology, which can reduce student motivation and hinder the understanding of three-dimensional structures. Moreover, despite its central role in training, students perceive anatomy as lacking direct relevance to their future professional practice.

To address these limitations and enhance student engagement, innovative technological tools, such as virtual reality and interactive 3D resources, are increasingly being integrated into anatomy education. In this context, we present a teaching innovation implemented in the Visual System Anatomy course of the Optics and Optometry degree programme at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. This initiative aims to promote a more experiential, immersive, and professionally contextualised learning approach.

The strategy is based on a multimodal learning model that incorporates active learning methodologies and diverse teaching resources, including virtual reality, 3D models, microscopy, anatomical colouring, and biomicroscopy. This approach seeks to foster a deeper understanding of visual system anatomy while linking theoretical knowledge to its application in professional practice.

The experience was implemented during the second semester of the 2025–2026 academic year within the practical component of the course. It consists of six two-hour sessions redesigned according to this approach. Each session is structured around guided protocols that students complete in small groups (2–3 participants), followed by a brief individual assessment. Data on student learning, engagement, and satisfaction were collected through these practical guides and assessments. Additionally, two ad hoc surveys (pre- and post-intervention), administered via Google Forms in January and May 2026, were used to evaluate changes in student motivation and satisfaction.

Preliminary results from the first three sessions indicate that students perceive virtual reality as more beneficial for learning than traditional 3D models. The immersive environment allows them to explore anatomical structures from within and to visualise labelled components in context, facilitating retention and understanding. Data analysis is ongoing, and full results will be presented at the conference.

The redesigned format is expected to improve students' ability to identify and locate anatomical structures, recognise tissues through histological observation, and better understand three-dimensional anatomical organisation. Overall, this approach aims to enhance student motivation and promote deeper, more active engagement with anatomical learning.

Keywords:

Educational innovation, higher education, multimodal learning, virtual reality, experiential learning, anatomy