Abstract:

Learning the anatomy of the lower extremity in health sciences has the disadvantage that few texts dedicate a high percentage of their content to this human region and especially to the foot. We find fewer resources when we look for hands-on activities that students can do in class and reuse later for their no-presential learning. In relation to practical activities, the use of three-dimensional and piece-based models are a very useful resource, but the student is rarely able to take them home or acquire those that are more specialized. The most common resource for the study is atlases (text-pictures). With the intention of providing a practical tool and at the same time a reusable resource for the student in their no-presential work, we have developed paper-cut-out puzzles of the short muscles of the foot to facilitate the practical activity and that the student has a resource that can be used when integrating concepts effectively.

The material is generated in such a way that the student cuts the short muscles of the foot, both on the back and on the sole, and then has to place the pieces obtained in the different planes correctly. This cut-out puzzle has been used in the practice of the first year of the Degree in Podiatry of the UEX, corresponding to the anatomy of the foot within the subject Anatomy of the Lower Extremity and carried out by 60 students who have subsequently been surveyed about the characteristics of the activity and additionally a questionnaire of contents of the practice has been made. The results show that 100% of students consider the activity interesting, useful, would recommend it to other classmates and prefer it to other paper tools. Only 5.1% consider it ineffective and 15.5% have had some difficulty doing so. They give the activity an average grade of 9.1. Approximately 20% consider it appropriate to make some change, but few in general, only 12.7% propose any change related to the size and colors of the pieces, as well as the possibility of them being adhesive. The results of the content questionnaire show good scores for the students in the recognition of the muscle structures of the foot (9.2 and 8.4 average marks in the questions asked).

In conclusion, we can say that this type of tool and the activities that can be carried out with it are of great interest to students and also generates a resource that they can easily manage autonomously for their learning and training. Despite being a paper resource, it is transformed into a three-dimensional tool that provides a spatial vision, which is essential to correctly locate the muscles to be studied. This provides the student with an important ability to assimilate insertions and locate the musculature. Therefore, we consider it highly recommended to work on this type of resource to facilitate our students' learning in anatomy.

Keywords:

2D resources, 3D resources, Learning in Anatomy, practical classes.