The application of team-based learning (TBL) as a major component of a medical gross anatomy course was evaluated. TBL is a method of small group instruction that addresses some of the shortcomings of other small-group teaching approaches. The core components of TBL were instituted in 12 small group sessions in the course. Each session included objective-oriented assignments, an individual readiness assurance test, a group readiness assurance test and a group application problem. Peer evaluation was carried out on a regular basis. Scores from TBL session activities and course examinations were analyzed and compared to previous years' course performance. Student course evaluation data and faculty feedback were also collected. Student evaluation data and faculty response indicated strong support for the TBL method as it was implemented in the course. Faculty noted improvements in students' day-to-day preparedness and group problem solving skills. Students' mean scores on exams were not significantly different from those of previous years. There was, however, a significantly smaller variance in examination scores that was reflected in a lower course failure rate compared to previous years. Correlation analyses of TBL and examination performance suggested that individual readiness assurance test performance is a good predictor of examination performance. TBL proved to be a superior method for small group learning in our anatomy course. Student performance suggested that TBL may most benefit academically at-risk students who are forced to study more consistently, are provided regular feedback on their preparedness and given the opportunity to develop higher reasoning skills.

Online lectures have been used in lieu of live lectures in our gross anatomy and embryology course for the past eight years. We examined patterns of online lecture use by our students and related that use to academic entry measures, gender and examination performance. Detailed access records identified by student were available from server logs. Total views per page of lecture material increased over the first six years, then decreased markedly between years seven and eight, possibly due to the recent availability of alternate forms of lecture audio. Lecture use peaked in midafternoon and again in the evening, although some use was seen at all hours. Usage was highest at midweek and lowest on Fridays as might be expected. Individual student's use varied widely from rates equivalent to less than one viewing/page to more than three viewings per page. Overall use by male students was greater than that of females and gender-specific differences in the daily pattern were seen. Lecture use was correlated to the Medical College Admission Test(®) (MCAT(®)) Verbal Reasoning and Physical Sciences scores but not to composite MCAT scores or undergraduate grade point average. Overall use appeared to be driven by scheduled team-based learning (TBL) sessions and major examinations. Specific subsets of lecture material were most often viewed before related TBL sessions and again during review for examinations. A small but significant correlation between lecture use and examination and course performance was seen, specifically in the male student population. These findings, along with earlier observations, suggest that varied use of online lectures is attributable to multiple factors.

Continuing evolution of computer-based multimedia technologies has produced QuickTime, a multiplatform digital media standard that is supported by stand-alone commercial programs and World Wide Web browsers. While its core functions might be most commonly employed for production and delivery of conventional video programs (e.g., lecture videos), additional QuickTime VR "virtual reality" features can be used to produce photorealistic, interactive "non-linear movies" of anatomical structures ranging in size from microscopic through gross anatomic. But what is really included in QuickTime VR and how can it be easily used to produce novel and innovative visualizations for education and research? This tutorial introduces the QuickTime multimedia environment, its QuickTime VR extensions, basic linear and non-linear digital video technologies, image acquisition, and other specialized QuickTime VR production methods. Four separate practical applications are presented for light and electron microscopy, dissectable preserved specimens, and explorable functional anatomy in magnetic resonance cinegrams.

An extensive Web site supporting our gross anatomy and embryology course, which includes various course management pages as well as online lectures, has been in use for the past 2 years. To determine how this Web site is being used by students, we examined server log files to track access to each of the Web pages on the site. Using this data, along with student responses on a course evaluation, we have been able to quantitatively characterize Web site use and gain some insight into students' perception of the site. This analysis showed that all of the resources available online, including course management information, exam reviews, online lectures, and dissection guides were heavily used and deemed useful by students. Despite universal computer ownership and Internet access from home, most use of the Web site was from on-campus computer labs, especially for lectures with audio streams. This was probably due to the limited bandwidth of off-campus connections. Data on the day of the week and time of the day of access showed peak activity at expected times, but also significant activity at all hours, as students took full advantage of 'access on demand.' This on-demand nature of the Web was also evident in students' viewing of lectures in short sessions rather than in one sitting. Online lectures were used regularly by a majority of students both before and after corresponding class sessions, however, this was not the preferred venue for all students. Although the flexibility of Web-based resources accommodates students' varying study habits, the alternative of traditional print material and live lectures should not be abandoned lightly.

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