Evaluation of virtual microscopy in medical histology teaching

Abstract

Histology stands as a major discipline in the life science curricula, and the practice of teaching it is based on theoretical didactic strategies along with practical training. Traditionally, students achieve practical competence in this subject by learning optical microscopy. Today, students can use newer information and communication technologies in the study of digital microscopic images. A virtual microscopy program was recently introduced at Ghent University. Since little empirical evidence is available concerning the impact of virtual microscopy (VM) versus optical microscopy (OM) on the acquisition of histology knowledge, this study was set up in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. A pretest-post test and cross-over design was adopted. In the first phase, the experiment yielded two groups in a total population of 199 students, Group 1 performing the practical sessions with OM versus Group 2 performing the same sessions with VM. In the second phase, the research subjects switched conditions. The prior knowledge level of all research subjects was assessed with a pretest. Knowledge acquisition was measured with a post test after each phase (T1 and T2). Analysis of covariance was carried out to study the differential gain in knowledge at T1 and T2, considering the possible differences in prior knowledge at the start of the study. The results pointed to non-significant differences at T1 and at T2. This supports the assumption that the acquisition of the histology knowledge is independent of the microscopy representation mode (VM versus OM) of the learning material. The conclusion that VM is equivalent to OM offers new directions in view of ongoing innovations in medical education technology.

From chalkboard, slides, and paper to e‐learning: How computing technologies have transformed anatomical sciences education

“…Braun and Kearns () reported that virtual microscopy provided increased learning efficiency and student collaboration in learning pathology, compared with prior optical microscopy methods. Mione et al () provided controlled cross‐over study evidence that student learning performance with virtual microscopy is comparable to that with optical microscopy, for acquiring image‐based knowledge in medical histology. Digital slide collections and “virtual microscopy” have become more widely accepted for use in microscopic anatomy laboratory instruction (Pinder et al, ; McBride and Prayson, ; Gatumu et al, ), and a recent American Association of Anatomists' survey showed that a majority of respondent institutions used virtual microscopy alone or in conjunction with microscopes (Drake et al, ).…”

Learning pathology using collaborative vs. individual annotation of whole slide images: a mixed methods trial

“…This would enable exploration of whether high-performing students benefit more or less from a collaborative approach than low-performing students, as has been suggested previously [15]. The administration of a pre-intervention test would also provide a baseline level for comparison with the post-intervention results [55]. …”

Clinical Case‐Based Image Portfolios in Medical Histopathology

“…While virtual microscopy represented a highly innovative milestone in medical education (Gatumu, et al, ; Wilson et al, ), and has been associated with equivalent or improved mastery of medical histopathology (Krippendorf and Lough, ; Bloodgood and Ogilvie, ; Braun and Kearns, ; Triola and Holloway, ; Mione et al, ; Tian et al, ), it did not resolve a major drawback in histopathology training—namely, a lack of student engagement during laboratory sessions that had been noted empirically at other medical schools (Black and Smith, ) as well as at UT‐Health, San Antonio. Student frustration occurred at multiple levels including difficulties in locating and identifying specific cells or tissues, correlating microscopic observations with other content in a given module, and appreciating the importance of histopathology in the clinical practice of medicine.…”