Development and acceptability of a mobile app on the embryonic development of the heart

Abstract

Embryology has conventionally been taught through twodimensional (2D) illustration, which can be difficult to conceptualise three-dimensionally (3D). Current technological and computer graphics are able to construct 3D embryos for educational multimedia resources through desktops computers, but this restricts users’ access to time and place. Latest mobile devices, which are capable of running similar multimedia resources through applications (apps), can be a suitable alternative as they are portable and more accessible. The aim of this project was to build a mobile app that teaches on the embryonic development of the heart as an adjunct to conventional teaching methods and to evaluate its acceptability by students as a learning resource. With the support from Touch Surgery Labs, we built a 3D embryonic heart into an app with five modules, each illustrating a region of the heart developing at a time-line. Users can learn through the animations or assess their knowledge through a ‘Test’ mode. The app was introduced to 16 volunteered first-year medical students at University of Edinburgh for 1 month and feedbacks were obtained to assess their acceptability of the app using a Likert scale. Overall, students accepted the app as a useful learning tool which improved their visual understanding and retention of knowledge of the embryonic development of the heart. Our project concluded that mobile apps can be a promising avenue for students to learn cardiac embryology; however, an objective quantitative study is needed to assess the effectiveness of this tool. No ethical approval was required for this project.