Methods for Assessing Students' Learning of Histology: A Chronology Over 50 Years!

Over the past 50 years technology has made teaching and learning more interesting and has been a useful tool to motivate students to learn.Students today can learn using computers, iPads and mobile devices to access increasing numbers of educational websites and many eLearning apps. E-learning is now an integral component of most teaching delivery. There have been many innovations utilising both technology-enhanced and interactive learning strategies to revolutionise histology teaching. Now learning resources can be successfully delivered via the Internet, so students can complete all learning outcomes away from the traditional histology classroom environment (i.e. study histology online).The rapid developments in technologies and computer-based learning opportunities coincided with the appearance of Teaching and Learning Centres in Universities promoting teaching practices and supporting more improved learning strategies.This chapter describes how assessments in histology have become an important tool for student learning. A chronological documentation of various assessment opportunities enabled by the increasing use of technology will be described. In particular, assessment packages that engage students and return immediate feedback make histology learning efficient and significantly improve students' performance on examinations.Assessment strategies described here may be useful for "early career" histology teachers engaging eLearning and/or new teaching departments at new universities embarking on presenting curricula in newly established medical, dental and biomedical/health science programmes.This chapter is also an historical account of at least some assessment practices in histology over the past 50 years. Perhaps similar practices were used to assess student learning in other closely related disciplines such as anatomy including neuroanatomy.

Online, Interactive, Digital Visualisation Resources that Enhance Histology Education.

Teaching histology is expensive, particularly in some universities with limited or ageing resources such as microscope equipment and inadequate histological slide collections. Increasing numbers of student enrolments have required duplications of laboratory classes. Such practical classes are staff intensive and so teaching hours are increased. Technology can now solve many of these issues but perhaps, more importantly, can also cater to the self-directed and independent learning needs of today's learners.This chapter will describe and evaluate distinct innovations available on a global scale, utilising both technology-enhanced and interactive learning strategies to revolutionise histology teaching via successful online delivery of learning resources. Histology students can access these innovations to maximise their learning and enable them to complete all learning outcomes away from the traditional classroom environment (i.e., online). Most appropriately, all of these innovations address and help solve cognitive challenges that students experience in histology learning.Lecture recording platforms with engaging functionalities have enabled students to view lectures online. Using new innovative histology resources has eliminated the need for students to attend practical histology laboratory sessions. Instead, students can now study histology successfully and enjoyably in their own time. Learners can interact with unlimited numbers of high-quality images and click on hyperlinked text to identify key features of histological structures. Students can now use virtual microscopy to view digitised histological sections (virtual microscopy) at increasing levels of magnification. Consequently, there is no requirement for academic staff to be present when directing students through their learning objectives, which therefore eliminates formal, scheduled practical classes. The learning platforms offer a variety of formative assessment formats. On completion of a quiz, instant feedback can be provided for students, which makes histology learning efficient and can significantly improve student performance in examinations.However, there remains the issue that three-dimensional (3D) interpretation from traditional two-dimensional (2D) representations of cell, tissue, and organ structure can be cognitively challenging for many students. The popularity of using animations and 3D reconstructions to help learners understand and remember information has greatly increased since the advent of powerful graphics-oriented computers. This technology allows animations to be produced much more easily and cheaply than in previous years, whilst Cinema 4D technology has enhanced a new paradigm shift in teaching histology. 3D reconstruction and animations can meet the educational need and solve the dilemma.

A quantitative study of blood capillary formation (angiogenesis) concomitant with parenchymal tissue differentiation.

Examination of the rat corpus luteum (CL) provided quantitative data supporting adaptation of the developing vasculature to maximise efficient acceptance of steroids secreted from the luteal cells. Numbers of endothelial cells (ECs) significantly increased during the initial formation of the CL, followed by a further significant proliferation from day 10 to day 16 when there was maximal growth of the CL. As a consequence, there was significant growth of the vascular compartment during this time interval. The final phase of expanding endothelium (days 10 to 16) was a result of increased ECs volume with elongation of the EC in the direction of growth. Continued increase in capillary surface area and a corresponding marked reduction in diffusion distance between LC and ECs evidenced adaptation of the developing microvasculature to enable efficient endocrine function by day 16, when steroid secretion is maximal. Furthermore, from day 1 to day 3 there was close apposition of pericytes to the endothelium, suggesting the important role of pericytes in the initiation of angiogenesis. However, this degree of association was reduced from day 10 to day 16 and was a consequence of expansion of the EC cytoplasm to provide a greater surface area for transport of steroids.