One of the inherent frustrations of learning human embryology is that it can be very difficult to visualize the dynamic events of developing systems using static textbook illustrations. The authors of this project sought to overcome this obstacle by developing web-based animations to assist student learning. The focus for this presentation is a series of interactive animations comparing the human fetal and postnatal cardiovascular circulation.

The software allows the user to work through each aspect of cardiovascular embryology at their own pace. The primary users are first year medical students at the Bloomington campus of the Indiana University School of Medicine. The students have responded very positively to these animations and said the animations greatly helped them understand cardiovascular embryology. These animations are housed on the web (http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/cvanim/fcs.html) and thus, not only offer our students easy access to the animations, but also allow access to anyone wishing to advance their understanding of human cardiovascular embryology.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:  

This program is a series of animations covering the embryology of the cardiovascular system. One of the inherent difficulties of teaching embryology is in trying to convey dynamic events using static methods i.e. overhead and textbook diagrams. Developed with Macromedia Flash, a web animation development application, this tool allows users to interactively work through dynamic presentations of the fetal cardiac circulation as well as see the changes that occur in the postnatal system.

Ruben Montoya
Jordan Hall 104
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812-855-7723
Fax: 812-855-4436
Email: rmontoya@indiana.edu
Website: http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/cvanim/fcs.html

CO-AUTHORS:
Dr. Valerie O'Laughlin
Jordan Hall 104
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812-855-7723
Fax: 812-855-4436
Email: vdean@indiana.edu
Website: http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/cvanim/