UNSW Embryology
School of Anatomy
Awakenings 2 Abstract

© M.A. Hill, 1997

Awakenings 2 was the second conference held in Sydney in 1997 to discuss new techniques and issues in Medical Education.

AN INTERACTIVE EMBRYOLOGY PROGRAM AVAILABLE IN THE CLASS, ON THE WEB AND ON CD.

M.A. Hill, Cell Biology Lab, School of Anatomy, The University of New South Wales, 2052.

Email: m.hill@unsw.edu.au

A new program has been developed to make educational and latest research material in Embryology available to medical and science students. The original concept and format of the material built upon resources from our existing practical courses with substantial additional new material. This allows students to identify early events in embryology and later developmental relationships between tissues and organs. For example, complex subjects, such as septation of the heart, can now be viewed in a number of formats: 1. in cross-section at different stages, 2. as a sequence of sections through an embryonic heart, unlabelled, or labelled or as a tutorial, 3. as movies of different heart stages, models that can be rotated and viewed with labels. 4. with reference to specific text sections on the subject. 5. giving the latest research findings in cardiac development including current key papers. 6. hyperlinked to external Web resources including Journals and genomic databases. 7. links to relevant lecture material. 8. abnormalities both genetic and environmental. All these sections are linked and the student has the ability to follow specific concepts or try alternative learning methods. All UNSW students have email accounts and email links within the program allow them to ask specific questions of the lecturer or tutor.

This resource UNSW Embryology (Version 1.0) © M.A. Hill, 1997 was made available as a trial in late 1996 within the School of Anatomy. The current program is available on the Web [http//:www.embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryo/embryo.htm] and within the School of Anatomy and is being continuously updated. The Web site has daily up to 150 visits with 1,188 page requests, approx 50% are within class hours the balance in a band period between 6 - 12pm [source: Microsoft Site Server Express Analysis]. For personal study, and to minimise student cost in accessing the Web information, the program is also on a compact disc for both Macintosh and Windows computers (cost $30). The program can be easily adapted and made available for use by other educational Embryology-based courses.

Please Note costs shown reflect the original 1997 CD cost of production, which has significantly fallen over time.