My research aims to provide quality, variety and engagement in anatomy education at minimal cost through development and evaluation of artistic and other innovative learning methods. Outputs have been achieved through collaborations with professional visual artist Rachael Allen and undergraduate project student partners and have contributed to my Teaching Excellence Award in 2015 for innovation (FMS).

Initially, we designed our novel cyclical artistic learning process Observe-reflect-draw-edit-repeat (ORDER) to provide a theoretical and practical framework for the use of artistic methods in anatomy, work that has been presented at Anatomical Society conferences [1, 2] and elsewhere. A manuscript outlining our design and experimental evaluation of ORDER has recently been submitted to an anatomy education journal for publication [3].

Our current focus concerns reciprocal transitions in understanding between 3D anatomical structures and 2D clinical images as a threshold concept. Ongoing work will demonstrate how we have developed ORDER to facilitate these transitions through 3D anatomical modelling and 2D cross-sectional drawing in practical sessions and with supplementary interactive online video tutorials [4]. Our future work will explore social media tools in learning and teaching and innovative embryology resources.

Our 2014 NICAP (Newcastle University Institute of Creative Arts Practice) Award has funded Artatomy, an exhibition of anatomical artwork created by FMS students that began with optional dissecting room drawing sessions. Artatomy opened at the Venue, Students Union in April and ran for a durational show at the Centre for Life during summer 2015. Artatomy has been covered by Times Higher Education [5] and Research Fortnight [6].

Dr Iain Keenan, School of Medical Education

1. Backhouse, M., et al. ORDER (observe-reflect-draw-edit-repeat): a novel cyclical learning process in anatomy education. in Anatomical Society Summer Meeting 2014 Skin and Bones. 2014. University of Bradford: Journal of Anatomy.
2. Keenan, I.D., et al. The future ORDER: a student partner approach for evidence-based evaluation and implementation of an ‘observe–reflect–draw–edit–repeat’ artistic learning process in anatomy education. in Anatomical Society Winter 2013: Assessment and Sense Organs. 2013. Newcastle University: Journal of Anatomy.
3. Backhouse, M., et al., ORDER (observe-reflect-draw-edit-repeat): Design and evaluation of a novel cyclical artistic learning process for anatomy education. 2015, in preparation.
4. Hutchinson, J. and I.D. Keenan, Design and evaluation of online interactive video tutorials for the use of ORDER (observe-reflect-draw-edit-repeat) as an adjunct to anatomy learning. 2015, in preparation.
5. Campus News – Newcastle University. 2015 26.08.15]; Available from: https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/content/minority-students-benefit-from-confidence-building-measures.
6. Brooks, J. Newcastle builds bridges between art and science. 2015 26.08.15]; Available from: http://www.researchresearch.com/index.php?option=com_news&template=rr_2col&view=article&articleId=1352358.