Bob Neeves and Michelle Provost-Craig

In 1999, Bob Neeves reached the end of a grant project that brought anatomy and physiology to middle and high school students in the Christina (DE) School District. Based on its success, he decided to rework the project for his University of Delaware students.

"Originally we implemented the use of plastinated human cardiovascular and pulmonary specimens in Christina School District health classes. When the grant was no longer available, we used the plastinated specimens in two classes at the University of Delaware to offset the need for actual human cadaver specimens," says Bob Neeves, professor.

Based on positive student reactions to real human organs and the fact that their responses indicated a better understanding of cardiopulmonary principles and pathologies, Neeves used the project as the springboard for revamping his entire course. With input from the Center for Teaching Effectiveness and the PRESENT, Neeves moved away from traditional lectures and toward problem-based learning exercises, case studies and online presentations.

To get started, Neeves consulted the staff of the PRESENT for help putting material online. As a result, Neeves' PowerPoint slides became the basis of a program—UD's Slide Show Plus—for enhancing slides for the web.

Using the program and with the help of PRESENT staff member Becky Kinney, Neeves added interactivity to his PowerPoint presentations on the web in a way that includes detailed information and some self-test questions.

"Any PowerPoint slide show or sequence of static images can be enhanced with text, questions and labels using the existing templates," says Kinney. "The hardest part of adopting this format, from the faculty perspective, is writing the text and questions to accompany each slide."

The program provides a way for students to view images of human anatomy and review concepts through related quiz questions. Neeves and Kinney added interactive labeling to the presentation so that students could easily identify different portions of the heart and lungs.

Through plastination—a process that replaces water in biological tissue with liquid silicone, making an organ safe for classroom use—Neeves can provide students with human organs for learning. Slide Show Plus provides Neeves' students an opportunity for more time to learn the intricacies of human anatomy.

"Student response to the interactive web page images, text, and self-graded quizzes have been favorable. They would like to see more images, different views, more quiz questions, and outside web sites to expand their study resources," says Neeves.

What started as a project for the local middle and high school program became the catalyst for transforming how Neeves' students experience anatomy and physiology instruction.