Anat Biol Anthropol.  2021 Dec;34(4):127-135. 10.11637/aba.2021.34.4.127.

Suggestion of the Modeling of the Developing Heart Using Polymer Clay

• Joo KM
• Jeon SK
• Kwon HY
• Hwang Yi

• KMID: 2525640
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11637/aba.2021.34.4.127

Abstract

Because of the complexity of the heart development process, a 3-dimensional understanding of it is not easy. SNU College of Medicine devised a modeling exercise for the developing heart to promote understanding of the process and implemented it for first-year students since 2011. This study was performed to validate this exercise and propose the implementation of this at each medical school. We used commercially available polymer clay for children. On the first day, students made the outflow tract and both ventricles as a unit and the common atrium as another unit. These two units were combined to form an embryonic 30-day or 35-day developing heart model. After leaving the model to dry for two to three days, a coronal section was made through the outflow tract and both ventricles to open the model. Students compared the interior of the model to that depicted in the textbook and reflected on it. Afterward, students marked with colored clay the appearance of the endocardial cushion along the atrioventricular canal, interventricular septum, and the outflow tract, simulating the division of the four chambers and the outflow tract into the aorta and the pulmonary trunk. The students’ perception of the exercise was generally positive, in that it was not difficult to perform, fun, helpful in learning, and they actively participated. They also responded that discussions with colleagues helped them perform the modeling and understand the developing processes of the heart. We analyzed the scores of the embryology exam at the end of the semester and compared those of the years 2008~2010 and 2011~2013, corresponding years before and after the practice, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the correct answer rates of the questions concerning heart development and that of the other questions in all years. However, even though not significant statistically, the ratio of correct answers in the two question groups showed some improvement after the exercise. In conclusion, we recommend three-dimensional modeling exercise using polymer clay for several reasons for a 3-dimensional understanding of heart development, which is difficult to achieve based on 2-dimensional materials.

Keyword

Embryology laboratory; Heart development; Polymer clay; 3-dimensional modeling; Haptic perception