Comparative Evaluation of a Hologram (3D) and PowerPoint (2D) as Educational Methods for Learning Veterinary Anatomy of the Equine Paranasal Sinuses

Three-dimensional teaching, including various types of mixed and virtual reality, are increasingly being used in anatomy including on veterinary programs. In this study we compared the use of 3D mixed reality holographic technology and a 2D PowerPoint teaching resource to investigate the proof of concept of the usability and efficacy of the 3D technology. The anatomical area of the equine sinuses was the subject matter. The study design involved a series of questionnaires and tests delivered before and after the students used the learning resource. First year veterinary students were randomly allocated to either the 3D or 2D group. Spatial ability and cognitive load were measured before, and cognitive load, task load, a 10-question spot test and motion sickness (3D group only) were measured after. All students provided feedback via a short survey. The 2D group performed better in the spot test than the 3D group (t16.33 = -3.19, p < 0.05). No differences were noted for task load (p > 0.05) nor in the overall cognitive load (3D: V = 31.5, p = 0.2767, 2D: V = 23.5, p = 0.706), however more participants in the 3D group exhibited a reduced cognitive load. Limited motion sickness symptoms were reported by participants in the 3D group. Qualitative findings from the survey demonstrated the 2D group indicated difficulty in converting from 2D to 3D, and the 3D group enjoyed the possibility of moving around the hologram. These findings demonstrate that the 3D mixed reality holographic technology had reasonable usability as a teaching resource but future work is required into the efficacy of such technology for learning.