Research

At the Veterinary Medicine faculty of Utrecht University, we have an active and extensive research program focusing on the efficacy of learning in a digital 3D learning environment, such as AvatarZOO.

Personalized learning

Multiple research projects focus on the question: which learning methods fit the personal traits of our students, when it comes to effective learning. We have identified that your visual-spatial ability predicts your learning efficacy when it comes to spatial knowledge acquisition. Generally speaking, when you are a bit low in your visual-spatial abilities you do not learn effectively from a 2-dimensional medium, like a computer screen, but you do very good in a 3-dimensional learning environment regardless whether that is a physical or a digital environment. Students with higher visual-spatial abilities perform well in both environments. That means that different students need different learning methods to optimally perform! For students with lower visual-spatial abilities, AvatarZOO is the perfect tool to effectively learn anatomy in the spatial context of the body. For all other students it is not necessary, but anyway great fun!

Mental Rotation

Mental rotation is the ability to visually digest a 2-dimensional (2D) image of a 3-dimensional (3D) object, mentally rotate the object, and predict its rotated appearance in 2D. It can be easily measured with the Mental Rotation Test, and the outcome of that test predicts how you learn best with 3D models.

The Mental Rotation Test was developed by Vandenberg and Kuse in 1978 based on research by Shepard and Metzler in 1971. In this test you are asked to judge the left object and decide which of the 4 images on the right are rotation variants and which images are mirror variants.

Clinical Skills Training

Veterinary clinical skills training often involves the use of animals for hands-on training. Since we greatly value animal wellfare and want to minimize the use of experimental animals for education, we believe AvatarZOO can provide a valuable simulation tool for training clinical procedures. We are further developing AvatarZOO as a clinical simulation platform, and will investigate its efficacy in the veterinary curriculum at Utrecht University in The Netherlands. Stay tunes for the first results of our studies!

Published Research Papers

  • Veenema NJ, Hierck BP, Bok HGJ, Salvatori DCF (2024) Links between learning goals, learning activities, and learning outcomes in simulation-based clinical skills training: a systematic review of the veterinary literature. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Oct 2;11:1463642
  • Van Leeuwen BS, Dollé AE, Vernooij JC, Hierck BP, Salvatori DC (2023). Rotation of 3D Anatomy Models Is Associated with Underperformance of Students with Low Visual-Spatial Abilities: A Two-Center Randomized Crossover Trial. Education Sciences, 13(10), 992
  • Mulder TA, van de Velde T, Dokter E, Boekestijn B, Olgers TJ, Bauer MP, Hierck BP (2023) Unravelling the skillset of point-of-care ultrasound: a systematic review. Ultrasound J. 2023 Apr 19;15(1):19. doi: 10.1186/s13089-023-00319-4.
  • Bogomolova K, Vorstenbosch MA, El Messaoudi I, Holla M, Hovius SE, van der Hage JA, Hierck BP (2023). Effect of binocular disparity on learning anatomy with stereoscopic augmented reality visualization: A double center randomized controlled trial. Anatomical Sciences Education, 16(1), 87-98.
  • Pieterse AD, Hierck BP, de Jong PG, Ginn TF, Hamoen EC, Reinders ME (2023). User experiences of medical students with 360-degree virtual reality applications to prepare them for the clerkships. Virtual Reality, 27(2), 1381-1389.
  • Bogomolova K, Sam AH, Misky AT, Gupte CM, Strutton PH, Hurkxkens TJ, Hierck BP (2021) Development of a Virtual Three-Dimensional Assessment Scenario for Anatomical Education. Anat Sci Educ. 2021 May;14(3):385-393. doi: 10.1002/ase.2055. Epub 2021 Mar 5.
  • Bogomolova K, Hierck BP, Looijen AEM, Pilon JNM, Putter H, Wainman B, Hovius SER, van der Hage JA (2021) Stereoscopic three-dimensional visualisation technology in anatomy learning: A meta-analysis. Med Educ. 2021 Mar;55(3):317-327. doi: 10.1111/medu.14352. Epub 2020 Sep 2.
  • Hilt AD, Hierck BP, Eijkenduijn J, Wesselius FJ, Albayrak A, Melles M, Schalij MJ Scherptong RW (2021) Development of a patient-oriented Hololens application to illustrate the function of medication after myocardial infarction. European Heart Journal-Digital Health, 2(3), 511-520
  • Houwink EJF, Kasteleyn MJ, Alpay L, Pearce C, Butler-Henderson K, Meijer E, van Kampen S, Versluis A, Bonten TN, van Dalfsen JH, van Peet PG, Koster Y, Hierck BP, Jeeninga I, van Luenen S, van der Kleij RMJJ, Chavannes NH, Kramer AWM (2020) SERIES: eHealth in primary care. Part 3: eHealth education in primary care. Eur J Gen Pract. 2020 Dec;26(1):108-118
  • Pieterse AD, Hierck BP, de Jong PG, Kroese J, Willems LN, & Reinders ME (2020) Design and implementation of “AugMedicine: lung cases,” an augmented reality application for the medical curriculum on the presentation of dyspnea. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 1, 577534
  • Hilt AD, Mamaqi Kapllani K, Hierck BP, Kemp AC, Albayrak A, Melles M, Schalij MJ, Scherptong RWC. (2020) Perspectives of Patients and Professionals on Information and Education After Myocardial Infarction With Insight for Mixed Reality Implementation: Cross-Sectional Interview Study. JMIR Hum Factors. 2020 Jun 23;7(2):e17147
  • Bogomolova K, van der Ham IJM, Dankbaar MEW, van den Broek WW, Hovius SER, van der Hage JA, Hierck BP (2020) The Effect of Stereoscopic Augmented Reality Visualization on Learning Anatomy and the Modifying Effect of Visual-Spatial Abilities: A Double-Center Randomized Controlled Trial. Anat Sci Educ. 2020 Sep;13(5):558-567.
  • Bogomolova K, Hierck BP, van der Hage JA, Hovius SER (2020) Anatomy Dissection Course Improves the Initially Lower Levels of Visual-Spatial Abilities of Medical Undergraduates. Anat Sci Educ. 2020 May;13(3):333-342.
  • Hierck BP, van Schalkwijk (2020) De toegevoegde waarde voor anatomieonderwijs en clientbegeleiding: 3D-technologie in de fysiotherapie. Fysiopraxis 6: 8-10.
  • Pieterse, A.D., Huurman, V.A.L., Hierck, B.P., Reinders, M.E.J. (2018) Introducing the innovative technique of 360˚ virtual reality in kidney transplant education. Transpl. Immunol. 49:5-6.