Learning Dogfish Shark Anatomy Using 3D-Printed Models: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

3D-printed models (3DPMs) are being increasingly utilized as learning aids in medical and comparative anatomy education. Research suggests that 3DPMs can significantly improve students’ accuracy in recognizing important anatomical landmarks and provide a low-cost alternative to expensive or fragile specimens. The use of 3DPMs can also alleviate conservation concerns for certain endangered species. Additionally, 3DPMs provide a unique interactive experience in viewing structures that may otherwise be difficult to observe or handle directly by students. A novel 3DPM has been developed to help biology students learn the anatomy of the Squalus acanthias (S. acanthias), or dogfish shark, chondrocranium and brain. This feasibility study evaluated the perceived utility of these new 3DPMs in an undergraduate-level comparative chordate anatomy lab (BIOL 351) at Iowa State University in Spring 2023. Students responded to a questionnaire comprising Likert and open-ended long-form questions that uncovered their perceptions of and experience interacting with the 3DPMs. Two separate surveys were administered, one for the chondrocranium (29 responses) and one for the brain (16 responses). Students indicated a strong preference for using the 3DPMs as compared to the dissected and preserved specimens, citing the 3DPMs’ size, durability, and the ability to handle and rotate them as beneficial for understanding relevant anatomy. Further investigation is required to understand how the 3DPM improves students’ learning outcomes; however, this study confirms the model’s utility and biology students’ desire to have access to additional 3DPMs in the comparative chordate anatomy lab.