Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review
Background: Human anatomy is a crucial component of medical curricula, requiring innovative methods to enhance students’ learning outcomes. Recently, various technology-based methods have emerged to address the limitations of traditional anatomy teaching methods. Among these, serious games have emer...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| author | Tariq Al Habsi Hashim Alibrahim Adhari Al Zaabi Sreenivasulu Reddy Mogali Tan Jun Wen Mickael Joseph Eiman Al-Ajmi Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandla |
| author_facet | Tariq Al Habsi Hashim Alibrahim Adhari Al Zaabi Sreenivasulu Reddy Mogali Tan Jun Wen Mickael Joseph Eiman Al-Ajmi Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandla |
| author_sort | Tariq Al Habsi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Human anatomy is a crucial component of medical curricula, requiring innovative methods to enhance students’ learning outcomes. Recently, various technology-based methods have emerged to address the limitations of traditional anatomy teaching methods. Among these, serious games have emerged as a promising tool demonstrating effectiveness in achieving various learning outcomes. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of serious games in anatomy education and identify gaps in literature. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed. Of 900 records identified, 24 records were eligible for the full text review. Of these, 14 studies were included eventually for detailed analysis. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: The results showed that the key learning domains assessed were knowledge acquisition, engagement, perception, and skills development. Most studies reported positive outcomes in terms of students’ performance and satisfaction. Despite these findings, variations in study design, sample size, and assessment methods were noted, limiting the generalizability of results. Conclusions: Serious games represent a novel supplement to anatomy education, fostering improved learning outcomes and engagement. However, future work should focus on well-crafted randomized controlled trials to effectively evaluate the impact of using serious games in anatomy teaching with combined qualitative and quantitative evaluation approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1b79991d82764da8a7589e1c17e271ee |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-1b79991d82764da8a7589e1c17e271ee2025-08-20T02:04:34ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-02-01155247410.3390/app15052474Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic ReviewTariq Al Habsi0Hashim Alibrahim1Adhari Al Zaabi2Sreenivasulu Reddy Mogali3Tan Jun Wen4Mickael Joseph5Eiman Al-Ajmi6Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandla7College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, OmanCollege of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, OmanDepartment of Human and Clinical Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, OmanLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, SingaporeLee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, SingaporeFundamentals and Administration Department, College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, OmanDepartment of Radiology and Molecular Imaging, University Medical City, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat 123, OmanDepartment of Human and Clinical Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, OmanBackground: Human anatomy is a crucial component of medical curricula, requiring innovative methods to enhance students’ learning outcomes. Recently, various technology-based methods have emerged to address the limitations of traditional anatomy teaching methods. Among these, serious games have emerged as a promising tool demonstrating effectiveness in achieving various learning outcomes. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of serious games in anatomy education and identify gaps in literature. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was performed. Of 900 records identified, 24 records were eligible for the full text review. Of these, 14 studies were included eventually for detailed analysis. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: The results showed that the key learning domains assessed were knowledge acquisition, engagement, perception, and skills development. Most studies reported positive outcomes in terms of students’ performance and satisfaction. Despite these findings, variations in study design, sample size, and assessment methods were noted, limiting the generalizability of results. Conclusions: Serious games represent a novel supplement to anatomy education, fostering improved learning outcomes and engagement. However, future work should focus on well-crafted randomized controlled trials to effectively evaluate the impact of using serious games in anatomy teaching with combined qualitative and quantitative evaluation approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/5/2474serious gameseducational gamesgamificationanatomyeducationmedical education |
| spellingShingle | Tariq Al Habsi Hashim Alibrahim Adhari Al Zaabi Sreenivasulu Reddy Mogali Tan Jun Wen Mickael Joseph Eiman Al-Ajmi Srinivasa Rao Sirasanagandla Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review Applied Sciences serious games educational games gamification anatomy education medical education |
| title | Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Are Serious Games an Effective Teaching Tool in Anatomy Education? A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | are serious games an effective teaching tool in anatomy education a systematic review |
| topic | serious games educational games gamification anatomy education medical education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/5/2474 |
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