Mind Mapping Anatomical Illustrations: Pilot Evaluation of Paper- and Slide-Based Educational Tools

Anatomy is often taught using traditional tools such as PowerPoint slides, which typically feature medical illustrations crowded with colored labels but without a clear representation of how anatomical concepts are interconnected. This is known to overwhelm students and to hinder their ability to understand and retain complex anatomical relationships. In this work, we explore an alternative to traditional slide-based education through the use of physicalized mind maps crafted as paper-based tools that integrate color-coded diagrams with anatomical illustrations, here called paper anatomy maps. Specifically, we conducted co-design sessions with stakeholders to inform the design of the paper-based tool, and subsequently evaluated their potential to enhance engagement and short-term retention in dental students learning skull osteology. A user study involving 30 dental students was conducted to compare PowerPoint slides and paper anatomy maps. While both methods promoted short-term retention, the paper-based format was perceived more positively in terms of usability, cognitive workload, and engagement, suggesting that interactive, hands-on tools like paper anatomy maps can enrich students’ anatomy learning experiences.