Assistant Professor University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Abstract Body : Social media began as primarily a source of entertainment, and while that is still the case, it is increasingly being used as an educational resource. With the prevalence of use in our everyday lives and its user-friendly nature, social media is emerging as an accessible, useful, and engaging tool for learning. To determine if social media is beneficial in anatomy education, a pilot study was designed to address two objectives: 1) integrate TikTok into the curriculum of a gross anatomy course through an assignment and 2) determine the perception of the assignment on feasibility and perceived benefit (if any). To address these objectives, first-year physical therapy students were given an optional extra-credit assignment to create a 60-second or less TikTok video on any head and neck anatomy topic of their choice. To gauge social media use and perception of the assignment, students were asked to answer a 25-question Qualtrics survey with demographic, Likert-scale, and free-response questions about the assignment and their social media use. A total of 37 students completed the assignment in groups of three or more for a total of 10 videos. Videos ranged from comedic to mnemonic-based to clinical scenarios. Nine students completed the survey. Based on this initial pilot, students reported comfortability with the technology in making the TikTok and enjoyed working as a team. Before this assignment, students reported commonly using social media for educational purposes and reported an increased desire to include social media in their future practice. They felt the assignment helped with understanding their video topic and would like to see it incorporated into future gross anatomy courses. In conclusion, this pilot study not only shows an interest of students in using social media for educational purposes but also a possibility of social media to provide an effective yet creative outlet for students. While more research is needed, this project supports the investigation of social media as an educational adjunct in future gross anatomy courses.
