An Assessment of Students' Perceptions of Learning Benefits Stemming from the Design and Instructional Use of a Web3D Atlas

This article has a dual purpose: it describes the development of First Year Dental Anatomy (FYDA), a web-based 3D interactive application used in the dental curriculum at a major Canadian university, and it reports on the results of a research study conducted to assess the perception of learning benefits students experienced through the use of FYDA in a dental anatomy course. Questionnaires administered upon the completion of three semesters during which FYDA was used reveal some benefits for learning, but also a few deterrents for use, primarily related to some aspects of design. Generally, the students received the application with interest and viewed it as a useful aiding tool in learning dental anatomy. The results suggest the overall 3D m odels met the students learning objectives and expectations and, in their view, were conducive to their understanding of internal and external dental anatomy. Issues related to the over-sensitive controls, navigational flaws and manipulation difficulties caused some learners a certain level of frustration, but these were not severe enough to hinder the students learning.