About
Embryology is the study of human development from fertilisation to birth. The formation of a human being is an incredibly complex process to teach and understand. This is due to the development occurring across three dimensions (3D) and yet, there is a lack of 3D visualisations of embryo development in embryology education. This resource aims to start filling the gap in resources, offering 3D visualisations of the developing brain while promoting a multimedia approach to learning embryology.
The project consists of three components, static 3D models, an animated 3D model, and an animated video. These resources should be used in partnership, offering a varied educational experience while allowing students to customize their learning. Additionally, this project hopes to inspire the creation of more 3D visualisations of embryological developments which are accessible to educators, allowing them to adapt their teaching practice and make the teaching and learning of embryology accessible, engaging, and fun.
I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation for all the support throughout this project to Dr. Caroline Erolin, Luke Reid, and Sean Yu.
Week 4 to 16 of Brain Development
Students often struggle to orientate themselves spatially within three dimensions when learning about embryological developments. Offering positional context such as the brain situated within the embryo can be incredibly useful to students and support their understanding.
Animated Video
The purpose of the video is to aid in the understanding of the complex morphological process that occurs during the development of the human brain between post-conception weeks 4 – 16. It aims to demonstrate hard to visualise angles such as the folding of the cerebellum while offering situational context.
3D Models
The 3D models allow users to navigate and familiarise themselves with a static moment in time while offering colour codes to aid in their understanding of what each brain region looks likes at the corresponding week of development. All 3D models are available to view individually on the resource website.
Animated 3D Model
The purpose of the animated model is to offer a deeper form of visualisation, bridging the gap between static 3D models and animated videos with predetermined points of view. It offers the user the ability to navigate the development at their own pace while giving control over viewpoints at any stage of development. The animated 3D model can be viewed and explored on the resource website.
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