Five Tips for Managing Diagrams in Anatomy Lecture: The Cognitive Load Theory Perspective

Managing diagrams for instructional materials especially for lecture is a thought-provoking task for educators. Poorly managed diagrams in lecture results in inefficient delivery of lecture content, while well-prepared diagrams would capture students’ attention and facilitate their understanding. Anatomy is often perceived as a cognitively challenging subject for medical students but having adequate anatomy knowledge is indispensable for safe clinical practice. Since lecture is the most common method for anatomy teaching in many medical institutions, it is important to design a good anatomy diagram that can stimulate three-dimensional visualisation from two-dimensional instruction. Techniques of designing and preparing good diagrams can be adopted from an instructional design theory that is the cognitive load theory, which describes the occurrence of learning when designed instruction is aligned with human cognitive architecture and function. This paper provides a deeper insight on effective diagram management and outlines five tips on such endeavour based on the theory.