Virtually Dissected

After reading my classmate’s posts I know I run a risk by stating that I’m seriously on the fence about whether or not virtual dissection should completely replace actual in class dissection. 

Virtual dissection is a cost effective way to introduce the anatomy of any animal.  It gives students many chances to identify and “remove” various parts of the body much like a game of operation.  There is always a reset button so if a student misses something the first time he/she can go back and see it again.  No animals are harmed during this process and it’s easier for a student who is uncomfortable with blood or other bodily fluids to complete the assignment.

I just don’t feel like virtual dissection should be the primary experience a student has when dissecting animals.  There is a reason that teachers feel it’s important for a student to be exposed to the real deal.  There is a certain level of reality attached to actually handling an animal that was once alive.  It puts life into perspective for students.  In the digital age there is a ton of talk about how kids these days are detached from real life and don’t understand the gravity of certain situations because of things like video games.  This is a moment in the classroom that can introduce such students to how fragile life is and to how delicate we are inside.  Every muscle and organ has a different texture that with great patience and attention to detail (which is also taught in a lab situation) can be discovered by the students. 

I would support the idea of making virtual dissection an option for students are opposed to live dissection due to religious or personal reasons, but I don’t think replacing live dissections with virtual dissections is a good idea.  If anything the virtual dissection could serve as a supplement to the real thing sort of like watching a movie after the book has already been read.