UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
Start | FAQ | About
Menu Icon

QR Code Link :

Type :Article
Subject :QH Natural history
ISSN :2289-7070 / e-ISSN 2462-2451
Main Author :Teoh, Chern Zhong
Additional Authors :
  • Muhamad Ikhwan Mat Saad
  • Rosmilah Misnan
  • Mohamad Termizi Borhan
  • Wong, Yoke Seng
  • Lee, Hoi Yeh
Title :Rat dissection alternatives in Biology education: a systematic literature review
Hits :3
Place of Production :Tanjong Malim
Publisher :UPSI Press
Year of Publication :2026
Notes :EDUCATUM JSMT, 13(1),2026
Corporate Name :Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun
PDF Full Text :You have no permission to view this item.

Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun
Despite the importance of both rat dissection and alternatives for rat dissection, proponents for these alternatives became more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemically. Incorporating humane education into the Malaysian education system, whereby 3R (reduction, replacement, or refinement) is urged, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilising technology is an essential component of any 21st-century learning. Therefore, this study was carried out to explore the need for alternatives in rat dissection that provide both a high learning experience and feasibility using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique is employed. Examining selected literature revealed a substantial positive effect on the student's learning experience regarding perception, task performance, exam performance, and motivation. It is found to be either superior or equivalent to the intended outcomes. This study has also identified the feasibility aspects of the alternatives of rat dissection with respect to the USE model. They were classified into sustainability, affordability, accessibility, and motivation. This study delves into the need for alternatives in rat dissection redesigning in 21st-century learning with high usability that is readily accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Innovation and reform are required to ensure better education through ICT integration, aligning with the Malaysian Digital Education Policy. Thus, it can be concluded that the ideal alternative for rat dissection is Three-Dimensional (3D) models complemented by virtual tools. Keywords rat dissection alternatives; humane education; rat dissection; dissection

References

A. Mager, "Redesigning dissection lessons: Considerations for a meaningful 21st century

learning experience," Learn. to Teach, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 124–129, 2019.

 

S. G. Kalthur, A. K. Pandey, and S. Prabhath, "Benefits and pitfalls of learning anatomy

using the dissection module in an Indian medical school: A millennial Learner's

perspective," Transl. Res. Anat., vol. 26, pp. 1–6, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.tria.2021.100159.

 

M. A. Zemanova, "Attitudes toward animal dissection and animal-free alternatives among

high school biology teachers in Switzerland," Front. Educ., vol. 7, no. May, pp. 1–10,

2022, doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.892713.

 

S. Z. Y. Ooi and R. Ooi, "Impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic on the future of

cadaveric dissection anatomical teaching," Med. Educ. Online, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 2–4,

2020, doi: 10.1080/10872981.2020.1823089.

 

Omar Amahmid et al., "Animal use in life sciences education: Current status, teachers' and

adolescents' attitudes and alternatives," Anatol. J. Educ., vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 69–80, 2019,

doi: 10.29333/aje.2019.428a.

 

Pejabat Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan, “Al-Kafi #414: Hukum membedah katak bagi tujuan

belajar,” Al Kafi li al-Fatawi. 2016, [Online]. Available: https://muftiwp.gov.my/artikel/alkafi-

li-al-fatawi.

 

E. Ormandy et al., "Animal dissection vs. non-animal teaching methods: A systematic

review of pedagogical value," Am. Biol. Teach., vol. 84, no. 7, pp. 399–404, Sep. 2022,

doi: 10.1525/ABT.2022.84.7.399.

 

J. D. Sack and K. C. Suder, "Getting nerdy with Mel and Gerdy: Scienstructable 3D

dissection models, paper & digital," Am. Biol. Teach., vol. 85, no. 3, pp. 178–178, Mar.

2023, doi: 10.1525/ABT.2023.85.3.178.

 

Muhamad Shakir Saad, Che Jamaliah Abd Manaf, Nor Hayati Samsudin, and Noor

Nadhirah Omar, “Keberkesanan penggunaan Padlet dalam proses pembelajaran amali tikus

terhadap motivasi bahan pengajaran pelajar,” in Konvensyen Penyelidikan, Professional

Learning Communities dan Inovasi Pendidikan Program Matrikulasi KPM Kali Pertama

Tahun 2021, Oct. 2021, pp. 187–201, Accessed: Apr. 03, 2023. [Online]. Available:

https://sites.google.com/view/konppi1-2021/home.

 

K. Y. Chan, "The need for humane education in school curricula," Free Malaysia Today

(FMT), Petaling Jaya, Dec. 15, 2022.

 

F. A. de Oliveira and M. M. Gomes, "School practices in the office of the Natural

History/Biology teaching laboratory at Colégio Pedro II (1960-1970)," Brazilian J. Hist.

Educ., vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 1–24, Feb. 2023, doi: 10.4025/rbhe.v23.2023.e255.

 

Malay Mail, "One-year Madani govt: Education ministry prioritises humane education,

accessible learning, says minister," 2023.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/04/one-year-madani-govt-education

ministry-prioritises-humane-education-accessible-learning-says-minister/105693 (accessed

Sep. 15, 2024).

 

M. A. Zemanova and A. Knight, "The educational efficacy of humane teaching methods: A

systematic review of the evidence," Animals, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–17, 2021, doi:

10.3390/ani11010114.

 

D. Moher, A. Liberati, J. Tetzlaff, and D. G. Altman, "Preferred reporting items for

systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement," J. Clin. Epidemiol., vol.

62, no. 10, pp. 1006–1012, 2009, doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2009.06.005.

 

M. Gusenbauer and N. R. Haddaway, "Which academic search systems are suitable for

systematic reviews or meta-analyses? Evaluating retrieval qualities of Google Scholar,

PubMed, and 26 other resources," Res. Synth. Methods, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 181–217, Mar.

2020, doi: 10.1002/jrsm.1378.

 

M. Gusenbauer, "Google Scholar to overshadow them all? Comparing the sizes of 12

academic search engines and bibliographic databases," Scientometrics, vol. 118, no. 1, pp.

177–214, 2019, doi: 10.1007/s11192-018-2958-5.

 

E. von Elm, D. G. Altman, M. Egger, S. J. Pocock, P. C. Gøtzsche, and J. P.

Vandenbroucke, "The strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology

(STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies," Int. J. Surg., vol. 12,

no. 12, pp. 1495–1499, 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.07.013.

 

D. G. Dewhurst, J. Hardcastle, P. T. Hardcastle, and E. Stuart, "Comparison of a computer

simulation program and a traditional laboratory practical class for teaching the principles

of intestinal absorption," Adv. Physiol. Educ., vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 95–104, 1994.

 

J. R. Downie and J. I. Meadows, "Experience with a dissection opt-out scheme in

university level biology," J. Biol. Educ., vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 187–194, 1995, doi:

10.1080/00219266.1995.9655444.

 

M. de T. Durand, C. B. A. Restini, A. C. D. Wolff, M. Faria Jr., L. B. Couto, and R. B.

Bestetti, "Students' perception of animal or virtual laboratory in physiology practical

classes in PBL medical hybrid curriculum," Adv. Physiol. Educ., vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 451–

457, 2019, doi: 10.1152/advan.00005.2019.

 

J. Fančovičová and P. Prokop, "The effects of 3D plastic models of animals and cadaveric

dissection on students' perceptions of the internal organs of animals," J. Balt. Sci. Educ.,

vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 767–775, 2014, doi: 10.33225/jbse/14.13.767.

 

D. M. Guimarães, B. Valério‐Gomes, R. L. de Araújo, C. de Oliveira Cudischevitch, and D.

Uziel, "Practical anatomy classes: An alternative to improve the learning of middle school

students," Anat. Sci. Educ., Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1002/ase.2246.

 

C. Haspel, H. K. Motoike, and E. Lenchner, "The implementation of clay modeling and rat

dissection into the human anatomy and physiology curriculum of a large urban community

college," Anat. Sci. Educ., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 38–46, 2014, doi: 10.1002/ase.1369.

 

M. Humpenöder et al., "Alternatives in education - evaluation of rat simulators in

laboratory animal training courses from participants' perspective," Animals, vol. 11, no. 12,

pp. 1–26, 2021, doi: 10.3390/ani11123462.

 

H. L. Leathard and D. G. Dewhurst, "Comparison of the cost-effectiveness of a computer

assisted learning program," ALT-J, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 118–125, 1995.

 

M. Predavec, "Evaluation of E-Rat, a computer-based rat dissection, in terms of student

learning outcomes," J. Biol. Educ., vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 75–80, 2001, doi:

10.1080/00219266.2000.9655746.

 

J. G. Cromley, T. Perez, A. Kaplan, T. Dai, K. Mara, and M. J. Balsai, "Combined

cognitive-motivational modules delivered via an LMS increase undergraduate biology

grades," Technol. Mind, Behav., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 1–19, 2020, doi:

10.1037/tmb0000020.supp.

 

A. M. Lund, "Measuring usability with the USE questionnaire," Usability interface, vol. 8,

no. 2, pp. 3–6, 2001.

 

D. Lai, S. L. Lew, and S. Y. Ooi, "Modified TPACK framework for teachers' efficiency,

students' performance and students' engagement," in Proceedings of Sixth International

Congress on Information and Communication Technology, 2022, vol. 235, pp. 827–835,

doi: 10.1007/978-981-16-2377-6_76/COVER.

 

D. I. Lewis, The pedagogical benefits and pitfalls of virtual tools for teaching and learning

laboratory practices in the Biological Sciences, 1st ed., vol. 1. York: The Higher Education

Academy, 2014.

 

S. S. Pokale, "Animal dissection: Effective instructional aid than alternative methods," Int.

J. Res. Anal. Rev., vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 210–213, 2019, Accessed: Apr. 03, 2023. [Online].

Available: http://ijrar.com/.

 

T. Sekiguchi and M. Makino, "A virtual reality system for dissecting vertebrates with an

observation function," in International Conference on Electronics, Information, and

Communication, 2021, pp. 13–16, doi: 10.1109/ICEIC51217.2021.9369824.

 

S. Elmali, "Reflections of hands-on dissection and virtual dissection experiences of preservice

science teachers," J. Biol. Educ., 2022, doi: 10.1080/00219266.2022.2058984.


This material may be protected under Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials.
You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research.

Back to search page

Installed and configured by Bahagian Automasi, Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
If you have enquiries, kindly contact us at pustakasys@upsi.edu.my or 016-3630263. Office hours only.