Whiteboard animation: A potential teaching tool for health science education.

Background: Combining visual thinking and storytelling makes whiteboard animation an effective educational tool. However, the impact of whiteboard animation is understudied in health science education. This literature review explored the use and impact of whiteboard animation on teaching in health science education.

Method: A comprehensive electronic literature search was conducted in 5 databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Education Research Complete to identify full-text research articles published in English between 2013 and 2024. Articles were screened to match inclusion criteria, and data were extracted from the eligible studies.

Results: After 2 rounds of screening, 6 articles were included in the review, all focussing on evaluating the impact of whiteboard animations in dental, medical, and other health science education. All studies reported positive impacts on student satisfaction and knowledge acquisition. A correlation between the number of video views and students' longitudinal exam performance was also reported.

Discussion and conclusion: The concise and engaging animations explaining concepts in a storytelling manner offer an alternative mode of presenting teaching material, reducing extrinsic cognitive loads on the learners. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of this powerful tool on health science education.