Effectiveness of animation as a learning tool in applied medical sciences education: A comparative cross-sectional study among university students

Background & Objectives: This study investigates the effectiveness of animation compared to traditional lecture methods on student performance, cognitive outcomes, and knowledge retention among Applied Medical Sciences University students. Methods: In this cross-sectional comparative study, a total of 110 students from the College of Applied Medical Sciences (CAMS), Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University participated in the study conducted between 1^st April to 30^th June 2024. Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving traditional lecture-based instruction and the other receiving animated instructional content. Quizzes were structured into two components to evaluate knowledge retention and cognitive skills. The study further analyzed performance, gender differences, and academic year to assess the efficacy of animation. Results: The animation group outperformed the traditional group in overall scores of 72.48±10.13 vs. 61.16±12.30, (p=0.001), and the passing rate scaled were 60% and 80%. Largely significant differences were seen in male students (p=0.002) and fourth-year students (p=0.001) in the animation group. Knowledge and cognitive assessments showed statistically significant gains in the animation group compared to traditional methods (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Animation-based learning significantly enhances student performance, particularly in cognitive tasks, and is especially beneficial for fourth-year students. This highlights the effectiveness of animation as a teaching tool. Incorporating it can enhance learning outcomes and academic success in applied medical sciences education.