The didactic potential of animation in developing conceptual understanding of the human circulatory system among high school students
Lejla Ibrahimi 1 * , Mahir Gajević 1
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1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Background: Understanding the human circulatory system is challenging for high school students due to its abstract nature and complex interconnections. Traditional teaching methods often lead to misconceptions, such as misunderstandings of double circulation or the relationship between circulatory and respiratory systems. Animation-based teaching methods may enhance conceptual understanding by providing dynamic visualizations of biological processes.
Methods: A total of 161 second-year students from the Second Gymnasium and the Secondary Medical School Sarajevo participated in the study during the 2024/2025 academic year. Students were divided into control and experimental groups based on teaching method (receptive-lecture vs. animation-based) and educational track. Data were collected using the human circulatory system knowledge test (HCSKT) and an interactive post-test. Reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s α (0.89-0.93). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction, regression analysis, and effect size (Cohen’s d).
Results: Gymnasium students achieved significantly higher scores than medical school students (Cohen’s d = 0.68). Animation-based teaching produced very large effects compared to lecture-based methods (Cohen’s d = -2.83). Educational track differences were significant in the gymnasium (information technology and natural sciences outperforming language), but not in the medical school. Subdomain analysis showed stronger performance in anatomy and physiology than in embryonic-evolutionary development. Regression analysis confirmed that school type and teaching method explained substantial variance in knowledge (R² = 0.103 and R² = 0.646, respectively), while gender had negligible influence.
Conclusion: Animation-based teaching significantly improves conceptual understanding of the circulatory system among high school students. Findings highlight the didactic potential of multimedia in biology education and suggest that curricula should integrate animation to reduce misconceptions and strengthen conceptual learning.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

European Journal of Health and Biology Education, Volume 13, Issue 1, 2026, Article No: e2606

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejhbe/19435

Publication date: 27 Sep 2026

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