Can Augmented Reality Provide a More Accessible Alternative to Cadaveric Dissection to Study Anatomy?

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: Division I - Education in the Professions Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical study that explored the learning and motivational affordances of Augmented Reality (AR) to support the learning of anatomy, as a possible alternative to cadaveric dissection – which is being increasingly discontinued in low-resourced programs due to its high costs, causing inequities in the preparation of healthcare professionals. The study involved in-depth case-studies of seven small groups of students from diverse healthcare programs, as they engaged in an extra-curricular activity using “Dynamic Anatomy,” an AR application created for Microsoft’s HoloLens around the anatomy of the leg. The high motivational value and learning gains documented in this study suggest the value of using AR in anatomy instruction, in substitution or as a complement to cadaveric instruction.

Authors

• Paul W Herbert, University of Rochester

• Raffaella Borasi, University of Rochester