La Trobe University, based out of Melbourne, Australia, is the most recent institution to jump on board with immersive extended reality (XR) learning. The university announced last week that they would be piloting the use of augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR, respectively), to help teach anatomy students from a variety of disciplines. These students will have access to a multitude of three-dimensional anatomical images on their personal devices. Additionally, students will have access to VR headsets on campus for an even more immersive experience.
“Augmented reality allows students to visualize and manipulate anatomical structures and develop a deep understanding,” said Aaron McDonald, head of La Trobe’s anatomy discipline. “You can superimpose anatomical structures over a peer who can perform movements along with the app, to better understand muscle function. It is a great resource for both team work and self-directed learning.”
Other universities around the world are also adopting XR into their curricula, such as the University of Michigan’s campus-wide XR initiative to enhance student education and promote academic innovation, and how Full Sail University is tapping VR to help online students feel less isolated.
While XR innovations are oftentimes viewed as too expensive or cutting edge for the average consumer market, La Trobe stated that the cost of adding XR technology would only add about USD $7 per student—significantly less than the average textbook price asked of students. McDonald explained that the hope is to expand the XR learning tools if the pilot study has positive results for current 2nd and 3rd year anatomy students. Based on the evidence so far, the future looks promising for La Trobe and its anatomy students.
“This technology is really helping improve access to learning. Students can study extremely high-quality 3D images with associated text, clinical cases and quizzes while at home, on public transport, anywhere,” said McDonald.
