Anatomy Apps

Durnin, L. and Rea, P. (2016) Anatomy Apps. Joint Meeting of the Anatomical Society and British Association of Clinical Anatomists, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 19-21 Jul 2016.

Abstract

Anatomy has a rich and florid history through time. Traditional teaching has focused on the use of cadavers, but now we have moved into the ‘digital era’, technologies are being increasingly adopted in anatomical teaching. One popular approach is mobile learning (M-learning) which includes the use of applications (apps). Apps are widely available across a number of platforms, allowing immediate access to updated anatomical information. However, there is a lack of comparative studies examining the content available. Therefore, this study examined 20 popular anatomy apps across iOS and Windows platforms to determine if any could be recommended for use in an anatomy, or related degree. We examined the graphics, validity of anatomical information, type of interactivity and if they offered any special features. It was found that the iOS platform offered apps of a higher quality, with more content overall compared to Windows. Two apps, which could be recommended for use by students learning anatomy, were, “Essential Anatomy 5” and “Human Anatomy Atlas- 3D Anatomy”, both available on iOS. The apps incorporate 3D animated bodies which make them interactive for the user, In addition, there was detailed anatomical information on a number of systems of the body. However, the quality overall is highly variable, and the detailed content can be patchy in some apps.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Rea, Professor Paul
• Authors: Durnin, L., and Rea, P.
• Subjects: Q Science > QM Human anatomy
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences

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