Bringing Technology into the Laboratory

Abstract

How to effectively make technology an ally in the college/university curriculum remains a pedagogical challenge in most disciplines, and particularly in those that depend on hands-on field and laboratory learning experiences. But today, colleges and universities are able to adopt and support digital learning technologies that complement and extend the demands of the learning process, whether in classroom teaching or lab instruction. For the 28 schools of veterinary medicine in the US, the challenge is particularly pressing. Like medical education, veterinary medicine is increasingly specialized. Working with a team of students, Dr. Ray Whalen set out to create software that would complement traditional anatomy instruction. The result of their efforts was the virtual canine. This software allows students to view images of canine anatomy in 3-D. The learning goals of this innovative instructional software are many, but they are addressed only when the technology is added to the real anatomy lab.