Augmented reality for teaching undergraduate human anatomy: An educators' perspective

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of Australian educators on using augmented reality (AR) as a method for learning human anatomy in the undergraduate health sciences. This will determine the current value of AR and guide future research and development. This prospective qualitative study used a mixed-methods approach to gain detailed feedback from 10 anatomy educators at Curtin University. Educators interacted with mobile AR using an iPad and the Complete Anatomy application. A survey measured perceived usability through the System Usability Scale (SUS) and used Likert-scale responses and short-answer questions to determine educators' perspectives of AR. The SUS measured a mean usability score of 58.25, SD ± 15.41 (95% CI: 47.22, 69.28), translating to a ‘D’ grade. Educators demonstrated positive perspectives of new technology but found that AR presented more challenges than benefits. Recommendations focused on overcoming hardware difficulties and ensuring in-depth educational content with reference to the cadaveric study. Mobile AR does not currently hold substantial value for anatomy education; however, the benefits of AR may be optimized using a head-mounted display. Future research must consult all potential stakeholders to critically define how AR will provide measurable value for anatomy education.