Anthropology instructors at U of T digitize hundreds of teaching specimens for online courses
Using portable 3D scanners, a team of professors and graduate students created a new database that attempts to replicate the hands-on experience of identifying fossils and other specimens.
Since the fall, a small group of anthropology instructors at the University of Toronto has spent hundreds of hours digitizing fossils and bone casts in service of online learning.
Lauren Schroeder, who teaches at U of T Mississauga, took on the painstaking work of creating a digital database after a search of teaching resources on the web returned disappointing results. She has teamed up with Bence Viola and Michelle Cameron at U of T’s St. George campus as well as graduate student assistants Lavania Nagendran, Klara Komza and Madeleine McCuaig to scan specimens using portable 3D scanners, upload images, and type up specimen and class notes.
Because of the detail the 3D models require, the scanning is slow going. The team has collectively logged up to 400 hours scanning 300 unique specimens, developing the database and lesson planning. Once the images and descriptive information have been uploaded to the learning management system, students can use their cursors to interact with the annotated 3D models in much the same way they might in person. Dr. Viola estimates more than 1,000 anthropology students will access the 3D images this winter term.
The database was borne of U of T’s pivot to online learning for the academic year, but the tool has already proven to be a valuable addition no matter the course format.
“The advantage is that once the models have been created and uploaded, they are available for the future,” Dr. Viola says. “I think that even after we return to in-person tutorials, they will be valuable aids for studying for our students.”
Featured Jobs
- Economics - Associate/Full Professor of TeachingThe University of British Columbia
- Vice-President Research & Scientific EngagementMS Canada
- Fashion - Instructional Assistant/Associate Professor (Creative & Cultural Industries)Chapman University - Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
- Public Policy - JW McConnell Visiting ScholarMcGill University
- Politics and Public Administration - Assistant Professor (Public Policy)Toronto Metropolitan University
More from News
-
Headlines for December 4, 2024
CNW NewsFederal government establishes council to deliver Canada's first National Infrastructure AssessmentSean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, announced the new Canadian Infrastructure Council, an expert advisory body that will deliver the country's first-ever National...
-
New life for Dimensions
A little over a year after the program was quietly shut down, it has been quietly revived.
-
Headlines for December 3, 2024
National PostOpinion: Universities need to focus on education if they hope to stem their financial decline The ideological capture of universities has prevented them from getting the support they need to secure adequate public funding. Calgary JournalDemonstrators and...
-
Headlines for December 2, 2024
CBC News'No consequences' for violating human rights in privately funded research in Canada, says ethics expertRoughly 85 per cent of clinical trials in Canada are privately funded. CBC News'I miss our land a lot': Inuit students studying...
More from Research
-
Engaging the public in sidewalk astronomy
The #popscope project energizes public spaces through experiential, free-choice learning.
-
McGill researchers help advance genetic research through a video game
Borderlands Science, a mini-game within the popular Borderlands 3 video game is putting a new spin on citizen science.
-
Reclaiming open access
It’s time to prioritize investments in open infrastructure to realize truly transformational open access.
-
Researchers help fill information gap on abortion options with new decision aid
‘When you look online for anything about abortion, it is very difficult to know what you’re reading is legitimate and accurate,’ says one of the creators.
More from Articles
-
Take part in UA’s gender equity survey
Help promote strategies towards meaningful change.
-
New zine developed by OCAD U students helps artists perfect the art of tabling
‘The goal was to create something both practical and visually engaging,’ says one of the creators.
-
Quebec universities concerned about losing their autonomy
Ottawa has tightened the belt on international student admissions in Canada. Now Quebec wants to implement further changes, but universities are worried the Legault government might go too far.
-
Which university is right for you?
Comprehensive new tool to help aspiring students navigate Canada’s universities.
Post a comment
University Affairs moderates all comments according to the following guidelines. If approved, comments generally appear within one business day. We may republish particularly insightful remarks in our print edition or elsewhere.