Innovative anatomy learning with TOOL

Studying anatomy usually goes together with big expensive books with too much information. Finding the correct resources sometimes seems impossible and the quality of online sources are often of insufficient quality and lack organization. Maastricht University and Leiden University recognized these issues and joined forces to develop the first Topic Oriented Open Learning (TOOL) platform for anatomy.

The TOOL platform for anatomy aims to offer students, teachers and health-care professionals a platform for resources in anatomy learning. The platform will feature open content, accessible without login, featuring high-quality anatomical and microscopic images with supporting terms and definitions. Additionally, the platform will feature learning tools such as quizzes, games and flashcards to facilitate learning in a more effective way. The platform will also hold material to support teaching, offering test questions and teaching instructions to tackle the current issue of insufficient anatomical teaching aids.

The platform will make use of the structure of ‘mash-up’ sites. Sites like these, such as Booking.com or Funda.nl, collect the best content from other sources around the web to offer new services. By collecting images and information from the best resources around, the TOOL platform will be able to assure quality and availability. This is supported by a peer-review system, which will continuously keep quality on a high level.

TOOL’s freemium structure, mash-up design and organized learning facilities, tackle the current issues of anatomy learning. The issues of costs, lack of quality, resources and organization, as well as insufficient teaching facilities will no longer have to hold back effective learning. The Dutch Ministry of Education recognized this innovative approach and granted TOOL funding to further develop the platform. TOOL is planning to launch in September 2016, initially focusing on the Netherlands and Flanders exclusively. The project is lead by a team of professionals in the field of education, health and anatomy, supported by health departments of universities and institutions around the Netherlands and Flanders.

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