Sheridan College Becomes First Canadian Institution to Reinvent Anatomy Education with HoloAnatomy Learning Platform
Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada
Founded in 1967, Sheridan has earned its reputation as one of Ontario's leading postsecondary institutions, attracting students from across Canada and worldwide. Their provincially accredited Practical Nursing diploma spans four semesters, with a keen focus on hands-on clinical experiences and cutting-edge educational methodologies.
Learning Innovation
In 2017, Sheridan College launched a visionary strategy to revolutionize teaching methods for its most challenging courses. Embracing the potential of mixed reality in education, the institution prioritized anatomy and physiology curricula. The HoloAnatomy® learning platform emerged as the top choice, distinguished by its unparalleled anatomical precision and capability to integrate various documents and images in 3D seamlessly.
“HoloAnatomy is ahead of its time. It replaces the need for cadaveric labs. It provides an opportunity for students to engage in much more flexible and strategic ways.”
— Michael O’Leary, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies, Sheridan College
Making the Case
Dr. O’Leary's team engaged decision-makers at all levels to secure support for HoloAnatomy. Focused on elevating student success beyond traditional methods, they quickly earned faculty enthusiasm and buy-in. With this broad support, backed by the software’s origin at Case Western Reserve University, they successfully lobbied for funding. They tapped into an existing grant, setting a path to reduce costs and reliance on cadavers while improving sustainability practices.
“Our commitment was only amplified by the fact that it came from a university and had research behind it.”
— Michael O’Leary, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies, Sheridan College
HoloAnatomy Deployment
Sheridan worked closely with Ilumis to leverage learnings from past deployments, align necessary resources, and organize faculty training. Instructors went from being introduced to HoloAnatomy to being ready for curriculum integration in three days. This was notably swift, especially compared to other solution rollouts at Sheridan that have historically taken multiple weeks.
“From zero to having competent faculty—ready to integrate the system into their curriculum in three days—is remarkable.”
— Michael O’Leary, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies, Sheridan College
HoloAnatomy Experience
Faculty and students were instantly captivated by the intricate detail and interactive nature of the holographic body. Their curiosity was ignited, leading to a flurry of questions. Faculty particularly valued the ability to customize students' views and perspectives with just a click.
”It sparks questions. It sparks intrigue… and that level of flexibility—from a teaching and learning perspective—is ahead of its time.”
— Michael O’Leary, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies, Sheridan College
Contrasting it with traditional methods, Dr. O’Leary highlighted how one can grasp the comprehensive narrative of the nervous system through HoloAnatomy instead of just seeing a segment of the spinal cord on one textbook page and the brain on another. HoloAnatomy empowers students to perceive the body in its entirety.
Early Success
Although full operation is slated for fall 2023, early successes in anatomy learning are already evident. During an open house, a student studying for an anatomy exam could visualize in 3D what she had only seen in textbooks. This immersive experience solidified her understanding. She exclaimed, “I get it now. I can now visualize better how anatomical structures connect in 3D.”
Read the interview with Dr. O’Leary