Meeting Abstract
The decreasing costs of technology and increasing accessibility of digital materials has led to a “maker movement” from which higher education can benefit. Makers range from being formally trained engineers to at-home hobbyists and the convergence of their open-source materials (e.g., instructional videos, source codes, and 3D surface files) is valuable for diverse undergraduate classrooms. Furthermore, there are several online repositories for CT scans of animals, which students can use for not only visualizing anatomy, but also downloading files for 3D printing. MakerEd initiatives have led to increased confidence among K-12 students, similar to results from problem-based learning methods at the college level. Here, I provide examples of MakerEd approaches that make use of the valuable online resources to teach vertebrate morphology to students in introductory biomechanics and comparative anatomy courses. Self-guided research projects in an introductory biomechanics course include the requirement to build a physical model of animal anatomy, after learning about examples of biomechanists using models to test hypotheses about animal function. Manipulation of bones in 3D software aids students in visualizing and learning anatomical structures that might otherwise be confused in 2D illustrations in a comparative anatomy laboratory manual. Digital and 3D printed bones of extinct taxa strengthen students’ understanding of key concepts in vertebrate evolution. In both courses, access to 3D technology, gadgets, and tools, in conjunction with discussions of primary literature, has led to increased engagement in undergraduates learning vertebrate morphology.
