About Digital Histology
The teaching of histology increasingly relies on digital resources in lieu of traditional microscope laboratories. Digital Histology provides an open educational resource that combines a digital atlas with extensive descriptive text. It is organized as a multi-hierarchy outline that reinforces broader histological concepts and parallels the content of most histology textbooks. Digital Histology, featuring on-demand labeling of structures and interactive quizzes with formative feedback, can be used by a diverse group of learners.
The initial display page (Main Menu) lists the major chapter headings organized in a hierarchical structure that follows content areas used in most modern histology textbooks. Each heading contains a small arrow indicating that the tab leads to a deeper menu structure. Clicking on one of these tabs displays a submenu to the right. The same convention holds for lower levels of the hierarchy. Tabs not displaying an arrow lead directly to program content.
Program content is organized as pages. Each page consists of an image with a title and a descriptive text included beneath it. To the right of the image is a list of labels indicating the structures identified in the image. Click each label to display indicators and highlights on the image that identify that structure. Many labels also include a caret (>), indicating that additional, new descriptive text is displayed beneath the image.
Navigate between pages using the arrows at the bottom of the page. Navigate to other areas of the program by clicking on the “breadcrumb” menu above the image. To return to the Main Menu, click either on “Main Menu” in the breadcrumb trail or on “DIGITAL HISTOLOGY” in the upper left corner of the screen.
Instructional Video
This instructional video describes the use of Digital Histology and its features:
Quizzes
The button labeled “Quizzes” on the Main Menu links to a list of self-assessment quizzes for each major topic. For each question, choose an option to register your response and select “Check.” Feedback will appear for correct responses. You can proceed forward and backward within the quiz, and a final score is displayed at the end. To return to the Main Menu, click either on “Return to Main Menu” or on “DIGITAL HISTOLOGY” in the upper left of the screen.
Review Textbook
Digital Histology Review Textbook is an outlined summary of basic histology that parallels the content contained within Digital Histology. The textbook provides concise, detailed histological content in an easy-to-read format that allows a rapid review of histology. The textbook includes all the figures contained in Digital Histology as well links to content areas in the program. The full text, as well as individual chapters, are fully searchable and printable. Back arrows on the browser will return the user to the original Table of Contents page.
Randomization
This feature allows randomization of pages within subject categories in the main menu as well as within individual subsections. After the section loads, use the forward and back arrows to move through the pages. The show/hide feature is also functional. To start a new randomization sequence, click on “Digital Histology” to return to the randomization menu.