A “Second Life” for gross anatomy: Applications for multiuser virtual environments in teaching the anatomical sciences

Richardson, April; Hazzard, Matthew; Challman, Sandra; Morgenstein, Aaron M.; Brueckner, Jennifer K.

doi:10.1002/ase.195

Cited by 68 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Other large-scale, more immersive online simulation systems have also been tested, wherein the user's "avatar" explores and interacts with a 3D environment that can include modeled anatomical structures or clinical simulations. The commercial Second Life [ 27 ] or the compatible free OpenSimulator [ 28 ] environments are currently examples of this technology.…”

Section: Creating Mobile/ubiquitous E-learning Web Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Essential E-Learning and M-Learning Methods for Teaching Anatomy

Trelease¹

2014

Teaching Anatomy

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Over the past two decades, computer-enhanced learning has evolved rapidly, along with the development and explosive growth of the Internet-based World Wide Web and its associated hyperlinked multimedia methodologies. Early work on "electronic learning" ("e-learning" [ 1 ]) focused primarily on establishing effective methods for using educational multimedia on personal computers (PCs) and via the Web. More recent refi nements in basic e-learning concepts have included mobile ("m-learning" [ 2 ]) and ubiquitous learning ("u-learning" [ 3 ]).M-learning and u-learning methods acknowledge that current-generation students (especially in health sciences) are generally very mobile and relatively experienced in using the Web and self-adopting personal technology, such as smartphones and tablet computers. The u-learning concept in particular recognizes that with ubiquitous computing technologies, students can acquire knowledge virtually anywhere with appropriately designed online educational resources and mobile applications. This chapter will most frequently refer simply to e-learning when discussing computer-based methods for supporting anatomy teaching, with the understanding that appropriately designed learning resources should ideally be equally usable on PCs and mobile devices, in-classroom and without.With continuing curricular evolution, innovation, research, and development with new e-learning resources may be the key to successful implementation of new curricula and classes. For the new anatomist, understanding and mastering e-learning methods and tools can provide the basis for career-long innovation in education, as well as a historical share in the progressive application of useful new technology. And although this discussion will refer to anatomy most frequently in the context of medical gross anatomy, it should be understood that these methods and strategies apply equally well to teaching histology, histopathology, neuroanatomy, and embryology at multiple educational levels. Types of Curricula, Methods, and E-Learning ResourcesWhether a new anatomist is entering a longestablished school with mature instructional resources management or a newer program still building online learning capabilities, it is crucial to understand the context of anatomical e-learning development relative to changing health sciences curricula. Although in absolute terms, e-learning is not that old globally, having appeared and evolved rapidly during the careers of senior anatomists, it will continue to evolve locally with changing curricula and availability of new technologies. In prognostic terms, it is easier to see how things can change, when you understand where and what they came from .

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Section: Creating Mobile/ubiquitous E-learning Web Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Essential E-Learning and M-Learning Methods for Teaching Anatomy

Trelease¹

2014

Teaching Anatomy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Also, harmless and optimal treatment is ensured that minimizes possible harms to patients through providing a safe simulation environment. Thus, Virtual Worlds have been applied to strengthen education of surgery [20], anatomical sciences [21], emergency preparedness [22], nursing [23] and patient selfawareness [24].…”

Section: Medical and Healthcare E-learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of 3D Virtual Worlds in medical and health education

Christopoulou

Dimopoulou²,

Kotsilieris

et al. 2013

2013 E-Health and Bioengineering Conference (EHB)

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Information and Computer Technologies have produced new generation interaction methods and services to support human activities, offering evolutionary learning procedures. 3D Virtual Worlds are sophisticated platforms supporting a set of human activities, enriching the way we learn, work and socialize. They are platforms that can support a constructivist learning approach of medical students, based on methods at the edge of technology inducing a team spirit and enhanced collaboration experience. In our work, we introduce the concept of e-learning through virtual worlds in medical and healthcare education, providing a literature review on the field. Furthermore, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of virtual worlds in healthcare, we provide a comparison of the most popular platforms, while some open research issues are being considered in the conclusion.

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“…Regarding the topics encountered in Second Life medical education material, one can find many and diverse aspects of the medical curriculum from the foundations of it, such as anatomy [22], to specialty material, such as pediatric primary care [23], pneumology [24], cardiopulmonary resuscitation [25,26], and emergency medicine and care [27,28]. Other efforts include such diverse topics as disability health care [29], or pharmacy student training in communication skills [30] or in the general aspects of their specialty [31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Design Requirements for Repurposing Dental Virtual Patients From the Web to Second Life: A Focus Group Study

Antoniou¹,

Athanasopoulou²,

Dafli³

et al. 2014

J Med Internet Res

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BackgroundSince their inception, virtual patients have provided health care educators with a way to engage learners in an experience simulating the clinician’s environment without danger to learners and patients. This has led this learning modality to be accepted as an essential component of medical education. With the advent of the visually and audio-rich 3-dimensional multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), a new deployment platform has emerged for educational content. Immersive, highly interactive, multimedia-rich, MUVEs that seamlessly foster collaboration provide a new hotbed for the deployment of medical education content.ObjectiveThis work aims to assess the suitability of the Second Life MUVE as a virtual patient deployment platform for undergraduate dental education, and to explore the requirements and specifications needed to meaningfully repurpose Web-based virtual patients in MUVEs.MethodsThrough the scripting capabilities and available art assets in Second Life, we repurposed an existing Web-based periodontology virtual patient into Second Life. Through a series of point-and-click interactions and multiple-choice queries, the user experienced a specific periodontology case and was asked to provide the optimal responses for each of the challenges of the case. A focus group of 9 undergraduate dentistry students experienced both the Web-based and the Second Life version of this virtual patient. The group convened 3 times and discussed relevant issues such as the group’s computer literacy, the assessment of Second Life as a virtual patient deployment platform, and compared the Web-based and MUVE-deployed virtual patients.ResultsA comparison between the Web-based and the Second Life virtual patient revealed the inherent advantages of the more experiential and immersive Second Life virtual environment. However, several challenges for the successful repurposing of virtual patients from the Web to the MUVE were identified. The identified challenges for repurposing of Web virtual patients to the MUVE platform from the focus group study were (1) increased case complexity to facilitate the user’s gaming preconception in a MUVE, (2) necessity to decrease textual narration and provide the pertinent information in a more immersive sensory way, and (3) requirement to allow the user to actuate the solutions of problems instead of describing them through narration.ConclusionsFor a successful systematic repurposing effort of virtual patients to MUVEs such as Second Life, the best practices of experiential and immersive game design should be organically incorporated in the repurposing workflow (automated or not). These findings are pivotal in an era in which open educational content is transferred to and shared among users, learners, and educators of various open repositories/environments.

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A “Second Life” for gross anatomy: Applications for multiuser virtual environments in teaching the anatomical sciences

Cited by 68 publications

References 19 publications

Essential E-Learning and M-Learning Methods for Teaching Anatomy

Essential E-Learning and M-Learning Methods for Teaching Anatomy

A review of 3D Virtual Worlds in medical and health education

Exploring Design Requirements for Repurposing Dental Virtual Patients From the Web to Second Life: A Focus Group Study

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