Use of a virtual learning environment for training in maxillofacial emergencies: impact on the knowledge and attitudes of staff in accident and emergency departments

Virtual learning environment ('Ivy Street') for palliative medicine education: student and facilitator evaluation

AIM

The study aimed to evaluate student and facilitator perceptions regarding the novel use of a virtual learning environment (VLE) in the development and implementation of 'Ivy Street'.

SAMPLE/METHODS

Healthcare professionals enrolled on the first palliative and end-of-life care masters level module and course facilitators were invited to participate in the study. Two online surveys were developed comprising five open-ended questions to gain both student (n=16) and facilitator (n=4) perceptions of Ivy Street. Data were analysed thematically.

FINDINGS

The key theme to emerge was the 'Positive Perceptions of Ivy Street'. A second sub theme 'Critical Feedback of Ivy Street' focused on some initial technical issues. Respondents perceived the use of Ivy Street to be enjoyable, enabling and promoting peer discussion, while also having a high impact on student engagement. Respondents commented how Ivy Street removed concerns regarding confidentiality when discussing patient cases through utilisation of standardised Ivy Street characters.

CONCLUSION

The novel use of a VLE through developing characters, a story and vignettes is considered to be an effective and engaging method of learning for healthcare professionals enrolled on a palliative and end-of-life care module.

The application of virtual reality and augmented reality in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Background

Virtual reality is the science of creating a virtual environment for the assessment of various anatomical regions of the body for the diagnosis, planning and surgical training. Augmented reality is the superimposition of a 3D real environment specific to individual patient onto the surgical filed using semi-transparent glasses to augment the virtual scene.. The aim of this study is to provide an over view of the literature on the application of virtual and augmented reality in oral & maxillofacial surgery.

Methods

We reviewed the literature and the existing database using Ovid MEDLINE search, Cochran Library and PubMed. All the studies in the English literature in the last 10 years, from 2009 to 2019 were included.

Results

We identified 101 articles related the broad application of virtual reality in oral & maxillofacial surgery. These included the following: Eight systematic reviews, 4 expert reviews, 9 case reports, 5 retrospective surveys, 2 historical perspectives, 13 manuscripts on virtual education and training, 5 on haptic technology, 4 on augmented reality, 10 on image fusion, 41 articles on the prediction planning for orthognathic surgery and maxillofacial reconstruction. Dental implantology and orthognathic surgery are the most frequent applications of virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual planning improved the accuracy of inserting dental implants using either a statistic guidance or dynamic navigation. In orthognathic surgery, prediction planning and intraoperative navigation are the main applications of virtual reality. Virtual reality has been utilised to improve the delivery of education and the quality of training in oral & maxillofacial surgery by creating a virtual environment of the surgical procedure. Haptic feedback provided an additional immersive reality to improve manual dexterity and improve clinical training.

Conclusion

Virtual and augmented reality have contributed to the planning of maxillofacial procedures and surgery training. Few articles highlighted the importance of this technology in improving the quality of patients’ care. There are limited prospective randomized studies comparing the impact of virtual reality with the standard methods in delivering oral surgery education.

Construction of hypermedia to support the systematization of the nursing care education

OBJECTIVE

To describe the process of hypermedia construction to support the teaching of the Systematization of the Nursing Care (SNC).

METHOD

Methodological research of educational technology development. The hypermedia construction stages were conducted from February 2015 to March 2016 and integrated theoretical studies, focus group with professors and educational technology development process in the light of the referential Theory of Significant Learning.

RESULTS

Hypermedia consists of interactive content and shows a splash screen with a concept map that guides a free way of learning about four structuring aspects in the SNC learning: concept, history and benefits; ethical-legal aspects; operationalization; and nursing process: steps and technical integration in nursing.

CONCLUSIONS

It was concluded that it is essential that the educational technologies are built from a pedagogical rationale to support your incorporation into educational environments.

Validation of virtual learning object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the content validation process of a Virtual Learning Object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization to nursing professionals. Method: methodological study, with quantitative approach, developed according to the methodological reference of Pasquali's psychometry and conducted from March to July 2016, from two-stage Delphi procedure. Results: in the Delphi 1 stage, eight judges evaluated the Virtual Object; in Delphi 2 stage, seven judges evaluated it. The seven screens of the Virtual Object were analyzed as to the suitability of its contents. The Virtual Learning Object to support the teaching of nursing care systematization was considered valid in its content, with a Total Content Validity Coefficient of 0.96. Conclusion: it is expected that the Virtual Object can support the teaching of nursing care systematization in light of appropriate and effective pedagogical approaches.

Virtual learning object and environment: a concept analysis

Objective

To analyze the concept of virtual learning object and environment according to Rodgers' evolutionary perspective.

Method

Descriptive study with a mixed approach, based on the stages proposed by Rodgers in his concept analysis method. Data collection occurred in August 2015 with the search of dissertations and theses in the Bank of Theses of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel. Quantitative data were analyzed based on simple descriptive statistics and the concepts through lexicographic analysis with support of the IRAMUTEQ software.

Results

The sample was made up of 161 studies. The concept of "virtual learning environment" was presented in 99 (61.5%) studies, whereas the concept of "virtual learning object" was presented in only 15 (9.3%) studies.

Conclusion

A virtual learning environment includes several and different types of virtual learning objects in a common pedagogical context.