The use of handheld computers in scenario-based procedural assessments

Adaptation to Virtual Assessment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Clinical Case Presentation Examination

BACKGROUND

Case presentation assessment is common in both medicine and dentistry and is known under various names depending on the country and institution. It relates mainly to aspects of diagnosis and treatment planning and is considered highly authentic and useful. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the movement of this assessment from face-to-face to online. The aim of this investigation was to explore the students' impressions of the two different examination modalities. With this information, a decision on future diets of this examination can be made to accommodate the students' perspectives.

METHODS

Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered using an online, self-administered survey.

RESULTS

The students were split 50/50 regarding which assessment modality they preferred. Overall, they considered the online examination to be fair, and the majority agreed that the online format allowed them to display their knowledge as well as face-to-face.

CONCLUSIONS

The delivery of case presentation examination is possible online. An online case presentation is a fair, useful, and authentic assessment that is appropriate to the needs of the faculty and students. Satisfaction with the two possible methods of conducting this assessment suggests it would be reasonable to conduct this examination online in the future.

Virtual objective structured clinical examination during the COVID-19 pandemic: An essential addition to dental assessment

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 has profoundly affected dental undergraduate teaching and assessment. The pandemic resulted in cessation of face-to face teaching and assessment in many countries, with an associated move online. Objective structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), an important modality for clinical assessment in dentistry and medicine, is not possible with pandemic restrictions in place. As a result, interest in virtual objective structured clinical examination (VOSCE) has been revived. Student and staff evaluation of any assessment process is important, where the views of all involved are required in establishment of authenticity. This papers aims to explore and describe the views of undergraduate dental students and staff in relation to VOSCE MATERIALS AND METHOD: Qualitative methods utilising online focus groups and video recording were used in this study. Five focus groups, involving 24 participants were undertaken.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis following a deductive semantic approach was carried out resulting in the identification of six themes relating to the VOSCE: VOSCE preconceptions, examination preparation, examination process, fairness, comparison with OSCE and possible improvements. Consideration of these themes, and their interaction, is likely to prove important for optimisation of this assessment modality.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, both staff and students considered the VOSCE a useful and fair examination and a suitable alternative to OSCE. The potential for a number of improvements in the assessment process was identified.

A pilot of a Virtual Objective Structured Clinical Examination in dental education. A response to COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

The outbreak of COVID-19 necessitated a move to online teaching and assessment. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) has been an integral part of dental examinations for several decades. The COVID-19 pandemic stopped face to face examinations around the world. An Online Virtual OSCE (VOSCE) was developed and piloted for dental undergraduate assessment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This initial report outlines the steps required to run an OSCE online. Planning and preparation required in adaptation of an OSCE for the online environment is dreported. The necessity for familiarisation sessions is addressed, and VOSCE logistics described.

RESULTS

With careful planning, the VOSCE is a useful assessment method in difficult times. Feedback from staff and students was favourable.

CONCLUSION

Although significant organisation was required, the examination process worked well for both students and examiners. Despite limitations in relation to technical dental procedures, the VOSCE could be a viable alternative to face to face clinical examination.

Integrating mobile devices into nursing curricula: opportunities for implementation using Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation model

OBJECTIVES

To identify studies reporting mobile device integration into undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula. To explore the potential use of Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation model as a framework to guide implementation of mobile devices into nursing curricula.

DESIGN

Literature review and thematic categorization.

DATA SOURCES

Literature published up until June 2013 was searched using EBSCO, PubMed, and Google Scholar.

REVIEW METHOD

The literature was reviewed for research articles pertaining to mobile device use in nursing education. Research articles were grouped by study design, and articles were classified by: 1) strategies for individual adopters and 2) strategies for organizations. Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory was used to categorize reported implementation strategies.

RESULTS

Fifty-two research studies were identified. Strategies for implementation were varied, and challenges to integrating mobile devices include lack of administrative support and time/funding to educate faculty as well as students. Overall, the use of mobile devices appears to provide benefits to nursing students; however the research evidence is limited.

CONCLUSION

Anticipating challenges and ensuring a well laid out strategic plan can assist in supporting successful integration of mobile devices.

Defining responsibilities of simulated patients in medical education

BACKGROUND

Simulated patients (SPs) play a critical role in medical education. The development of SP methodology has resulted in wide ranging responsibilities. For SPs to work effectively, we believed it was important to clearly articulate their responsibilities, and that this would be best achieved by consultation with all stakeholders-SPs, students, tutors, and administrators.

METHODS

As part of a quality assurance initiative, we designed a questionnaire and focus group study to explore stakeholders' perceptions of the responsibilities of SPs in teaching. Convenience and purposive sampling was used to recruit participants to questionnaires and focus groups, respectively. Data were analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

Eighty-six questionnaires were collected, and six focus groups were conducted. Five sets of guidelines on responsibilities were produced. In addition, guidelines were established for feedback that SPs and tutors could use to maximize impact.

DISCUSSION

The results highlight the complexity of SP-based teaching. Clarification of all stakeholders' responsibilities demonstrates the importance of a team approach to SP-based teaching. Focusing attention on just one set of stakeholder's responsibilities is unlikely to improve perception of quality. The process for developing the guidelines may be valuable for those who work with SPs. Stakeholder engagement is likely to ensure greater commitment than those developed by faculty.

Back to the future: personal digital assistants in nursing education

This article provides an overview of the current state of the art for incorporating personal digital assistants (PDAs) into nursing education. The development of PDA technology and the lessons learned by educators integrating PDA technology into nursing curricula are described. The current cycle of PDA evolution is discussed and contrasted with a proposed model for maximizing the impact of PDAs on technological innovation in nursing education and practice.

The use of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) among personnel and students in health care: a review

BACKGROUND

Health care personnel need access to updated information anywhere and at any time, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) has the potential to meet these requirements. A PDA is a mobile tool which has been employed widely for various purposes in health care practice, and the level of its use is expected to increase. Loaded with suitable functions and software applications, a PDA might qualify as the tool that personnel and students in health care need. In Sweden today, despite its leadership role in mobile technologies, PDAs are not commonly used, and there is a lack of suitable functions and software applications.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present review was to obtain an overview of existing research on the use of PDAs among personnel and students in health care.

METHODS

The literature search included original peer-reviewed research articles written in English and published from 1996 to 2008. All study designs were considered for inclusion. We excluded reviews and studies focusing on the use of PDAs in classroom situations. From March 2006 to the last update in May 2008, we searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, IngentaConnect, and a local search engine (ELIN@Kalmar). We conducted a content analysis, using Nielsen's Model of System Acceptability as a theoretical framework in structuring and presenting the results.

RESULTS

From the 900 references initially screened, 172 articles were selected and critically assessed until 48 articles remained. The majority originated in North-America (USA: n=24, Canada: n=11). The categories which emerged from our content analysis coincided to a certain extent to Nielsen's Model of System Acceptability (social and practical acceptability), including usefulness (utility and usability) subcategories such as learnability, efficiency, errors, and satisfaction. The studies showed that health care personnel and students used PDAs in patient care with varied frequency. Most of the users were physicians. There is some evidence that the use of a PDA in health care settings might improve decision-making, reduce the numbers of medical errors, and enhance learning for both students and professionals, but the evidence is not strong, with most studies being descriptive, and only 6 randomized controlled trials. Several special software programs have been created and tested for PDAs, and a wide range of situations for their use have been reported for different patient groups. Drug and medical information were commonly accessed by PDA users, and the PDA was often viewed as the preferred tool when compared to paper-based documents. Some users regarded the PDA easy to operate, while others found it difficult in the beginning.

CONCLUSIONS

This overview of the use of PDAs revealed a positive attitude towards the PDA, which was regarded as a feasible and convenient tool. The possibility of immediate access to medical information has the potential to improve patient care. The PDA seems to be a valuable tool for personnel and students in health care, but there is a need for further intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, action research, and studies with various health care groups in order to identify its appropriate functions and software applications.

Using mobile technologies for assessment and learning in practice settings: A case study

The aim of this project was to explore the feasibility and identify the issues of using mobile technologies in the assessment of health and social care students in practice settings. We report here on a case study, which took place between a University department and varied clinical settings where students were on placement. Twenty-nine student midwives and five members of lecturing staff took part in the study and were issued with PocketPCs on which to record assessment documentation including action plans and evidence of achieving performance criteria. Qualitative data were obtained from three focus groups with student midwives and individual interviews with their link lecturers and quantitative data were gathered through short questionnaires to provide simple descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that students preferred the neatness and durability of the PocketPC to the paper based format, which became worn overtime. The ability to add to notes and references as and when appropriate was welcomed. However, anxiety about losing the device or material stored within it proved to be a major constraint. Lecturing staff found that synchronising the device with the University electronic diary system was extremely useful whilst clinical staff approached the change with varying levels of acceptance or dismissal. Introducing mobile technology into the clinical setting will require a significant shift in culture and a significant level of training and support.

Learner-centred feedback using remote assessment of clinical procedures

This paper describes the Imperial College Feedback and Assessment System (ICFAS) and explores its feasibility in supporting the learning of practical clinical procedures. ICFAS is an innovative combination of existing technologies which brings together video recording, networked mobile computers (laptop and handheld) and content management software. The aim is to observe, record, assess and provide feedback on multiple simulated encounters. We have developed ICFAS within the framework of our Integrated Procedural Performance Instrument (IPPI) (Kneebone et al. 2006a,b), providing a technology-based 'feedback space' for maximizing educational value.

Survey of handheld computing among medical students

The purpose of this study was to identify trends in the utilization and acceptance of handheld computers (personal digital assistants) among medical students during preclinical and clinical training. We surveyed 366 medical students and collected information on computer expertise, current handheld computer use, predicted future use, and user acceptance. Handheld computers were primarily used for personal applications by students during their preclinical training and as drug references and clinical calculators during their clinical training. In the future, all participants predicted they would use handheld computers at significantly higher rates and on a broader range of medical applications. The adoption of handheld computing was independent of user satisfaction. Those with more clinical experience were less satisfied with handheld computers, suggesting that the expectations of the more experienced users were not met. The lack of institutional support was seen as a key limitation.