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Aim: This study investigated the effectiveness and prospect of applying virtual simulation operation (VSO) as a novel teaching tool in clinical skill and operation courses. Methods: A comparative test and survey study on the teaching effect of VSO was conducted with the clinical skill and operation course as the test course. The test group students received offline courses combined with online VSO practice. In contrast, the control group students received offline courses combined with instructional video review. The two groups were assessed using the Chinese medical school clinical medicine professional level test and a questionnaire survey. Results: The test group students scored significantly higher than the control group in the skills test (score difference: 3.43, 95% CI: 2.05-4.80) (p < 0.001). Additionally, a significant increase in the percentage of high-and intermediate-score ranges and a decrease in the percentage of low-score ranges was observed (p < 0.001). According to the questionnaire survey, 80.56% of the students were willing to continue using virtual simulation in their subsequent clinical skill and operation learning. Further, 85.19% of the students believed that the VSO is superior because it is unrestricted by time and space and can be performed anywhere and anytime compared to traditional operation training. Conclusion: VSO teaching can improve skills and examination performance. An entirely online operation that does not need special equipment can break through the spatiotemporal limitations of traditional skills courses. VSO teaching also suits the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation. Virtual simulation, a new teaching tool, has good application prospects.
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Virtual simulation use is increasing in nursing curriculum as a supplementary learning tool to prepare for professional experience placement. This research explored student perspectives of vSim® Gerontology to address learning outcomes and support preparation for practice during the COVID-19 pandemic using a descriptive convergent mixed method approach. 169 students participated in the survey. The program provided an opportunity to engage and develop clinical reasoning skills and repeated use-built confidence for professional experience placement (PEP).
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Background: Simulation education is needed to train a highly competent nursing workforce. In-person simulation requires many resources, such as faculty, space, and time, that can negatively affect its feasibility. These barriers have prompted educators to seek new technologies to provide experiential learning opportunities, such as virtual simulation (VS). The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the need for educators to investigate alternative learning opportunities.Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with pre-licensure and advanced practice nursing students. They participated in a VS learning experience that was evaluated using the System Usability Scale (SUS)(R), the Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey (CLECS 2.0), and the Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M).Result: 197 pre-licensure and 11 advanced nursing practice students completed post-simulation eval-uations. The results from the SUS scale found the overall virtual system effective. Evaluating the CLECS tool found students' perceived experience was relatively similar for face-to-face simulation and screen-based simulation. The SET-M indicated students rated the VS simulation experience positively. Conclusion: VS for nursing education can be an effective experiential learning tool.
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BACKGROUND: Inherent features in virtual simulation could be utilised to deliver collaborative global education that is inclusive, accessible, and valued by students and facilitators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the International Eyecare Community (IEC) platform's virtual simulated international placements (VSIP) in optometric education. METHODS: An international, multi-center, cross-sectional mixed methods study with Deakin University, Australia, and the Elite School of Optometry, India, was used to evaluate the impact of VSIP in the IEC using pre-existing deidentified data collected from teaching and learning activities within the optometry course curriculum. Data on students and facilitators perceptions of the VSIP were collected through deidentified transcripts from focus group discussions. The data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis using constant comparison for thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 64 out of 167 student participants completed survey responses (39%) and 46 out of 167 (28%) completed self-reflective inventories. Focus groups with 6 student participants and 6 facilitator participants were recorded and analysed. Student participants reported the IEC was relevant (98% agreement) and motivated them to apply theoretical knowledge to a clinical context (97% agreement). The themes identified through qualitative analysis were: factors inherent to the virtual simulation that enabled learning through VSIP, the VSIP supported cognitive apprenticeship, VSIP enabled clinical learning for optometric education, VSIP' role in cross-cultural professional identity development in optometry students. CONCLUSION: The study found that the VSIP platform helped to motivate students to learn and improve their clinical skills. The VSIP was considered a potential supplement to physical clinical placements and could revolutionize global optometric education by offering co-learning across cultures.
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Curriculum , Students , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Australia , LearningABSTRACT
Through the use of virtual simulations (VS) in nursing education, nursing students are exposed to a variety of clinical scenarios that may potentially improve their learning of competencies, increase their self-efficacy, and enhance their future clinical performance. Despite limited quantitative research incorporating evidence-based strategies such as prebriefing and debriefing as part of the VS experience, this educational technology continues to gain popularity. In 2020, the use of VS in the nursing curriculum exponentially increased when the global COVID-19 pandemic impacted traditional in-person clinicals, laboratory, and human patient simulation (HPS) experiences. Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs have benefited from the use of VS. Among the various types of programs that educate prelicensure nursing students, ADN programs prepare the greatest number of students, educate more culturally and academically diverse students, and are challenged to prepare competent nurse graduates within a short curriculum timeframe. The researcher aimed to explore the effect of the Virtual Simulation Paired Prebriefing-Debriefing (VSPPD) strategy on ADN students' self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance concerning the care of patients experiencing a myocardial infarction (COPE-MI). Guided by the National League for Nursing (NLN) Jeffries Simulation Theory (JST) and principles of Bandura's self-efficacy theory, this quasi-experimental, two-group (intervention group and control group), pretest and post-test educational intervention study examined five research questions: 1) What is the effect of the Virtual Simulation Paired Prebriefing-Debriefing (VSPPD) strategy on Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students' self-efficacy perceptions concerning the care of patients experiencing an MI? 2) What is the effect of the VSPPD strategy on VS performance scores? 3) What is the correlation between students' self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores? 4) What is the influence of selected demographic variables on students' self-efficacy perceptions concerning the care of patients experiencing an MI? 5) What is the influence of selected demographic variables on students' VS performance scores? Implemented with a third-semester, five-credit, advanced medical-surgical nursing course in the ADN curriculum, the VSPPD strategy aimed to positively influence nursing students' self-efficacy for performing cognitive, practical, and affective COPE-MI nursing skills and VS performance scores through students' participation in a paired prebriefing-debriefing and repeated completion of the same VS scenario preceded and followed by structured briefing conversations. The VSPPD strategy was developed by the researcher based on the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM, constructs of the JST, and the NLN vSim for Nursing Curriculum Integration Guide for Faculty. The effectiveness of this educational strategy was measured by the Care of Patients Experiencing a Myocardial Infarction Self-Efficacy Tool (COPE-MI SET©), the Virtual Simulation Survey (VSS), and students' VS performance scores. Data analysis results for the five research questions support the effectiveness of the VSPPD educational strategy on students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions (in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains) and VS performance scores. Results also support that there is a positive correlation between students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores. While sample size limitation was a concern, this study also provided evidence that the VSPPD strategy caused positive changes in students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores regardless of students' age, previous experience with video or computer gaming, or previous healthcare work experience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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Pseudo-haptics refers to the simulation of haptic sensations without the use of haptic interfaces, using, for example, audiovisual feedback and kinesthetic cues. Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online learning, there has been a recent interest in pseudo-haptics as it can help facilitate psychomotor skills development away from simulation centers and laboratories. Here we present work-in-progress that describes the study design of a pseudo-haptics for virtual anesthesia skills development. We anticipate this work will provide greater insight to pseudo-haptics and its application to anesthesia-based training. © 2022 IEEE.
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Information technology changes people's way of working, learning and thinking at an amazing speed, which will inevitably lead to comprehensive reform and development in the education field. The epidemic situation of COVID-19 makes online teaching the main teaching mode of 'teaching without stopping and learning without stopping'. The application of modern education technology based on 'Chaoxing Platform+Tencent Meeting' in teaching process is explored. Based on teaching environment, interactive teaching mode construction, teaching management and evaluation, the teaching design is carried out in combination with the actual characteristics of each teaching link. The application of virtual simulation modern educational technology in the course Circuit Analysis is studied, and the convenience and the intuitiveness brought by virtual simulation technical resources and interactive platform are given full play, and the virtual simulation technology can effectively solve the obscure circuit analysis problem in theoretical teaching. The aim of teaching model reform has been achieved. © 2022 IEEE.
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Universities worldwide had to close their doors due to the Covid-19 health emergency, and from face-To-face classes go to the virtual modality, being the theoretical/practical nursing career to carry out the virtual simulation, through their homes. The objective of the research was to describe the satisfaction of virtual simulation learning and academic performance, in the context of Covid-19, in nursing students at a Public University-2021. The survey was applied to 186 students of the Faculty of Nursing, of the semesters: III, IV, VII and VIII of the Public University of Ica-Peru. It was a mixed approach study, applying a 15-question Likert scale questionnaire, presenting the physical format. It is concluded that young students are satisfied with virtual simulation learning and it is not related to the grades obtained by a group in their academic performance. © 2022 ACM.
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BACKGROUND: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual reality simulation, including web-based simulation, has increased in nursing education. This study explored nursing students' self-directed problem-solving in web-based virtual simulation experiences. METHOD: Convenience sampling yielded 16 Korean senior nursing students who had experienced clinical practice in the last semester. Data were collected from August 2020 to January 2021 through in-depth Zoom video interviews and organized using NVivo version 12.0. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data. RESULTS: The following four themes were identified from nursing students' learning experiences during the web-based virtual simulations: "self-awareness of a lack of nursing competency in virtual reality," "applying new learning strategies learned from failure," "voluntary learning behavior," and "cognitive shift toward a holistic understanding." Web-based virtual simulations activated various cognitive and metacognitive factors of self-directed learning, and the system's prompt feedback and students' reflections facilitated learning effects. Nursing students corrected their cognitive errors while learning from their failures and mistakes and gained a holistic view of nursing practice. CONCLUSION: In this study, web-based self-directed learning activated the metacognition of nursing students in a virtuous cycle. The virtual environment with no actual harm to the patient has become a space for learners to experience a sense of confidence, achievement, and satisfaction. Web-based virtual simulation can be an effective teaching method to improve nursing students' self-directed learning abilities and nursing competency.
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The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has modified teaching and learning throughout the world. The developments in Information Communication Technology tools have played a critical role in the education community. During the pandemic, the organization and conduction of theory classes in Universities across India were managed reasonably on one side, but the problem existed in laboratory courses. A singlepoint portal is needed to organize and conduct a laboratory course in a virtual mode. While creating a virtual lab (based on the syllabus) would solve the need, creating such would be a tedious task for the teachers, requiring special skills and resources. Google Sites is a free website application tool that allows users to create and edit files online while collaborating with others in real-time. The application includes other Google applications such as Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets, Google Slides, Google Forms, Google Drawings, and Google Keep. Google Sites also accepts any online links or files, which is handy for creating a simplified virtual curation lab for free using common online resources. © 2023, Grand Canyon University. All rights reserved.
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The use of virtual simulations exponentially increased as nursing schools experienced an urgent need to integrate online educational technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore associate degree nursing students' perceptions about the comprehensive Synchronous Group Virtual Simulation educational strategy. This strategy was developed based on the National League for Nursing Jeffries Simulation Theory (JST) and the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM, including structured synchronous prebriefing and debriefing stages. Content analysis revealed 12 recurrent themes, from which 10 positive themes strongly correlated with concepts of the JST. Our findings support the effectiveness of a high-quality synchronous virtual simulation-guided by an empirically supported simulation theoretical framework and evidence-based simulation best practice standards-can be realistic, experiential, interactive, collaborative, learner-centered, and promote simulation participant outcomes.
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Nursing education faced unprecedented challenges in maintaining quality clinical and simulation instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies to maintain clinical engagement and meet course objectives included using virtual simulation and safely reopening simulation laboratories as soon as it was possible. When using virtual experiences for replacement of clinical or simulation, it is critical that standards of best practice are implemented. Safely reopening laboratories required plans for social distancing, health screening, personal protective equipment, disinfecting, and educating users on the new protocols. Combining these strategies resulted in delivering quality instruction without interruption during the pandemic.
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COVID-19 , Education, Nursing , Humans , Pandemics/prevention & controlABSTRACT
This study examined the efficacy of a short virtual case simulation for Korean American (KA) faith leaders, "Religious Leaders for Healthy Families." The goal of the program is to increase knowledge about intimate partner violence (IPV) and healthy intimate partner relationships, enhance self-efficacy in IPV prevention and intervention, strengthen attitudes that support their roles on IPV prevention and intervention, increase positive outcome expectations of their actions, and increase behavioral intentions and behaviors on IPV prevention and intervention. KA faith leaders from two large metropolitan areas with a high concentration of KA immigrants were invited to participate in the study (N=102). Participants completed three online assessments: baseline, a 3-month, and a 6-month follow-up. After the baseline assessment, participants were randomized to either intervention (n = 53) or control (n = 49). The intervention consisted of four online simulation modules, each taking approximately 15-20 min to complete. At the 6-month follow-up, faith leaders in the intervention group significantly increased their knowledge and self-efficacy in IPV prevention and intervention compared to the control group. Mean scores for attitudes against IPV and prevention behaviors increased from baseline to the 6-month follow-up for the intervention group more than the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant. "Religious Leaders for Healthy Families" has the potential to reduce disparities in accessing resources and services for immigrant survivors of IPV. With its ease of use, this short, free online intervention has a high potential for uptake among faith leaders. Results are promising, but the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the study, with participants having scarce opportunities to practice the skills learned from the intervention. A larger follow-up study that combines "Religious Leaders for Healthy Families" with a community-wide intervention that targets all community members is warranted to reach more faith leaders and community members.
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There is no evidence with regard to the effectiveness of the use of simulation in video conferences to facilitate the learning experiences of nursing student. Aims. To describe the research protocol 1) to validate instruments measuring student satisfaction, self-confidence, and perceptions of good planning and best practice in the use of virtual simulation in the Italian con- text on the basis of Jeffries and Rizzolo's theoretical model in the Italian context and 2) to analyse student satisfaction, self-confidence, and perceptions of good planning and best practice in virtual simulation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. First, we will perform a validation study and then use a descriptive cross-sectional study design. Third year nursing students in a bachelor's degree course in nursing in central Italy, who participated in virtual simulation-based learning during the COVID-19 pandemic will be included. We will consider translation and cultural adaptation, the content and face validity, the construct validity, the criterion validity, the reliability, and the responsiveness to changes in the instruments. Then we will consider means and standard deviations for evaluating the score of the instruments. Discussion. This study will provide us with the opportunity to determine the effectiveness of virtual simulation for nursing students. The intent is not only to evaluate students' perceptions of virtual simulation but also to create a continuous monitoring system. The future intention is to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual simulation for developing students' skills during their internship. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Computer-based simulations may represent an innovative, flexible, and cost-efficient training approach that has been underutilised in pharmacy practice education. This may need to change, with increasing pressure on clinical placement availability, COVID-19 restrictions, and economic pressures to improve teaching efficiency. This systematic narrative review summarises various computer-based simulations described in the pharmacy practice education literature, identifies the currently available products, and highlights key characteristics. Five major databases were searched (Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, Education Source and Embase). Authors also manually reviewed the publication section of major pharmacy simulator websites and performed a citation analysis. We identified 49 studies describing 29 unique simulators, which met the inclusion criteria. Only eight of these simulators were found to be currently available. The characteristics of these eight simulators were examined through the lens of eight main criteria (feedback type, grading, user play mode, cost, operational requirement, community/hospital setting, scenario sharing option, and interaction elements). Although a number of systems have been developed and trialled, relatively few are available on the market, and each comes with benefits and drawbacks. Educators are encouraged to consider their own institutional, professional and curriculum needs, and determine which product best aligns with their teaching goals.
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Hydraulic design is automatically inherent in hydraulic engineering courses, conventional teaching of the Waterway Engineering Design course tends to have limitations such as low participation, poor interactivity, disconnection between theoretical and experimental training, and restriction of experimental design by time and space. To address these needs, a virtual simulation cloud system of Waterway Engineering Design is developed based on outcome-based education. Taking real engineering projects as prototypes, this system adopts virtual reality technology and cloud platform to simulate the scene structure and instrument function with high precision. The multi-model, integrational teaching expands the experimental content, enhances the interactivity of the design process, and provides a high-quality, immersive online learning experience for students. Since its application, the Waterway Engineering Design Virtual Simulation Cloud System has received good feedback from both teachers and students. During the Covid-19 epidemic, it provided significant support for experiments and teaching of the Waterway Engineering Design course and became a pivotal supplement to the existing teaching system. The Waterway Engineering Design Virtual Simulation Cloud System adheres to the “student-centered” teaching principle, builds up students’ ability for independent learning and engineering practice, and facilitates their personal development and training for excellent engineers © 2022, International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning.All Rights Reserved.
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Background: Virtual simulation modalities have been implemented widely since the onset of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic restrictions in March 2020, as educators face persistent restrictions to face-to-face education of medical students and healthcare professionals.There is paucity of published data regarding the benefits and barriers of distance and avatar simulation training modalities. Methods: Following a 2-day virtual pediatric simulation competition facilitated by Netzwerk Kindersimulation e.V., using remote human avatars and distance simulation, we conducted a multicenter survey to explore the advantages and challenges of avatar and distance simulation among participants. We used a modified Delphi approach to draft and develop the 32-item online questionnaire with 7-point Likert-like scales (7 being the highest rating). Results: Twenty participants answered our questionnaire. Respondents indicated both a high overall satisfaction (median of 5.0 [Q25-Q75: 4.0-6.0] ) for avatar and distance simulation 6.0 (5.0-6.0), respectively, as well as a high achieved psychological safety with both simulation types (5.0 [4.0-6.0] vs. 5.0 [4.0-6.0]). The most frequently reported profits of avatar and distance simulation included the elimination of travel distances, associated lower costs, less time spent attending the education activity, and effective communication and leadership training, especially with avatar simulation. Most often named challenges were technical problems, limited reception of non-verbal cues and a spatial distance from the team/educator. Discussion: Based on the results of this pilot study, avatar and distance simulation can be employed successfully and appear to be good supplements to face-to-face simulation. Other studies are warranted to further explore the effectiveness of various types of virtual simulation compared to conventional presential simulation. We suggest using avatar-based simulation for targeted communication and leadership skills training and the application of distance simulation to bring simulation experts virtually to remote places where educator resources are lacking.
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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great impact on the traditional teaching mode (Lecture-based Learning, LBL) and laboratory teaching. To address this challenge, the researchers conducted online Problem-based learning (PBL) teaching and virtual simulation laboratory teaching through DingTalk, and evaluated the effectiveness of this method in teaching clinical biochemistry. Methods: With the method of cluster sampling, the researchers randomly selected 60 students from two classes of the Class 2019 as the experimental group for this prospective experimental study. The theory class was taught online PBL through DingTalk, and experimental lectures were given by virtual simulation. After the experimental teaching, students were assessed for theory and operation. Self-administered questionnaires were administered through DingTalk. 65 students from our 2018 medical laboratory class were randomly selected as the control group, and offline LBL and traditional experimental teaching methods were used. Examination results were obtained through teaching portfolios. Results: The experimental group had significantly better examination scores in theoretical knowledge and experimental operational skills than the control group (87.45 ± 5.91 vs. 83.52 ± 9.94, P = 0.0095; 87.08 ± 12.42 vs. 80.18 ± 14.04, P = 0.0044). The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that the experimental group was more receptive to the DingTalk-PBL teaching method and virtual simulation laboratory teaching. Moreover, this hybrid teaching method was more effective in promoting basic knowledge understanding (95.0%, 57/60), facilitating the mastery of operational skills (93.3, 56/60), cultivating interest in learning (96.7%, 58/60), training clinical thinking (95.0%, 57/60), improving communication skills (95.0%, 57/60), and enhancing self-learning ability (91.7%, 55/60) and was more satisfying than traditional teaching method (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: The DingTalk-based PBL method combined with virtual simulation experiments was an effective and acceptable teaching strategy during the pandemic compared with the traditional teaching method.
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Through the use of virtual simulations (VS) in nursing education, nursing students are exposed to a variety of clinical scenarios that may potentially improve their learning of competencies, increase their self-efficacy, and enhance their future clinical performance. Despite limited quantitative research incorporating evidence-based strategies such as prebriefing and debriefing as part of the VS experience, this educational technology continues to gain popularity. In 2020, the use of VS in the nursing curriculum exponentially increased when the global COVID-19 pandemic impacted traditional in-person clinicals, laboratory, and human patient simulation (HPS) experiences. Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs have benefited from the use of VS. Among the various types of programs that educate prelicensure nursing students, ADN programs prepare the greatest number of students, educate more culturally and academically diverse students, and are challenged to prepare competent nurse graduates within a short curriculum timeframe. The researcher aimed to explore the effect of the Virtual Simulation Paired Prebriefing-Debriefing (VSPPD) strategy on ADN students' self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance concerning the care of patients experiencing a myocardial infarction (COPE-MI). Guided by the National League for Nursing (NLN) Jeffries Simulation Theory (JST) and principles of Bandura's self-efficacy theory, this quasi-experimental, two-group (intervention group and control group), pretest and post-test educational intervention study examined five research questions: 1) What is the effect of the Virtual Simulation Paired Prebriefing-Debriefing (VSPPD) strategy on Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students' self-efficacy perceptions concerning the care of patients experiencing an MI? 2) What is the effect of the VSPPD strategy on VS performance scores? 3) What is the correlation between students' self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores? 4) What is the influence of selected demographic variables on students' self-efficacy perceptions concerning the care of patients experiencing an MI? 5) What is the influence of selected demographic variables on students' VS performance scores? Implemented with a third-semester, five-credit, advanced medical-surgical nursing course in the ADN curriculum, the VSPPD strategy aimed to positively influence nursing students' self-efficacy for performing cognitive, practical, and affective COPE-MI nursing skills and VS performance scores through students' participation in a paired prebriefing-debriefing and repeated completion of the same VS scenario preceded and followed by structured briefing conversations. The VSPPD strategy was developed by the researcher based on the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM, constructs of the JST, and the NLN vSim for Nursing Curriculum Integration Guide for Faculty. The effectiveness of this educational strategy was measured by the Care of Patients Experiencing a Myocardial Infarction Self-Efficacy Tool (COPE-MI SET©), the Virtual Simulation Survey (VSS), and students' VS performance scores. Data analysis results for the five research questions support the effectiveness of the VSPPD educational strategy on students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions (in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains) and VS performance scores. Results also support that there is a positive correlation between students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores. While sample size limitation was a concern, this study also provided evidence that the VSPPD strategy caused positive changes in students' COPE-MI self-efficacy perceptions and VS performance scores regardless of students' age, previous experience with video or computer gaming, or previous healthcare work experience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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BACKGROUND: The rapid change brought on by COVID-19 meant that many educators adopted virtual simulation quickly, often without having a strong background in the pedagogical principles of virtual simulation. To address this resource gap, a team of 21 Ontario virtual simulation-experienced educators created the freely available, online, interprofessional Virtual Simulation Educator's Toolkit. The Toolkit provides the theory, practical strategies and resources needed to teach effectively with virtual simulation. Because the Toolkit would include new content, resources and numerous untested design elements, the team conducted a usability test. DESIGN: A usability study, that followed a three-step process, was conducted. Participants were asked to carefully review the Toolkit, including all interactive components and complete an online survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model, to measure the ease of use and utility of the Toolkit. Lastly, participants were interviewed. PARTICIPANTS: In keeping with sampling principles for usability studies, twenty experienced virtual simulation educators from different disciplines participated in the study. METHODS: A validated survey and one-on-one interviews were used to measure educators' perceptions of the ease of use and utility of the Toolkit and their recommendations to improve it. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were coded and themes developed. CONCLUSION: The score of 90 % on the Toolkit Experience Survey indicated that participants found the Toolkit both easy to use and useful. Results from the interviews indicated that a practical, accessible professional development tool is urgently needed to support education with virtual simulation. Because the Toolkit introduces educators to different ways of implementing virtual simulation, as well as options, process considerations, and tools to enhance their teaching with virtual simulation, different disciplines and educators with different levels of simulation experience may benefit by using it.