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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted clinical experience and case volumes. Surgical simulation is now an even more powerful training tool and, to maximize potential, we must ensure learner engagement. Our aim was to identify barriers to surgical simulation engagement and strategies to mitigate these. Method(s): Scoping search was performed with a trained librarian of PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Title and screening were completed with inclusion criteria: articles describing barriers to engagement with surgical simulation. After full text screening, data was extracted from included articles: type of study, MERSQI score, type/number of participants, barriers to engagement and strategies to mitigate these. Result(s): Twenty-nine manuscripts were included with 951 faculty and 2,467 residents. The majority (86%) were in high income countries (HIC) and four in LMICs. Most were surveys (22/29), and five involved semi-structured interviews/focus groups. Mean adjusted MERSQI score was 8. Commonest barriers to HIC engagement were learner clinical duties (9/25), lack of learner time (13/25), lack of learner interest/motivation (9/25) and lack of faculty time or interest to participate (12/25). In LMIC, commonest barriers were lack of simulation lab/equipment (4/4), cost (3/4) and inadequate supervision (3/4). Strategies to improve HIC engagement were mandatory/protected resident simulation training (9/25) and, in LMIC, low cost simulators (4/4) and sharing resources (2/4). Conclusion(s): Identification of barriers to simulation engagement is crucial for successful learning. Given the increased importance of simulation education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, surgical educators should strategize to maximize engagement.
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Background It is a challenge for pharmacy courses worldwide to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills to equip students for their future practice. Computer-based simulation offers a way of building a bridge between theory and practice. In recent years, digital simulation has expanded rapidly as a new technique of virtual learning. The digital platform ''Pharmacy Simulator'' proposes computer-based encounters with virtual patients to train clinical and communication skills in a community pharmacy setting. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while students were digitally resilient and endured the endless challenges of online lectures, many were dealing with Zoom and screen fatigue. Purpose To investigate pharmacy students' acceptance of Pharmacy Simulator before and during a pandemic situation. This focuses on students' self-assessment and confidence in counselling after playing the scenarios on Pharmacy Simulator. Method Two cohorts of Master of Pharmacy students at The University of Western Australia played two scenarios on Pharmacy Simulator in 2019 (anaphylaxis and salbutamol) and 2021 (anaphylaxis and vaccination). A mixed-method analysis was performed with data from (i) qualitative semi-structured interviews carried out in 2019 pertaining to participants' acceptance of Pharmacy Simulator and in 2021 (ii) a questionnaire with 25 items derived from the interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim into electronic format with the data management assistance MAXQDA and analyzed inductively using the Framework Method. Questionnaire responses were analyzed in Microsoft Excel using descriptive statistics. Openended questions were evaluated inductively. Findings Data were collected from 20 interviews and 31 answered questionnaires. In 2019, participants reported that Pharmacy Simulator was a fun, engaging, and straightforward learning tool and, therefore, user-friendly. They reported the feedback at the end of the session to be most valuable. The platform was perceived to fill the gap between the theory from lectures and community pharmacy practice. In 2021, participants ''agreed'' (median: 4, on a 5-point Likert scale) with seven statements about Pharmacy Simulator's usability, such as it being a helpful tool for acquiring new knowledge. Participants' confidence in counselling regarding the scenario topics improved. One participant stated, ''It taught me more through trial and error''. Conclusion Pharmacy students reported similar acceptance levels of Pharmacy Simulator before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of simulation during virtual patient encounters seems to facilitate the transfer from theory to practice, independently of learning conditions that were predominantly screen-based.
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Objective: The aim of the cross-over study was to evaluate skill acquisition in lobectomy-naive surgical trainees completing a 4-week program to learn VATS lobectomy on a virtual reality surgical simulator (LapSim). Method(s): Lobectomynaive surgical trainees (year 1 and 2 postgraduation) were enrolled during the COVID pandemic from March to June 2021 for a 4-week course on basic VATS skills and right upper lobectomy. They were divided into 2 groups. Both groups completed an initial assessment, Group 1 completed the course first, then both groups completed a second assessment. Then Group 2 completed the course, and both groups completed a final assessment. Skill acquisition was assessed using instrument movement, procedure time, and blood loss for both the trained operation and an untrained operation (left lower lobectomy). Result(s): 16 trainees were enrolled, 10 completed the training program. There was no difference in baseline assessment. After Group 1 completed the training, they outperformed Group 2 in all metrics but this did not reach statistical significance. After training Group 2 at week 8, there was no longer difference in performance from Group 1. After completing the training program, the entire cohort showed a significant improvement in basic VATS tasks as well as lobectomies. There was statistically significant improvement in both right upper lobectomy instrument movement (P=0.002) and time (P=0.009) and left lower lobectomy time (P=0.047). Conclusion(s): This study showed that VATS simulation training on LapSim allowed junior trainees to learn advanced VATS resection during a pandemic and within 4 weeks. The acquired skills is transferrable to untrained operations. (Table Presented).
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Background: Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, virtual simulation has emerged as an alternative to traditional teaching methods as it can be employed within the recently established contact-minimizing guidelines. This prospective education study aimed to develop a virtual reality simulator for a lumbar transforaminal epidural block and to demonstrate its efficacy. Methods: We developed a virtual reality simulator using patient image data processing, virtual x-ray generation, spatial registration, and virtual reality technology. For a realistic virtual environment, a procedure room, surgical table, C-arm, and monitor were created. Using the virtual C-arm, X-ray images of the patient's anatomy, the needle, and indicator were obtained in real time. After simulation, trainees could get feedback from adjusting the visibility of the structures (such as skin and bones). The training of lumbar transforaminal epidural block using the simulator was evaluated in 20 inexperienced trainees. Trainees' procedural time, rating score, number of C-arm taken, and overall satisfaction were recorded as primary outcomes. Results: The group using the simulator showed a higher global rating score (p = 0.014), reduced procedural time (p = 0.025), reduced number of C-arm uses (p = 0.001), and higher overall satisfaction score (p = 0.007). Conclusions: We created an accessible and effective virtual reality simulator that can be used to teach a lumbar transforaminal epidural block, without radiation exposure, for inexperienced trainees. The results of this study indicate that the proposed simulator will prove to be a useful aid for teaching a lumbar transforaminal epidural block.
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Acoustics often deals with invisible phenomena. A problem in many classes at institutions of higher education is the emphasis on acquiring knowledge through mathematical formulas and graphs. I considered it important to incorporate experiential learning. However, the expensive cost and space limitations of acoustic experimental equipment make it difficult to fully utilize it for learning. Therefore, I have been developing simulator teaching/learning materials that visualize and make audible the results of calculations on a computer, enabling simulated experiential learning. In 2020, many universities were closed due to covid-19 and classes were conducted online. Students were dissatisfied with online classes where they only listened to one-way lectures. Therefore, I incorporated simulator materials into my online classes to provide hands-on learning on topics such as acoustics. This paper reports on the structure of the experiential class, the simulator materials used, and their effectiveness. © ICA 2022.All rights reserved
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Introduction: We investigated a novel technique designed to measure tidal volume during non-invasive helmet continuous-flow CPAP, a device for non-invasive respiratory support largely used during the recent COVID-19 pandemic to treat acutely ill hypoxic respiratory failure patients. Method(s): An active lung simulator coupled with a helmet CPAP was used to compare measured and Reference tidal volumes at PEEP 5, 10 and 15 cmH2O and different levels of distress (pMusc 10, 15 20 and 25 cmH2O;respiratory rate 15, 20, 25 breaths per minutes). Tidal volume measurement was based on helmet outflow-trace analysis. Helmet inflow was increased from 60 to 75 and 90 L/min to match patients' inspiratory flow;an additional subset of tests was conducted in condition of purposely insufficient inflow (i.e.: high respiratory distress and 60 L/min inflow). Result(s): Explored tidal volumes ranged from 250 to 910 mL. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a bias of -3.2 +/- 29.3 mL for measured tidal volumes as compared to Reference, corresponding to an average relative error of -1 +/- 4.4% (see Fig. 1). At univariate analyses, tidal volume underestimation correlated with respiratory rate (rho = .411, p = .004) but not with peak inspiratory flow, distress, or PEEP. When the helmet inflow was purposely maintained insufficient as compared to the simulated inspiratory flow, the Bland-Altman analysis showed a significant tidal volume underestimation (bias -93.3 +/- 83.9 mL), corresponding to an error of -14.8 +/- 6.3%. Conclusion(s): We showed that tidal volume measurement is feasible and accurate in a model of bench continuous-flow helmet CPAP therapy by the analysis of the outflow signal, provided that helmet inflow is maintained adequate to match patient's inspiratory efforts. Insufficient inflow resulted in tidal volume underestimation.
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The apprenticeship-based training method (ABTM) is highly effective for gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic training. However, the conventional ABTM has significant issues. Although many supplementary training methods (TMs) have been developed and utilized, they cannot entirely replace the ABTM, which remains the major TM strategy. Currently, new TM construction is crucial and necessary due to financial constraints, difficulty of obtaining sufficient training time due to patient safety-related regulations, and catastrophic damage caused by disasters such as the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The simulator-based TM (SBTM) is widely accepted as an alternative to the ABTM, owing to the SBTM's advantages. Since the 1960s, many GI endoscopy training simulators have been developed and numerous studies have been published on their effectiveness. While previous studies have focused on the simulator's validity, this review focused on the accessibility of simulators that were introduced by the end of 2021. Although the current SBTM is effective in GI endoscopic education, extensive improvements are needed to replace the ABTM. Incorporating simulator-incorporated TMs into an improved ABTM is an attempt to overcome the incompleteness of the current SBTM. Until a new simulator is developed to replace the ABTM, it is desirable to operate a simulator-integrated and well-coordinated TM that is suitable for each country and institution.
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In the current environment where COVID-19 is serious, the space, place and resources required for teaching nuclear power plants are restricted to a great extent. To solve such problems and improve the utilization of education resources, this study improved an accident simulator for nuclear power plants based on the concept of cloud technology. We build the Browser / Server architecture so that the platform has successfully implemented multiterminal, multiplatform and multiuser simultaneous applications. Through the simulation results of the Small Break Loss of Coolant Accident (SBLOCA) and the test results of platform performance by PCTran-Cloud, the correctness of PCTran-Cloud in the accident simulation function and results were verified. In general, PCTran-Cloud has the characteristics of high scalability, high concurrency and high security. The platform can provide an environment for the training and education of nuclear power professionals. © 2022 IEEE.
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University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences have established a unique medical imaging teaching and testing laboratory in collaboration with Oulu University Hospital in a European Regional Development Fund -project. Virtually implemented medical imaging devices (CT, MRI, radiography) are unique features of the lab. Many of the virtual tools have been developed by the universities themselves. One of the virtual tools implemented during the project is the CTlab simulator, which can be widely used in computed tomography training for all professionals who use radiation in their work. The CTlab provides fast, comprehensive, and efficient solutions for numerical CT simulations with low hardware requirements. The simulator has been developed to introduce the basic operations and workflow behind the CT imaging modality and to illustrate how the polychromatic x-ray spectrum, various imaging parameters, scan geometry and CT reconstruction algorithm affect the quality of the detected images. Key user groups for the simulator include medical physics, engineering, and radiographer students. CTlab has been created with MATLAB's app designer feature. It offers its user the opportunity to select the virtual imaging target, to adjust CT imaging parameters (image volume, scan angles, detector element size and detector width, noise, algorithm/geometry specific parameters), to select specific scan geometry, to observe projection data from selected imaging target with polychromatic x-ray spectrum, and to select the specific algorithm for image reconstruction (FBP, least squares, Tikhonov regularization). The CTlab has so far been used at a postgraduate course on computed tomography technology with encouraging feedback from the students. At the course, teaching of CT modality were performed by using the simulator, giving students unlimited opportunity to practice the use of virtual imaging device and participate demonstrations remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Using CTlab in teaching enhances and deepens the learning experience in the physics behind computed tomography. CTlab can be used remotely (https://www.oulu.fi/fi/projektit/laaketieteellisen-kuvantamisen-opetus-ja-testilaboratorio-0), which makes teaching and training of CT scanner usage successful regardless of time and place. The simulator enables more illustrative and in-depth teaching and offers cost-effectiveness, versatility, and flexibility in education. CTlab can also be used to support teaching in special situations, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic when simulator is utilized remotely to perform teaching-related demonstrations flexibly and safely.Copyright © 2023 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.
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Funding: None. Synopsis: Once a subspecialty of general surgery, vascular surgery has transitioned to an entity with its own training paradigms and board certification. Part of this transition is due to many advances in technology, devices, and techniques. The management of vascular pathology that was at one time relegated to open procedures has now shifted to a field where endovascular options can be performed. These advances come with the concern of training competent vascular surgeons who are already under stringent duty hours restrictions, deal with heightened scrutiny associated with patient safety, and recently have had their operative volumes decreased due to COVID-19-related cancellations and shut downs. Simulation has been offered as a possible means to mitigate these limitations and shift the learning curve to competency. Despite this, little is known regarding the efficacy and best practices of incorporating simulation into vascular training. Method(s): A literature review was performed of English language articles on the EBSCO database without publication date restrictions on vascular surgery simulation. Search terms included vascular surgery simulation, endovascular surgery simulation and vascular education simulation. Additional studies were found by searching reference lists of relevant articles. All study designs were included if they pertained to simulation for open vascular or endovascular procedures. Simulator fidelity, educational efficacy, validity of the simulator, transfer of skill, and cost and time effectiveness were assessed. With endovascular simulation we assessed the amount of handling error, procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and the amount of contrast used. Result(s): Using these methods, twenty-two articles were identified. In regards to simulation used for open procedures in vascular surgery, the analysis showed that the most important factors in determining efficacy were the involvement of expert level (attending) proctors and the use of high fidelity (cadaver) simulators. Other important determinants were the use of trainee-specific models and the employment of specific learning objectives. The use of virtual endovascular simulators in enhancing trainee competence is supported by better quality data in the literature. Specifically measured and proven outcomes are a decrease in catheter handling errors, a reduction in both procedure and fluoroscopy time, and a diminished volume of contrast used. Endovascular simulators also allowed for reliable and consistent assessment of operator performance and showed a good transfer of skill to actual cases. Conclusion(s): Simulation is an important tool for both the assessment and training of vascular residents. The use of expert proctors, appropriate simulators, and well-designed curricula are the keys to success. Further studies connecting simulation training to patient-centered outcomes are still needed to define the true potential of these tools and methods. Institution: Lousiana State University HSC, New Orleans, LACopyright © 2022
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a profound transformation in the educational landscape in recent months. Educators worldwide have been challenged to tackle academic issues they could never have imagined. Among the most stressful situations faced by students and teachers is implementing online assessments. This paper proposes a system that includes exam prototypes for computer architecture modules at the higher education level. This system generates a wide range of questions and variations on the server side, supported by a set of simulators, resulting in many unique examination proposals. This system streamlines the monitoring process for the teacher, as it eliminates the possibility of two students receiving similar exams and reduces student stress by allowing them to practice with a limitless number of exam samples. This paper also highlights several indicators that demonstrate the advantages of this framework. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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In the previous study the work experience on organization of teaching Robotics to secondary school students at school lessons and in study groups was introduced. This study which was conducted within 2019 and 2021 covered the period of distant learning caused by COVID-19 pandemic and even post-pandemic period, when a part of school students continued learning online. The study deals with the problem of developing school students' computational thinking in online learning. We consider computational thinking as a set of cognitive skills of solving educational and cognitive problems. The research questions raised were aimed at solving the problem of the influence of Educational Robotics on developing computational thinking. During the research we have found out that due to the adaptability of robots, Educational Robotics, the development of individual learning programs, and the arrangement of collaborative online learning are instruments and a solution to the problem of developing computational thinking. The main components of computational thinking, which were studied within those 3 years, are the following: algorithmic thinking, ability to program, and efficiency in team work. The influence of the learning strategy we chose enabled us to determine the level of computational thinking and its dependence on learning Robotics. We used statistical criteria in order to summarize the results of our research. The statistics provided suggests progress in the indicator tracked. Based on the experimental data received we approximated reliability (R2) and relevant exponential equation (trend lines). The research we carried out also has led to the general conclusion that Educational Robotics helps to create synergistic learning environment for stimulating students' motivation, collaboration, self-efficacy and creativity.
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Adaptive platform trials (APTs) are often complex clinical trials that, ideally, are well suited to answer the motivating clinical questions effectively and efficiently, with the motivating clinical questions and associated treatment arms expected to evolve over time as evidence accumulates. Recently, APTs have played a pivotal role in informing public health policy by efficiently generating compelling evidence regarding the effectiveness of therapies for COVID-19. For APTs to be maximally effective in informing future public health policy, they must be carefully tailored to address the right clinical questions, with the right balance of size, scope, rigor, and flexibility. The design process requires input from clinical and statistical domain experts and often includes input from trial implementation personnel, ethicists, and patient representatives. The design process is inherently iterative, with proposed designs evaluated through trial simulation, the identification of strengths and weaknesses of the proposed design, and revision by the team to address weaknesses. This iterative design process requires effective communication and collaboration between the statistical and clinical domain experts. This session is intended to present a current best practice in facilitating and enhancing the collaborative design process for APTs, including how best to present simulation-based trial performance to the design team and ensure effective interdisciplinary communication. The speakers have extensive experience in leading the design of APTs across multiple therapeutic areas, in both academic and industry settings. The session will begin with a brief presentation by Dr. Lewis on the basic structure of an APT and the tasks and challenges associated with the multidisciplinary design process. The subsequent discussion will be organized by the following themes: (1) considerations in the selection of the study population and primary outcome metric;(2) selecting treatment domains and factors to be compared;(3) trial simulation and communication of performance metrics to both statistical and non-statistical team members;and (4) defining and calibrating interim decision rules. Each of the 4 panel members will outline a recommended approach to facilitating 1 of the 4 design tasks, with examples drawn from their experience. The remaining time (15 min) will be available for a panel question-and-answer period. At the end of the session, the audience will have an understanding of the general organization of, and a process for facilitating, the design process for an adaptive platform trial. Panel Members Roger J Lewis, MD, PhD, is a Senior Physician in the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Professor of Emergency Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and the Senior Medical Scientist at Berry Consultants, LLC, a group that specializes in innovative clinical trial design. He is also the former Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Lewis' expertise centers on adaptive and Bayesian clinical trials, including platform trials;translational, clinical, health services and outcomes research methodology;data and safety monitoring boards, and the oversight of clinical trials. Dr. Lewis was elected to membership in the National Academy of Medicine in 2009. He has authored or coauthored over 270 original research publications, reviews, editorials, and chapters. Dr. Lewis is a Past President of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and served on the Board of Directors for the Society for Clinical Trials. He is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Statistical Association, and the Society for Clinical Trials. Juliana Tolles, MD, MHS, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and a Medical and Statistical Scientist at Berry Consultants, LLC. Her academic research interests include emergency medical services, resuscitation medicine, and trau a care. She has authored several reviews for Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on statistical methodology and has lectured nationally on research methodology for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Advanced Research Methodology Evaluation and Design (ARMED) course. She is also a co-investigator for the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Clinical Care Trials (SIREN) network Southern California site. Kert Viele, PhD, is a Director and Senior Statistical Scientist with Berry Consultants, where he leads Berry Consultants' research enterprise. He is a leader in clinical trial implementation of Bayesian hierarchical modeling, with expertise in platform and basket trials as well as clinical trials incorporating the use of historical information. Prior to joining Berry Consultants in 2010, he was a faculty member at the University of Kentucky, where he received the Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching and was an investigator for NSF and NIH-funded research. He has developed over 100 custom Bayesian adaptive clinical trials for clients in industry, government, and academia, and currently serves on several data safety monitoring boards for randomized clinical trials. A former editor of the journal Bayesian Analysis, Dr. Viele is also an author of FACTS (Fixed and Adaptive Clinical Trial Simulator), clinical trial simulation software currently licensed to multiple pharmaceutical, academic, and government organizations. William Meurer, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Neurology at the University of Michigan Health System. In addition, he serves as a Medical and Statistical Scientist for Berry Consultants, LLC. He works to improve the care of patients with acute neurological disease both through his work on the acute stroke team and as a researcher. His work in the field focuses on the design of clinical trials with adaptive and flexible components. In addition, he is a principal investigator of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Clinical Trials Methodology Course (http:// neurotrials.training) and a co-investigator in the clinical coordinating center of the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials (SIREN) network- also funded by NIH). He was a co-investigator on the Adaptive Designs Accelerating Promising Treatments into Trials (ADAPT-IT) project, as part of the FDA Advancing Regulatory Science initiative with NIH.
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The management and evaluation of projects is an art, teaching this art in educational projects is a challenge. Students are required to have a specific vision of the organizations to be able to define both the problem and with this, define the project that solves the problem, the visits and interaction with the organizations allow students to have the context to generate their project. Due to the confinement by Covid19, educational innovations were generated that allowed simulating the car manufacturing process, as well as the transactions carried out in the different entities of the organization through an online ERP simulator called VEP (Virtual Enterprise Planning) and the use of mixed reality lessons (virtual and augmented). In the simulation, it was possible to replicate problems that had to be solved with a project, which was designed and managed by the students. In this paper, we share the methodologies for the design of learning activities and the preparation of lessons in virtual and augmented reality, as well as the results obtained in their application in administration and project management courses. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee AEIPRO, Spain.
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This article presents simple software simulator of a microcontroller evaluation board FRDM-KL25Z. The simulator was developed to make it possible to teach our embedded systems course online during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is in principle a software library that handles function calls and register access from student's program and displays the outputs in a console window of a standard desktop application. It does not require any special hardware or software tools except an IDE capable of building C++ applications for the desktop computer. It can be easily modified for different microcontrollers and thus can be useful if existing lessons need to be switched from in-person to distance learning at a short notice. © 2022 Kassel University Press GmbH. All rights reserved.
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The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in reconsideration of our traditional teaching modalities and develop newer, dynamic methods. Both high and low fidelity simulators in bronchoscopy are costly. To assess whether a combination of a low-cost bio-simulator made of recyclable materials (ALFIE Airway Low Fidelity including EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound)) and single use flexible bronchoscopy (SUFB) or EBUS scope has the capability of differentiating novices from experts and the ability to train novices in bronchoscopy. Trainees were evaluated individually before and after training using a modified validated Bronchoscopy Skills and Tasks Assessment Tool (B-STAT) and SUFB. In a similar fashion, another cohort were tested using an EBUS scope and a modified validated EBUS score (EBUS-STAT). 18 trainees were included (14 residents and 4 fellows) in the ALFIE -SUFB assessment and 19 (11 residents and 8 fellows) in ALFIE -EBUS assessment. Pre-training assessment of scope handling differentiated novices from experienced bronchoscopists (SUFB p=0.0025 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 3.12-12.17);EBUS p=0.0005 (95% confidence intervals 1.3-2.95)). Training of novices was associated with an improvement in scope handling and sampling (SUFB p=0.0001 (95% CI 4.73-10.27);EBUS p=0.0011 (95% confidence intervals 0.41-1.22)). Significant improvements in EBUS-TBNA score (p=0.0011 (n=7, 95% confidence intervals 0.35-5.09)) and total EBUS score (p=0.0472 (95% confidence intervals 0.03-1.4.65)) were identified in fellows. ALFIE and EBUS combination could assist in low cost training of EBUS-TBNA. ALFIE and SUFB has the potential to create a low-cost platform to teach bronchoscopy remotely.
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The proper integration of technology in teaching and learning processes must consider the role of teachers and students, as well as the design of tasks and the context in which they are implemented. Teachers' perceived self-efficacy significantly influences their willingness to integrate educational robotics (ER) into their practice, so initial teacher training should provide opportunities for teachers to participate in structured activities that integrate ER. In this study, a class of pre-service teachers from an initial teacher training programme were provided with their first contact with an ER platform through the use of a simulator. We present the design process of a student exploration guide and teacher guide, developed over three iterative cycles of implementation, assessment and redesign. The analysis of the data collected allowed for improvements in the design of the tasks, the graphic component of the student exploration guide, and more precise indications for the teacher's actions. The main contribution of this study is the chain orchestration between the simulator, student exploration guide and teacher guide, which allowed pre-service teachers to solve a set of challenges of increasing complexity, thereby progressively decreasing their difficulties and contributing to an adequate integration of ER in their future teaching practices.
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The new reality of the coronavirus lockdown has prohibited the students' physical presence in laboratories. Administrators, teachers, and students had to think of new alternatives to hold meetings by adopting a virtual format through the development of rapidly available and broadly accessible online resources. Online Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be used in the form of cloud applications to virtualize computers or other physical sciences laboratories, which are necessary for the realization of the objectives of the courses. OERs can efficiently and effectively prepare students to be able to practice their skills. In parallel, OERs offer a degree of flexibility to the teachers, as they allow them to manage information in multiple ways and at the same time accommodate the presentation of knowledge from multiple perspectives. In this article, we propose the use of computer network simulation software as a teaching method in the form of OERs. In this context, we support the teaching of the administrative perspective of a computer network management course utilizing OERs. We explore the effectiveness of the network simulation software Packet Tracer anywhere in online learning of both synchronous and asynchronous education environments. In particular, we examine its suitability and usability in light of group activities at the level of higher education. We investigate its functionality and the teaching benefits that arise through collaborative learning scenarios in a computer lab suitable for the course of network management. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Since the 2008 academic year, we have been conducting leadership education for master's program in-person classes. In this education, simulated experiences using a conference simulator on a computer and reflection on the action in real and simulated experiences are repeated to help students implement their leadership. This class was moved online because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The challenges of online classes include how instructors can understand and guide students' simulations on their computers, and how to conduct peer reflection by students in online classes. As a solution, we shared composite images of students' simulation screens and student camera images, allowing the instructor to remotely monitor and support the students' learning status. Additionally, an online reflection sheet for peer reflection among students was created. Peer reflection among students was conducted online to promote collaborative learning among students. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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The current, rapidly diversifying pandemic has accelerated the need for efficient and effective identification of potential drug candidates for COVID-19. Knowledge on host-immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, remains limited with few drugs approved to date. Viable strategies and tools are rapidly arising to address this, especially with repurposing of existing drugs offering significant promise. Here we introduce a systems biology tool, the PHENotype SIMulator, which -by leveraging available transcriptomic and proteomic databases-allows modeling of SARS-CoV-2 infection in host cells in silico to i) determine with high sensitivity and specificity (both>96%) the viral effects on cellular host-immune response, resulting in specific cellular SARS-CoV-2 signatures and ii) utilize these cell-specific signatures to identify promising repurposable therapeutics. Powered by this tool, coupled with domain expertise, we identify several potential COVID-19 drugs including methylprednisolone and metformin, and further discern key cellular SARS-CoV-2-affected pathways as potential druggable targets in COVID-19 pathogenesis.