The Virtual Clinic

1
The Virtual Clinic

• An immersive and engaging interface for
  contextualised online learning activities

• Comparing approaches to the development of
  virtual health care clinics

2
The Virtual Clinic

1. Why are we developing this teaching and learning
   tool?
2. Aims and requirements
3. Possible solutions - 3 prototypes
4. Evaluation initial feedback some surprises

3
Initial goal

• Design and develop an interactive
• visual representation
• of a typical GP surgery

4
Initial goal

• Design and develop an interactive
• visual representation
• of a typical GP surgery

5
Initial goal
Design and develop an interactive visual
representation of a typical GP surgery

• Site visits
• Can be difficult to arrange
• Some learners may not be able to attend
• Virtual visits
• Revisit at any time
• Flexible scaffolding
• Host learning materials

6
Initial goal
Design and develop an interactive visual
representation of a typical GP surgery

• Site visits
• Can be difficult to arrange
• Some learners may not be able to attend
• Virtual visits
• Revisit at any time
• Flexible scaffolding
• Host learning materials

7
Contextualised learning materials

• Assets and resourcesalready availablein

8
Contextualised learning materials

• Provide multiple entry points to resources
• Encourage task-based, self-guided study
• Increase engagement

9
Contextualised learning materials

• Provide multiple entry points to resources
• Encourage task-based, self-guided study
• Increase engagement

10
Contextualised learning materials

• An exploratory environment
• for teaching and learning

incorporating
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Contextualised learning materials

• An exploratory environment
• for teaching and learning

incorporating
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Contextualised learning materials
A database of educational resources
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Contextualised learning materials
A database of educational resources
accessible from a new GUI
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Aims and requirements

• Easy to access and use
• Customisable and reusable
• Extensible and Modular
• Currently a GP surgery but

The Royal College of radiologists at goingfora.com
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Aims and requirements

• Easy to access and use
• Customisable and reusable
• Extensible and Modular
• Currently a GP surgery but

The Royal College of radiologists at goingfora.com
16
Second Life?

• Technical requirements
• Learning curve
• Unnecessary features
• Lack of detail
• Cost of modelling
• Lack of scaffolding

17
A Custom solution

• Aims and requirements
• Easy to access and use
• ability to add, remove and update content easily
• customisable and reusable
• extensible and modular
• flexible educational scaffolding

18
Technical framework
A collection of rooms
viewpoints
Filled with hotspots
which launch either assets
or link to other rooms
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Technical framework
A collection of rooms
viewpoints
Filled with hotspots
which launch either assets
or link to other rooms
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Technical framework

• A collection of

Rooms
/
Views
Resources
/

• Stored in a database
• Allowing users logging in to access
• different rooms (or viewpoints)
• different resources

21
Technical framework

• A collection of

Rooms
/
Views
Resources
/

• Stored in a database
• Allowing users logging in to access
• different rooms (or viewpoints)
• different resources

22
Custom Solution

• Some questions
• Interface
• level of detail - photorealistic?
• game-like look and feel?
• or just a well designed website interface?
• Pedagogy
• What kind of use?
• A collection of resources?
• Or a task-based learning activity

23
Custom Solution

• Some questions
• Interface
• level of detail - photorealistic?
• game-like look and feel?
• or just a well designed website interface?
• Pedagogy
• What kind of use?
• A collection of resources?
• Or a task-based learning activity

24
Exploring the options

• 3 fully functional prototypes

Exploratory 360? Panorama
Isometric game-style
Flat HTML
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The Prototypes
Exploratory 360? Panorama

• panoramic images the illusion of space but not
  actually 3D
• photorealistic
• 1st person perspective
• navigation and interaction via hotspots

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The Prototypes
Isometric game-style

• illustrated graphics
• user controls character
• hotspots and collisions

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The Prototypes
Flat HTML

• traditional web pages with images and text
• point and click interface
• hotspots and hyperlinks
• embed any web content

29
Evaluation

• Two tiered approach
• Teaching and learning (academics)
• Usability (students)

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Evaluation

• Common themes
• Students prefer the 360 panorama
• It feels the most real, the most authentic
• but some lecturers feel the realism is
• Overkill
• Inappropriate
• Distracting?...

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Evaluation

• Common themes
• After the novelty value has warn off,the
  priority is ease of access to materials
• Isometric overview and HTML navigation menus
  score highly
• Not for older, self-motivated students
• Task dependent

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Evaluation

• Some surprises
• Tutors dont want an editor / authoring tool
• This would not appeal to any academic
• They prefer to work with a learning technologist
• Many module leaders would like to use it
• But none came up with a teaching scenario
• training/guidance is neededin how to use these
  new teaching tools

33
Evaluation

• Some surprises
• Tutors dont want an editor / authoring tool
• This would not appeal to any academic
• They prefer to work with a learning technologist
• Many module leaders would like to use it
• But none came up with a teaching scenario
• training/guidance is neededin how to use these
  new teaching tools

34
Any Questions?

• http//bioinf1.sgul.ac.uk/vclinic/

Ian Sheeler
Jerome Di Pietro
isheeler_at_sgul.ac.uk
jdipier_at_sgul.ac.uk