Virtual Simulated Persons Supporting the Shift to Online Learning
By Eva Peisachovich
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed how education is delivered worldwide. The resultant rise of e-learning, whereby teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms, has extensively impacted universities and other higher education organizations around the world.
As universities transition to online and remote learning, it becomes increasingly critical to introduce and create innovative virtual-learning opportunities to support learner success and graduate transition to the practice setting and workplace.
The shift to online interactions has increased the need for telecommunication and teleconsultation; it is, therefore, essential to develop communication and interpersonal skills through virtual mediums in order to support the increasing need for these interactions.
One approach to support this change in education delivery is the use of virtual simulation approaches.
Simulation-training methodology – broadly, a technique that attempts to recreate characteristics of the real world – is one suggested strategy for enhancing critical-thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and crisis-management skills. Its learner-centred, experiential-education approach allows educators to create a meaningful environment for active and interactive learning by introducing realistic scenarios to meet learning objectives. These scenarios provide a bridge between theory and practice, as students gain practical experience, immediate feedback, the opportunity to enhance the integration of theory and practice through debriefing and guided reflection, and the ability to apply knowledge and skills in a safe environment. Research identifies simulation as an approach that supports the synthesis of knowledge and the development of insight. It is, therefore, essential that teaching institutions take a participatory and collaborative approach in the application, development, and use of this methodology for training novice professionals to enhance skills including professionalism, teamwork and interprofessional communication, and collaboration.
Our team at SimXSpace has adopted an alternative approach to provide simulation through the use of Virtual Simulated Persons (VSPs) and to extend the application of simulation across a number of disciplines and beyond the higher education milieu, where it is currently underutilized.
Our VSPs are trained to provide learners with feedback about their mannerisms, body language, depth of explanation of crucial areas, and approaches to sensitive content during the encounter.
Our team at SimXSpace currently offers VSPs to support communication and interpersonal skills among learners using Zoom, an online video-conferencing platform.
We provide virtual workshops to faculty and staff who are interested to implement this methodology into their course work or faculty development purposes.
To learn more about Virtual Simulated Persons and how to embed this methodology into your teaching learning contexts visit us at https://www.simxspace.com/virtual-sp/
To signup to our virtual workshop visit us at https://www.simxspace.com/simulated-persons-methodology-spm-workshop/
About the Author
Dr. Peisachovich is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing at York University. Her program of research involves exploring, developing and implementing pedagogies associated with simulation-based environments including simulated persons (SPs), Virtual Reality (VR), serious games, and eLearning to promote professional competence among students with in higher education milieus and their transition to the workplace.