Clinical reasoning theories agree that knowledge and the diagnostic process are associated with diagnostic success. However, the exact contributions of these components of clinical reasoning to diagnostic success remain unclear. This is particularly the case when operationalizing the diagnostic process with diagnostic activities (i.e., teachable…

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using a virtual patient (VP) software program in increasing clinical reasoning skills confidence among medical students. Design/methodology/approach: A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the outcomes of students' confidence levels on clinical reasoning between problem-based…

Background: The contextual and interactive learning research was motivated by the need to enhance the healthcare training effect of caregivers of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection during quarantine. However, there is a lack of effective approaches to integrating mobile contextual learning into interactive learning. Objectives: Therefore,…

For many instructional designers (ID), subject matter experts (SMEs) are viewed as a necessary evil. Depending upon their day job, SMEs can be challenging to work with due to their schedules and responsibilities outside the ID's project. They can be unaware of the eLearning process, learning models and theories, and expensive -- a SME can easily…

Nursing programs in the country are facing challenges in producing enough nurses who are safe, compassionate, and critical thinker to meet the growing demands of the health care system. Lack of clinical sites and qualified faculty are some of these challenges which resulted to a long list of applicants in the nursing programs. Nursing programs are…

The Studentische Poliklinik is Germany's first student-run free clinic. Prior to fulfilling clinical obligations there, students must complete an extensive peer-assisted learning program (PAL). Due to capacity constraints, a web-based learning program involving virtual patients has been launched. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare…

Context: Telemedicine is the practice of providing diagnostic consultations and therapeutic interventions to patients at a distance using some form of technology. Typically, health care students do not have the opportunity to practice telemedicine. Objective: To investigate athletic training students' ability to transfer telemedicine skills…

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments could be innovative teaching resources, providing a social space for students to engage in transformative learning. However, poor design and structure mean CSCL do not readily support skill acquisition. This study examined student engagement and learning experiences using a virtual…

Nurse education uses an apprenticeship model to teach students clinical skills. However, lack of faculty, clinical preceptors, early hospital discharges, and lack of clinical practice areas limits nursing students' exposure to patients which could impact patient care. The use of virtual simulation may bridge the theory-practice gap in nurse…

The relationship between experience and learning is a growing phenomenon of interest to scholars of teaching and learning. In 1938, John Dewey stated that, "all genuine education comes about through experience." Self-efficacy is the belief in one's own capabilities to produce clear levels of performance around certain tasks. Virtual…

This study examined the capability of computer simulation as a tool for assessing the strategic competency of emergency department nurses as they responded to authentically computer simulated biohazard-exposed patient case studies. Thirty registered nurses from a large, urban hospital completed a series of computer-simulated case studies of…

Most neuropsychological assessments of episodic memory bear little similarity to the events that patients actually experience as memories in daily life. The first aim of this study was to use a virtual environment to characterize episodic memory profiles in an ecological fashion, which includes memory for central and perceptual details,…

Virtual worlds provide unique opportunities for instructors to promote, study, and evaluate student learning and comprehension. In this article, Victor Vergara, Thomas Caudell, Timothy Goldsmith, Panaiotis, and Dale Alverson explore the advantages of using virtual reality environments to create simulations for medical students. Virtual simulations…

Computer-based virtual patients (VPs) are an emerging medium for medical education that addresses barriers faced by geriatrics educators. Research has shown VPs to be as effective in changing knowledge and behavior as more traditional forms of teaching. This paper presents a descriptive study of the development of the University of Iowa's…