Simulation and Teachingin Second Life

Sue Ford RN, MN, nursing facultyJohn Miller RN, MN, nursing faculty

Tacoma Community CollegeBest Practices in Allied Health/Health Sciences

Renton Technical Community CollegeWednesday, May 7, 2008

Goal of this presentation…

• Introduce you to the virtual world of Second Life

• Give rationale for the use of virtual reality in health education

• Demonstrate the use of virtual reality in the instruction of advanced medical-surgical nursing concepts

• Visit students in action in real time

What is Second Life?A virtual community named Second life was

created by Linden Laboratory from the San Francisco Bay area.

It has no real purpose other than to provide a cyberspace venue for commerce, communication and camaraderie.

I am able to visit this cyber-world as an avatar which is the representation of a person one creates for a computer simulation or internet communication.

Second Life gives me –the nurse educator - the opportunity to extend simulation into the virtual world.

How John got started• Virtual collaboration with a lot of

avatars, who were educators, scripters, builders, instructional designers, medical professionals.

• Grants• Boise State U course, Teaching in

Second Life, EDTECH 597 • SLED (SL Educators), other groups

in Second Life

Let’s go there now!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Centralia%20College/130/122/27

Grants

• Faculty Best Practices Innovation Grant• eLearning Committee of the State Board of Technical & Community

Colleges

Nursing course structure for this project

• 4th quarter of a six quarter RN, ADN program• 50% online theory course• Concurrent clinical in hospital for most• Computerized lab mannequin simulations• MicroSim software • Classroom with computers for all students• Blackboard with Articulate and other games

School issues to be concerned about

• Accounts: NMC is best for joining - http://sl.nmc.org/join/ • Orientation of students• Computer requirements

o Processor speedo Video cards

• Classroom/Lab requirementso Bandwidth

Bringing students into SL quickly

• Bring to classroom area without having students go through entire orientation.

• The Shelter provided students with help.• Teleport boards, big signs• YouTube tutorials on camera use and movement/building.• Have students go into SL in a face to face classroom at first• NMC account link• Linden lab authorize multiple accounts

Student outcomes in SL

• Increase interaction and collaboration with students in the class.• Increase collaboration with other health care professionals.• Increase awareness of other cultures, nationalities, and languages.• Appreciate perspectives of people having acute or chronic health problems.• Apply knowledge in the forms of 3D objects, through visualization, interaction,

and creation.• Make real time decisions about patient problems in their assessment and

treatment.

Theory content in SL

Apply theory concepts by interacting with and creating 3D objects.  • Graphics are .jpg uploaded onto a primitive shape. Objects are a

combination of simple shapes created in SL and some .jpg graphics from web.

• Answer questions with URL provided with answers.• Move objects and create objects using the knowledge acquired.

Support groups in Second Life

• Cancer Survivors• Depression Support Group• Diabetes• GimpGirl• Heron Sanctuary• Health Support Coalition• Multiple Sclerosis Help and Support• Support for Healing• Survivors of TBI (traumatic brain injury)• Wheelies

and many more

Next step - clinical simulation

For a fraction of the cost of a human patient simulator - students can practice skills in the virtual setting before entering the live clinical setting.

Simulations in SL

• Vesim (Nesim) emergency dept simulator area (Cousins Pau Island)

• Apply learned concepts with a patient avatar.

• Promote critical thinking and decision making.

• Encourage team collaboration.

• Real time simulations• Practice in groups

Results of teaching

• Test question performance• Computerize mannequins simulation performance• ? Measurement of clinical performance

Future Development

• Clinic for the State of WA• Open-source learning objects • Training materials for other institutions• Interface with 1st Life hospitals• Virtual internships• Linked classes• Taking lessons learned into other disciplines

Second Life Instructionfor the novice avatar instructor

Use what others have created for no $L at all!

• Student field trips• Specific projects

– Genetics

– Virtual Hallucinations

• Guest Speakers

Contact Information

• Sue Ford -  TCC email: sford@tacomacc.eduSecond Life avatar: cutey AldersonClinical Simulation Blog page: http://o87ord.blogspot.com

• John Miller –TCC email: jmiller@tacomacc.eduSecond Life avatar: JS VavoomBlog page: http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/jmiller/index.htm                           Skype and Del.icio.us:  jsvavoom; Phone: 253.820.7115

Links

Second Life Accounts

http://sl.nmc.org/join/ (preferred) (New Media Consortium)

http://secondlife.com

Presentation slides

Video links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD4dRTR1nVI