As A Venue for Medical Education
What is Second Life? A virtual world accessed via the internet through a
client or viewer platform Originally designed as a social network, it has evolved into a place where people can take a class, run a business, shop, get a job, go to a dance club, etc. It’s now being used to train nurses, doctors and community people with the purpose of improving health and health care.
How does it work? Download the viewer at www.secondlife.com The viewer opens to look like an ordinary “window�
with a login Choose an avatar, which is your persona in SL You are ready to enter and explore
Your viewer will look similar to this when you login:
The controls are around the outside of the window. The controls allow you to walk, talk, change your clothes, find information, teleport (travel), take photos, and do many other activities.
What does it have to do with Med Ed? Danforth et. al.1 stated, “The traditional paradigm of
didactic presentation and passive learning is rapidly being supplanted by novel approaches using new technologies designed to foster active learning and participation. Immersive Learning Environments such as Second Life offer unique opportunities to engage today’s students in innovative and exciting ways.” Some of the most important features of SL, as applicable to education, are:
Immersive environments: buildings,
equipment, even sounds Simulations: animations, walk-throughs Collaborative spaces: meeting participants from all over the world Model or Visualize: build a model, make a movie Appealing to the “gamer generation� although SL is NOT a game
What are other institutions doing? Training and research in the areas of teaching, social
sciences, nursing and others.
Examples Imperial College London has a simulation site on which you can learn: How to position a patient for surgery How to check on a patient as a nursing student (look for potential problems) How to examine and treat a patient with a post-surgery cough
Indiana University School of Medicine virtual clinic for medical student training: “Students encounter simulated patients‌and work in teams to apply the skills of a practicing physician as they organize information about infectious disease cases.â€? Uses chatbot technology Uses a virtual stethoscope to listen to heart, lung and bowel sounds (provided by streaming audio) Laboratory results and imaging studies are viewed by picking up the associated object or reading a notecard
Types of Activities that be Could Hosted in SL Journal Club or discussion group Simulations of patient encounters Presentations with Powerpoint Virtual poster session Lecture or conference (sessions should be limited to an
hour or two) Your ideas?
Six Learnings of Second Life (Kenneth Y T Lim) To get you thinking: Learning by exploring (fieldwork and analysis); Learning by collaborating (problem-solving teams); Learning by being (roleplay); Learning by building (designing and modeling); Learning by championing (raising awareness and promoting ideas); and Learning by expressing (using media to examine and report).
Logistical Concerns Basic operating requirements High speed internet required Learning curve
Evaluation Text chat-may be copied and
pasted into a Word document in its entirety labeled with names Instant message-instant feedback, without possible embarrassment Film the class or simulation for later viewing. May be uploaded to YouTube. May be used for critiquing.
Recommendations Experience it for yourself Find partners/collaborators Share or rent facilities Keep costs low Turn it into a research project and publish it