Abstract
Abstract: Introduction: In pandemic times, in which the “lockdown strategy” has been adopted, the use of innovations using technological resources such as the creation of instruments that can replace traditional teaching-learning methods in the training of health professionals is essential. Objective: the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the usability of a realistic interactive simulation computer system using three-dimensional imaging technology and virtual reality with free-access computational tools available on the web. Methods: the development of a prototype (OSCE 3D) was based on the steps used for the construction of a “Serious Game” simulation software. The free-access version of the Unity Editor 3D platform (Unity Technologies, version 2018), used for developing educational games, the software GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP, version 2.10.12), Blender (version 2.79) and MakeHuman (version 1.1.1) were utilized for creating textures and building models of the 3D environments. An experimental phase was carried out to assess usability, through a questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the institution and all participants signed the Informed Consent Form. Results: a total of 39 undergraduate medical students attending the 6th semester of a private university center of northeastern Brazil voluntarily participated in the evaluation of the OSCE 3D. The usability evaluation resulted in a mean score of 75.4 with a margin of error of 3.2, which is considered a good usability score according to the literature. Conclusions: this study allowed the development of a low-cost prototype, using a three-dimension realistic simulation system for clinical skills assessment. This product, even in the prototype phase, showed good usability.
Highlights
In pandemic times, in which the “lockdown strategy” has been adopted, the use of innovations using technological resources such as the creation of instruments that can replace traditional teaching-learning methods in the training of health professionals is essential
The objective of this work was to develop a prototype that simulates the traditional Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), using free-access tools available on the internet, and to evaluate its usability by undergraduate medical students. This is an applied research, which developed the prototype of a technological tool using computer graphics, for use in the evaluation of clinical skills of the OSCE type, followed by an experimental phase that evaluated the usability of this prototype, from January to November 2019
The prototype of the realistic simulation system OSCE 3D was developed for use on computers, in the offline version, for Windows platform, intended to reproduce the evaluation by the OSCE method in a virtual environment, aimed at students of the undergraduate medical course
Summary
In which the “lockdown strategy” has been adopted, the use of innovations using technological resources such as the creation of instruments that can replace traditional teaching-learning methods in the training of health professionals is essential. Working with distance learning and remote assessments in a course with many practical activities requires creativity from educators[1,2]. While distance cognitive assessments are already a reality in many universities, the practical assessment of clinical skills has been a challenge to be faced[3]
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