Skills Course Research Articles

Evaluation of a novel home-based laparoscopic and core surgical skills programme (Monash Online Surgical Training)

IntroductionLimitations to surgical education access were exacerbated during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In response, we created a national home-based comprehensive surgical skills course: Monash Online Surgical Training (MOST). Our aim was to evaluate the educational impact of this approach.MethodsA remote, 6-week course was designed with learning objectives aligned to the national surgical training. Participants received a personal laparoscopic bench trainer, instrument tracking software, live webinars, access to an online theoretical learning platform, and individualised feedback by system-generated or expert surgeons’ assessments. Mixed method analysis of instrument tracking metrics, pre- and post-course questionnaires (11 core surgical domains) and participant comments was utilised. Data were analysed using the Mann–Whitney U test, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 54 participants with varied levels of experience (1 to > 6 years post-graduate level) completed MOST. All 11 learning-outcome domains demonstrated statistically significant improvement including core laparoscopic skills (1.4/5 vs 2.8/5, p < 0.0001) and handling laparoscopic instruments (1.5/5 vs 2.8/5, p < 0.0001). A total of 3460 tasks were completed reflecting 158.2 h (9492 min) of practice, 394 were submitted for formal feedback. Participants rated the course (mean 8.5/10, SD 1.6), live webinars (mean 8.9/10, SD 1.6) and instrument tracking software (mean 8.6, SD 1.7) highly. Qualitative analysis revealed a paradigm shift including the benefits of a safe learning environment and self-paced, self-directed learning.ConclusionThe MOST course demonstrates the successful implementation of a fully remote laparoscopic simulation course which participants found to be an effective tool to acquire core surgical skills.Graphical abstract

A Skills-driven Approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Journalism Curricula

ABSTRACT Though journalism aspires to confront and dismantle systemic injustices, the real-world practice of journalism has often caused harm to marginalized communities and further entrenched oppressive systems of power. As part of larger efforts to examine and address the problems in journalism practice and journalism education, this study sought to identify ways that curricula of communication skills courses might be changed to train journalists in more ethical and less harmful practices. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts recognized for their contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work at academic institutions, media outlets, or other organizations. Transcripts of these interviews were analyzed using a constant comparative approach to arrive at three recommendations for curricula changes. After analysis was complete, four experts participated in follow-up interviews to address additional questions. First, experts recommended that instructors place more focus on skills like beat-building and follow-up, which connect reporters to sources and issues even when they are not reporting specific stories. Second, experts advised instructors to cultivate “soft skills” such as curiosity, empathy, and compassion. Third, the authors urge instructors to reconsider course content that promotes extractive practices. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

A virtual simulation-based clinical skills course.

Advancements in technology continue to transform the landscape of medical education. Virtual reality (VR) and remote simulation represent unique approaches to teaching students clinical skills through experiential learning. We developed, implemented and evaluated a virtual simulation-based course modelled on Kolb's Learning Cycle. A 5-day, 15-h virtual clerkship clinical skills curriculum designed to help students recognise a patient requiring urgent or emergent care was piloted in May 2020. VR and remote simulations facilitated concrete experiences, reflective observation, concept formation, and active experimentation. Curricular evaluation included analysis of usage, performance, self-assessment, and perceptions of educational value. One hundred and fifty-six students completed 436 VR sessions (median 3 per student). Students repeated virtual cases, on average, 75% of the time, demonstrating improvement in average performance scores from 59% (attempt 1) to 72% (attempt 2). Post-course evaluations, completed by 109 (69.9%) students, demonstrated significant improvements in mean scores in all domains of a self-assessment based on emergent care skills. We developed and implemented a virtual clinical skills course that allowed students to progress through all four stages of Kolb's Learning Cycle. VR and remote simulations represent an opportunity for educators to reimagine and expand opportunities for experiential learning. The number of students accommodated, total virtual simulations completed, and positive student feedback suggests that this may be a feasible, acceptable, and scalable method for increasing opportunities for progression through Kolb's Learning Cycle. Further investigation into impact on educational outcomes is needed.

Examining Counselor-In-Training Self-Efficacy Through a “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” Classroom Activity

ABSTRACT Creative classroom activities can promote learning environments that foster student development and competency in counselor education. This study examines how a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure classroom activity influences the self-efficacy of Counselors-in-Training enrolled in the helping skills course. Results indicated a significant increase in several subthemes of the Counselor Activity and Self-Efficacy Scales (CASES). Further, the authors present recommendations and future research for counselor educators.

İngilizce Yazma Öğretiminin Ters Yüz Bir Sınıf Modelinde Öz-Düzenlemeli Öğrenme Üzerine Bir Araştırma

This study explores the effect of flipped classroom on the self-regulation of learners in the Academic Writing Skills course at a state university in Turkey. The intervention lasted ten weeks within one academic term. Participants in the study were sophomores assigned to experimental (n=25) and control (n=26) groups. The study adopted a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design, wherein the control group was taught in a traditional method while the experimental group received flipped instruction. Writing Strategies for Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire was adapted to apply in a different cultural context (Turkey), and the data from a sample (n=430) were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis. As pre- and post-tests, the adapted version of the questionnaire was conducted for both groups. The findings revealed that the experimental and the control groups significantly differed from each other in overall writing self-regulation favouring the experimental group. Relevant implications are discussed.

Developing project-based e-module for contextual written language skills course at English language education study program

The ability to develop, project-based e-modules for the Contextual Written Language Skills course in a learning context into another learning context is anessential ability for students based on project-based learning. However, the learning pattern used is innovative learning, which can improve students’ skills and thinking abilities. The ability of project-based e-modules for the English lecturers to adapt their knowledge and skills from project-based e-modules for the Contextual Written Language Skills course to another course has been studied. This research focused on the presentation of discussion material that is not accompanied by an assignment or project or the systematics of preparing teaching materials and e-modules using project-based learning for Contextual Written Language Skills. The research used in this study is the Research and Development (RnD) development model by adopting the model Borg and Gall, which consists of 6 phases: 1) Gathering data and Information, 2) Need analysis, and 3) Material Design. 4) Validating by experts, 5) Revising, and 6) Final Product. The results of this study are based on an analysis of the needs of students who experience limited digital learning resources related to the material in the Contextual Written Language Skills course. Therefore, researchers are interested in developing textbooks in the form of e-modules to meet the needs of students and improve their learning outcomes. E-modules developed were validated by experts. Material expert validation had an average score of 88,61%, which was classified as very good. Media expert validation obtained an average score of 87,75% which was classified as very good. This means that the developed e-module is valid to be used in the Contextual Written Language Skills course.

Innovation in surgical trauma care education: assessment of a Panamerican Trauma Society online surgical skills course hosted by the Spanish Surgical Association.

Incorporating surgical skills education in trauma care is essential for young surgeons and surgical trainees. This study describes an innovative e-learning course for teaching trauma care surgical skills in an international cooperative setting. Furthermore, it aims to offer valuable insights on enhancing e-learning practices. The Panamerican Trauma Society and the Spanish Surgical Association have joined forces to launch an online course focusing on advanced trauma care surgical skills. This report provides an in-depth examination of the project and scrutinizes participant feedback through a post-course survey. The survey thoroughly evaluates their satisfaction level, the usefulness of the course content, and their view on its clinical relevance. Three hundred eighty-two surgeons from 16 countries completed an online course. Three hundred seventy-nine of them responded to the post-course survey. The mean age was 36, with 64% females and 36% males. The course consisted of 9.9h of academic content, including 5h of video lectures and 4.9h of live discussions. Ninety-seven percent of the participants were practicing general and acute care surgeons, and only 2% were exclusively dedicated to trauma surgery. Sixty-one percent of participants highly valued real-time interaction with faculty, and 95% believed their trauma surgical skills would improve. Additionally, 93% of the participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the e-learning experience. The use of video-based instructional materials has revolutionized surgical education. With online courses in trauma surgery, surgeons can now improve their skills and better prepare themselves to handle severe trauma cases. This innovative approach to surgical education has proven to be very effective and can potentially enhance patients' quality of care.

Creation and evaluation of a self-directed, first-year intervention for pre-health undergraduates: setting students up for success.

University-established modalities to help undergraduate students navigate the path to medical school are often implemented toward the end of college or following graduation. This imposes cost and time burdens that may be contribute to the high rate of premedical attrition, especially for students who are members of a marginalized community. In the fall 2022 semester, an asynchronous, self-directed pre-health module was offered to biology majors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill enrolled in a required introductory biology research skills course. The objective of the five-lesson intervention was to enhance student understanding of the path to becoming a successful applicant early in their college career. The module aimed to increase the accessibility of pre-health advising and was designed to be easily shared and adapted across various learning management systems. A pre- and post-module survey was administered to assess changes in students' perceived understanding of and confidence for success on the pre-health track following completion of the course.

Creation of Deep Learning Scenarios in the Network Teaching of Physical Education Technical Courses

The network teaching evaluation of sports professional technical courses has positive significance for the sustainable development of education. And how to establish an effective evaluation model is the key part. The research introduces the creation of in-depth learning scenarios (LS) into the network teaching of sports professional technical courses, and then constructs a new network teaching mode of sports professional technical courses. The Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm - Attention- Long Short-Term Memory network (PSO-Attention-LSTM) Chinese Emotion Classification Model (ECM) is constructed to classify the online evaluation text to realize the evaluation of online teaching. This model combines the improved PSO, Attention and LSTM classification models. The optimal number of hidden layer nodes for LSTM model is about 100, and the optimal data size for batch processing is 25. The overall error rate of online teaching teachers of male and female sports professional skill courses is 10.1%, and the overall error rate of online teaching teachers of general and advanced sports professional skill courses is 12.8%. The application effect of the creation of in-depth learning scene in the network teaching of physical education technical courses is shown. When the classification threshold is 0.6 and 0.8 respectively, the AUC of PSO-Attention-LSTM Chinese ECM is 0.821 and 0.809 respectively. The research institute has put forward that the online teaching platform of sports professional technical courses has extremely high practical application value and has been unanimously praised by network users.

Evaluating clinical communication skills of medical students, assistants, and professors

BackgroundThe skill of communicating with the patient is one of the basic clinical skills and part of the necessary competencies for medical doctors. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and performance (KAP) of medical students, assistants, and professors of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences regarding clinical communication skills with patients.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted at the hospitals of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in Iran. The study included a total of 289 participants, consisting of 51 professors, 72 assistants, 90 external staff, and 76 interns who work at these hospitals. The participants were selected through a convenience sampling method. The data-gathering tools used included a questionnaire to collect demographic characteristics, a researcher-made questionnaire to assess knowledge, a communication skills attitude questionnaire, and a communication skills survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and frequency, as well as statistical tests that included one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation test. The significance level for the study was considered to be 0.05.ResultsThe mean scores of knowledge of professors were higher compared to other groups (P = 0.002). All participating groups had a positive attitude toward learning communication skills. There were statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the communication performance of the study groups (P < 0.001). There was a positive relationship between positive attitude and communication performance, and a significant negative relationship was observed between negative attitude and communication performance.ConclusionThe results indicate the relatively favorable attitude and performance of the groups and their low knowledge. It is suggested that the doctor-patient communication skills courses be included as one of the necessary courses in the medical education curriculum.

Development of a surgical skills course for preclinical medical students

BackgroundPreclinical students have limited exposure and training in surgical skills. As a result, many students report negative experiences during their surgery clerkship from a lack of confidence in their technical abilities and, thus, lower participation in cases. Moreover, in fields such as vascular surgery, where a shortage of physicians persists, the absence of surgery and field-specific exposure for medical students could limit recruitment. To address these gaps, we designed a surgical skills curriculum for preclinical medical students using surgical simulators to develop fundamental surgical skills, introduce students to vascular surgery early, and provide training on vascular surgery-specific procedures. We hypothesize that a surgical skills course can significantly enhance preclinical students' surgical abilities before they enter their surgical clerkship and increase interest in pursuing a surgical specialty. MethodsA total of 26 students took part in a structured surgical skills curriculum comprising three sections: fundamental surgical skills, application of skills in a clinical context, and a surgical skills competition. During the course of six workshops, the students received formative feedback from proctors using task-specific standardized rubrics and assessments through the Objective Standardized Assessment of Technical Skills. Additionally, students' attitudes and perceptions toward surgical training and vascular surgery were evaluated using the modified Vascular Surgery Interest Forum. The summative performance of the preclinical students enrolled in the surgical skills course was compared with their initial performance after the skills workshop and with that of third-year medical students who had completed surgical rotations. Differences in responses and attitudes were analyzed at the beginning and conclusion of the course using bivariate analysis. ResultsOf the 26 students, most were women (61.5%) and in their second year of medical school (76.9%). Also, 23.1% identified as underrepresented minorities in medicine, 7.7% had physician family members, and 19.2% reported they had decided on a specialty. Following the knot-tying and suturing workshops, students reported a statistically significant increase in their self-rated understanding, comfort, and knowledge of tasks. Third-year medical students outperformed the preclinical students in knot-tying and instrument-tying tasks. However, no difference was found in the performance of these tasks between the third-year medical students and the top three preclinical students who completed the course. Both groups performed similarly on the anastomosis challenge (29.25 vs 28.42; P = .9) and the vascular simulation challenge (27.25 vs 26.83; P = .6). At the program's conclusion, the students demonstrated an increased mean interest in vascular surgery (from 2.3 ± 1.1 to 2.9 ± 1.2; P = .39), an enhanced interest in surgery due to its hands-on nature (from 4.5 ± 0.8 to 4.7 ± 0.6; P = .06), a preference for surgical simulation in teaching fundamental skills (from 3.7 ± 1.0 to 3.9 ± 0.8; P = .31), and an increased awareness of radiation exposure in surgical practice (from 2.5 ± 1.0 to 3.0 ± 1.3; P = .11). Students cited personality fit, exposure during medical school, and identification of a mentor as the most influential factors for pursuing a surgical career. The competitiveness of a residency program and resident workload and lifestyle were least influential. ConclusionsA structured surgical skills curriculum for preclinical medical students increased students' technical skills and fostered a greater appreciation for the hands-on and technical nature of surgery. Moreover, early exposure to vascular surgery enhanced their interest and knowledge of the field. Notably, students believed that medical school does not adequately prepare them for success on surgical rotations and emphasized the importance of personality fit, early exposure, and mentorship in considering a surgical career.

A study on the teaching reform of the course of teacher writing skills for teacher trainees in colleges and universities

To promote the art of calligraphy and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture, it is necessary to strengthen calligraphy education in primary and secondary schools, expand the influence of Chinese character writing education, and comprehensively improve students' writing literacy. However, studies have found that primary and secondary school students' ability to write Chinese characters has weakened, which is naturally related to the weakening of pen-and-paper writing in the information age, but also to the insufficient understanding of calligraphy education in school education and the lack of effective guidance from teachers for students. Teachers' writing level has a profound impact on students, and the demand for teachers to teach calligraphy in basic education poses a challenge to the writing skills of teacher trainees in colleges and universities. However, the current writing skills courses for teachers in colleges and universities have problems such as unclear positioning of the curriculum, the overall quality level of teachers needs to be improved, the skills training of the courses is not prominent enough, and the assessment system is not sound. Accordingly, the path of teaching reform of teachers' writing skills course is proposed: first, adjusting teaching objectives; second, reconstructing teaching modules; third, improving assessment methods; and fourth, carrying out diversified teaching activities.

Enhancing Learning Experience: Engineering Students’ Views on Google Classroom and Academic Achievement

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to explore factors influencing engineering students’ acceptance of the Google Classroom platform in communication skills courses to ensure more active engagement and better performance. Background: In response to the underutilization and hesitancy in adopting educational technologies, this study investigates the factors influencing engineering students’ acceptance of Google Classroom in a Middle Eastern university. Despite the potential benefits of such technologies, their integration faces challenges due to cultural factors and resistance from educators and students alike. Methodology: The study utilized a Technology Acceptance Model-based questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to 140 engineering students to analyze the acceptance of Google Classroom. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling with Smart PLS, focusing on critical constructs like ease of use and perceived usefulness. Limitations due to the sample size and single-institution scope are acknowledged, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Contribution: This study outlines practical steps for educators to enhance learning by fostering a user-friendly environment and supporting student proficiency with technology. It highlights the importance of policies encouraging educational technology adoption and urges developers to focus on user-centered features. Additionally, the study calls for collaboration among educators, policymakers, and developers to create engaging and compelling learning experiences. Findings: Findings unveil the significant impact of user satisfaction on perceived ease of use and usefulness, subsequently influencing attitudes. Furthermore, the study identifies the substantial influence of subjective norms and attitudes on intentions and the consequential impact of intentions on self-perception of academic success. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study advocates for educators to cultivate a motivating environment that fosters active engagement with the Google Classroom platform by raising students’ satisfaction and positive attitudes. Recommendation for Researchers: The study encourages further investigation into the long-term effects of technology integration on students’ academic performance and learning outcomes and exploration of additional variables or moderators that may influence technology acceptance in educational settings. Impact on Society: By understanding the factors influencing engineering students’ acceptance of Google Classroom, educators can better integrate technology into communication skills courses, potentially improving student engagement and academic performance and preparing students for success in a technologically driven society. Future Research: Longitudinal studies tracking students’ technology adoption patterns over time would also contribute to understanding the sustained impact of technology integration on educational practices and outcomes.

Toward Epistemological Development Across the Curriculum: The Effect of Embedded Epistemic Instruction

Abstract: The present study investigated enhancing undergraduates' epistemological beliefs by integrating epistemological insights into a regular university course using an immersion framework. It was conducted with second-year students in the Department of English Language and Cultures in an Algerian university. The 48-student group received a two-semester study skills course designed with built-in notions about the nature, construction, sources, and certainty of knowledge, along with the original course content. A 19-subject group received a traditional study skills course. Both samples' epistemological beliefs were measured using Baxter Magolda's epistemological reflection model before and after the treatment. A qualitative analysis of the data indicated a significantly greater increase in the sophistication of the treatment group's epistemological beliefs when compared to the control group. These results highlight the considerable potential that a curriculum design informed by personal epistemology research has to offer to all educational endeavors and, hence, to overall epistemological complexity in society. Recommendations are made for policymakers, instructional designers, and teachers.

Reform of the construction of the professional skills course cluster of musicology in colleges and universities in the context of aesthetic immersion action based on the VAR model

Abstract In the context of aesthetic education infiltration action, the construction of musicology majors in colleges and universities needs to design diverse teaching contents. This paper analyzes the dynamic impact of the construction of musicology professional skill course clusters with the help of the variable impulse response function of the VAR model and explores the promotional relationship between aesthetic education and music professional literacy. Aiming at the problem that the VAR model cannot reflect the time-varying features and nonlinear features, the TVP-VAP model is used to capture the time-varying features, and at the same time, the Bayesian algorithm is used to calculate the parameters in the model to improve the operation efficiency of the model. After the design was completed and put into practical use, the professional knowledge scores of musicology majors in colleges and universities and students’ aesthetic ability scores in January-October 2023 were selected as databases to establish the TVP-VAR model. When implementing aesthetic education, the response value is 0. From the second month onwards, aesthetic education will have a lasting positive effect and level off, and the response value is around 0.003. The value of the impact effect of students’ professionalism on aesthetic education is 0, which indicates a lag, and shows a gradual upward trend in periods 1-4, with a maximum response value of 0.26. This paper provides a quantitative analysis of the effects of integrating aesthetic education and music and proposes a new direction for reforming the curriculum of the music major.

Efficacy of Multimedia-Enhanced Teaching in Film, Television, and Photography Skill Courses: A Case Study of University Students in Shanxi Province

This research paper investigates the effectiveness of multimedia-enhanced teaching methods in improving the acceptance and proficiency of film, television, and photography skill courses among university students in Shanxi Province. In this case study, a specific focus was placed on analysing the integration of multimedia elements such as interactive videos, virtual simulations, and online platforms into the traditional curriculum. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, interviews, and pre-post assessments, to gather comprehensive data on student experiences and learning outcomes. The research aimed to identify the strengths and limitations of multimedia-enhanced teaching in the context of creative arts education and to provide insights into optimizing these methods for more effective skill acquisition among students in Shanxi Province. Multimedia mode of learning was found to be beneficial for a wide range of subjects and skills. Therefore, educational institutions must employ technology that improves student-teacher connections and significantly alters how students learn, communicate, produce, and collaborate on their academic endeavours.

Tahsin Maharat AlKalam Bi Altariqat Al Mubasyarah

This study aims to determine the steps of teaching Arabic speaking skills with direct methods and the efforts of the Arabic Language Education Study Program and lecturers in improving speaking skills with direct methods in the Arabic Language Education Study Program at the Langsa State Islamic Institute. The method used in this research is a case study method with a descriptive analysis approach, and to collect data, researchers use observation and interviews as research instruments. In analyzing the data, researchers chose to collect data, reduce data, present data, then draw conclusions. The data sources in this study are the head of the Arabic language education study program, lecturers teaching speaking skills courses and fifth semester students in the Arabic language education study program at the Langsa State Islamic Institute. The results showed that the Arabic Language Education Program, Langsa State Islamic Institute, has applied the direct method as the most important method in teaching speaking skills, and this learning takes place in three stages, namely the planning stage, the implementation stage, and finally the evaluation stage. In order to optimize the teaching of speaking skills with direct methods, the Arabic Language Education study program and lecturers make several efforts, the most important of which are: The Department of Arabic Language Education requires lecturers to speak Arabic in class, lecturers use more Arabic references in teaching, hold an Arabic language environment especially in class and office, and students will not be served except by speaking Arabic. thus the learning of speaking skills using direct methods can be optimized well.

From catering for death rituals to establishing a restaurant – the journey of KSN Iyengar Catering Service

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes of this case study are to develop an understanding of informal business practices (IBP) from an economic and a behavioural perspective, identify the pros and cons of IBP and how they can hinder the realization of entrepreneurial aspirations, use the effectuation perspective to understand the entrepreneurial journey of the protagonist and apply the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis and effectuation theory to understand the need for transition from informal to formal business practices. Case overview/synopsis KSN Iyengar Catering Services (KSNICS) had gained popularity for cooking and serving traditional “Iyengar” cuisine during festivals, ceremonies and other auspicious occasions. With the passage of time, KSNICS slowly diversified into offering food carrier services, corporate catering and preparation of sweets/savouries during the Diwali festival. The enterprise managed to sustain itself without additional investments from external sources. KSNICS was managed in an informal manner by the protagonist, Krishna Kumar. After almost 30 years of KSNICS’s existence, in 2021, Kumar felt that they should diversify into the restaurant business by establishing an authentic “Iyengar” restaurant. In spite of the unpredictable market and the challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he had somehow managed to sustain his catering business. However, given the informal methods through which he operated his catering services and in the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario, would it be prudent on his part to establish a restaurant? Complexity academic level This case study is suitable for post-graduate- and executive-level instruction in courses such as managerial skills, entrepreneurship and human resource management. In managerial skills course, it can be used for applying SWOT analysis from a particular perspective for effective decision-making. In entrepreneurship-related courses, it can be used to introduce aspects such as entrepreneurship orientation, effectuation and decision-making. In organizational behaviour and HR-related courses, it can be used to highlight how employees can be trained and motivated and how businesses can be sustained within the scale, especially during challenging times. Irrespective of the course, the IBP discussion would remain a constant point of reference because that was the context under which the current business was operating. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Feasibility of a virtual reality course on adult tracheostomy safety skills.

The National Tracheostomy Safety Project has run high-quality, face-to-face skills courses since 2009. The aim of this project was to produce a virtual reality version of the established course and evaluate its impact on participant learning, and participant and faculty satisfaction. Healthcare staff and students were recruited and randomised to attend one of (1) a face-to-face traditional course (control); (2) a virtual reality course at a conference centre with on-site technical support; (3) a fully remote virtual reality course; the virtual reality groups were combined for the analysis of learning outcomes and satisfaction. The primary outcome was the difference in pre/post-course knowledge scores on a 30-item questionnaire; secondary outcomes included knowledge retention, usability, comfort/side effects and participant performance in a simulated tracheostomy emergency. Thirty-seven participants and 15 faculty participated in this study. There was no significant difference between mean pre/post-course scores from the face-to-face (from 21.1 to 23.1; +2) and combined virtual reality (from 17.1 to 21.1; +4) groups, with both showing improvement (p = 0.21). The mean System Usability Scale score for virtual reality was 76.8 (SD 12.6), which is above average; the median Simulator Sickness Questionnaire score was 7.5 (IQR 3.7-22.4), indicating minimal symptoms. All participants resolved the primary clinical problem in the simulated emergency, but the virtual reality (VR) group was slower overall (mean difference 61.8 s, p = 0.003). This technical feasibility study demonstrated that there was no difference in participant knowledge immediately after and 4 weeks following face-to-face and virtual reality courses. Virtual reality offers an immersive experience that can be delivered remotely and offers potential benefits of reducing travel and venue costs for attendees, therefore increasing the flexibility of training opportunities.

Study on the Integration of Ideological and Political Curriculum into Police Physical Skills Courses

Study on the Integration of Ideological and Political Curriculum into Police Physical Skills Courses