Virtual Modality Research Articles

Leveraging Implementation Science at the Early-Stage Development of a Novel Telehealth-Delivered Fear of Exercise Program to Understand Intervention Feasibility and Implementation Potential: Feasibility Behavioral Intervention Study.

To increase real-world adoption of effective telehealth-delivered behavioral health interventions among midlife and older adults with cardiovascular disease, incorporating implementation science (IS) methods at earlier stages of intervention development may be needed. This study aims to describe how IS can be incorporated into the design and interpretation of a study assessing the feasibility and implementation potential of a technology-delivered behavioral health intervention. We assessed the feasibility and implementation potential of a 2-session, remotely delivered, home-based behavioral intervention composed of psychoeducation, interoceptive exposure through low-to-moderate intensity walking, interoceptive counseling, and homework (Reducing Exercise Sensitivity with Exposure Training; RESET) among patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and some fear of exercise. To assess intervention feasibility, we measured patient protocol adherence, intervention delivery fidelity, and completion of intervention outcome assessments using direct observations, fidelity checklists, surveys, and device-measured physical activity. To assess implementation potential, we measured implementation outcomes (feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness) using 4-item measures, each rated from the patient perspective on a 1 to 5 Likert scale (1=completely disagree and 5=completely agree; criteria: ≥4=agree or completely agree), and patient-perceived implementation determinants and design feedback using survey and interview data. Interview data underwent thematic analysis to identify implementation determinant themes, which were then categorized into Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and constructs. Of 31 patients approached during recruitment, 3 (10%) were eligible, enrolled, and completed the study (mean age 46.3, SD 14.0 y; 2/3, 67% male; 1/3, 33% Black; and 1/3, 33% Asian). The intervention was delivered with fidelity for all participants, and all participants completed the entire intervention protocol and outcome assessments. On average, participants agreed that the RESET intervention was feasible and acceptable, while appropriateness ratings did not meet implementation criteria (feasibility: mean 4.2, SD 0.4; acceptability: mean 4.3, SD 0.7; and appropriateness: mean 3.7, SD 0.4). Key patient-perceived implementation determinants were related to constructs in the innovation (design, adaptability, and complexity), inner setting (available resources [physical space, funding, materials, and equipment] and access to knowledge and information), and innovation recipient characteristics (motivation, capability, opportunity, and need) domains of the CFIR, with key barriers related to innovation design. Design feedback indicated that the areas requiring the most revisions were the interoceptive exposure design and the virtual delivery modality, and reasons why included low dose and poor usability. The RESET intervention was feasible but not implementable in a small sample of patients with ACS. Our theory-informed, mixed methods approach aided our understanding of what, how, and why RESET was not perceived as implementable; this information will guide intervention refinement. This study demonstrated how integrating IS methods early in intervention development can guide decisions regarding readiness to advance interventions along the translational research pipeline.

U.S. Job-Seekers' Organizational Justice Perceptions of Emotion AI-Enabled Interviews

Emotion AI is increasingly used to automatically evaluate asynchronous hiring interviews. Although touted for increasing hiring fit and reducing bias, it is unclear how job-seekers perceive emotion AI-enabled asynchronous interviews. This gap is striking, given job-seekers' marginalized position in hiring and how job-seekers with marginalized identities may be particularly vulnerable to this technology's potential harms. Addressing this gap, we conducted exploratory interviews with 14 U.S.-based participants with direct, recent experience with emotion AI-enabled asynchronous interviews. While participants acknowledged the asynchronous, virtual modality's potential benefits to employers and job-seekers, they perceived harms to job-seekers associated with automatic emotion inferences that our analysis maps to distributive, procedural, and interactional injustices. We find that social identity can inform job-seekers' perceptions of emotion AI, extending prior work's understandings of the factors contributing to job-seekers' perceptions of AI (broadly) in hiring. Moreover, our results suggest that emotion AI use may reconfigure demands for emotional labor in hiring and that deploying this technology in its current state may unjustly risk harmful outcomes for job-seekers - or, at the very least, perceptions thereof, which shape behaviors and attitudes. Accordingly, we recommend against the present adoption of emotion AI in hiring, identifying opportunities for the design of future asynchronous hiring interview platforms to be meaningfully transparent, contestable, and privacy-preserving. We emphasize that only a subset of perceived harms we surface may be alleviated by these efforts; some injustices may only be resolved by removing emotion AI-enabled features.

Analysis of the Learning Achievement Gap Between Courses Adapted to Virtual Modality and Courses for a LMS in Undergraduate Studies

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a gap between a course adapted from a face-to-face to a virtual format and a course specifically designed to be taught in a virtual environment through an LMS. The results showed a gap of more than 10%, with the experimental group obtaining an average final grade 23% higher than the control group. A 24% improvement in grades was observed with the increase in supervisory activities in one unit of the course. The tutor-teacher's expertise and willingness to help students were key elements to the success of undergraduate students.

On the (zoom) record: the role of videoconferencing in detention hearing proceedings

ABSTRACT Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, courts nationwide abruptly halted operations. Seemingly overnight, courts adopted videoconferencing technology and resumed critical operations virtually. Given that resuming operations took precedence, less attention was given to the numerous concerns surrounding virtual courtrooms, including, for example, constitutional violations and technical-related challenges. In the current study, we used a sample of pretrial detention hearing cases (N = 330) systematically collected in a New Jersey courtroom (April 2020 – April 2021) that expeditiously shifted modalities from in-person to virtual following the pandemic. In doing so, we described the prevalence of technical difficulties (e.g., video/audio glitches and disconnections) experienced by legal actors and defendants, assessed how the court adapted to the new virtual modality, and explored how technical difficulties influenced case decisions. Employing descriptive statistics and multivariate models, we found no evidence to suggest that technical difficulties influenced decisions. However, we found that technical difficulties were commonplace and that defendant disconnections increased over time, putting into question the court’s adaptability. Based on our findings, we echo other scholars’ concerns surrounding the current use of the technology and signal the need for additional research before continuing and or possibly expanding its use post-pandemic.

Comparative Impact of Virtual and Face-To-Face Education on the Academic Performance and Perception of Accounting Students at a Peruvian University during the Pandemic

The present study compares the impact of virtual and face-to-face education modalities on the academic performance and perception of accounting students at the Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a mixed methodological approach, quantitative and qualitative data from 98 students were analyzed, evaluating their academic performance, interaction, feedback and satisfaction in both modalities. The results show that students in the virtual modality obtained higher academic performance, attributed to the flexibility of online education. However, interaction and feedback were perceived as more effective in the face-to-face modality. Students valued the flexibility of virtual education, but emphasized the importance of personal interaction and the traditional classroom environment to maintain concentration and academic engagement. This study concludes that both modalities have strengths and weaknesses, and suggests that a hybrid combination could offer a more complete educational experience. Improvements in feedback and assessment in virtual environments are recommended, as well as encouraging active participation through interactive technologies.

Perception of Dentistry Students Regarding Virtual Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic implied changes and challenges in university education around the world. In the area of ​​dental education, the virtual approach or virtual teaching was a challenge for both students and teachers. Although digital platforms, conferences and virtual courses have already been used in Dentistry as a complementary resource, the pandemic meant a completely virtual modality. However, teaching in virtuality is complex since the didactic and pedagogical processes are related to areas or specialties linked to the clinical part of this profession, where the virtual approach related to the restorative, rehabilitation or even surgical area, It is insufficient for the dental student to adequately develop procedural skills. The objective of this study is to know the perception of Dentistry students regarding virtual classes during the pandemic in order to know their opinion about this issue, in addition to managing the improvement of teaching methods on virtual platforms, training teachers and students in the management of information and communication technology in virtual environments. Likewise, the use of haptic simulators can be integrated with virtual reality systems, technology that is already being used in Russian universities. In addition to contributing to the development of students' learning in times of pandemic, would also allow them to acquire and develop clinical skills that are required before having contact with the patient.

The Hybrid Modality Model in Higher Education Institutions

The aim of the article is to provide a research result to support the process of consensual and collegiate decision-making in order to mix study models in undergraduate degree courses and postgraduate projects in higher education. The deductive method was used as a starting point and a mixed phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was applied for the methodological design, based on the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques, for which a sample of undergraduate and postgraduate students was selected from the active student population in the year 2021. A structured survey was applied as a technique and a nominal scale was used to collect and analyse the data, which made it possible to determine the students' preferences according to the face-to-face or virtual modality, as well as the incidence of the mixture of both modalities for learning. The results of the research show that undergraduate students show a preference for the face-to-face modality, while postgraduate students prefer the virtual modality. From the examination of the problem, the analysis of the theoretical framework and the applied methodology, it is concluded that the results of the research can help in the process of collegiate decision making by the management agents of higher education institutions, to adequately dose the time load of the face-to-face or virtual modalities, as appropriate to the degree courses and projects.

The Evolution of Virtual Concept of Education: Analysis of the Revealed Preferences and Digital Challenges

Distance education offers flexibility and accessibility to students with diverse needs and contexts. However, it is crucial to understand the factors that motivate students to choose this educational modality, especially in programs like Public Accounting, which require specific skills. The general objective of this article is to analyze the determinants in the decision to study the Public Accounting Program in a distance or virtual modality at the National Open and Distance University (UNAD). A mixed methodology is employed, supported by authors such as Creswell (2014), combining quantitative and qualitative data, and using the Probit model to identify factors influencing this choice. A significant finding is that tuition cost, the Saber 11 test score and parents' education are significant variables affecting students' decisions, with tuition cost having the greatest influence on the probability of choice.

Patient and Provider Experiences With Compassionate Care in Virtual Physiatry: Qualitative Study.

Telemedicine in the realm of rehabilitation includes the remote delivery of rehabilitation services using communication technologies (eg, telephone, emails, and video). The widespread application of virtual care grants a suitable time to explore the intersection of compassion and telemedicine, especially due to the impact of COVID-19 and how it greatly influenced the delivery of health care universally. The purpose of this study was to explore how compassionate care is understood and experienced by physiatrists and patients engaged in telemedicine. We used a qualitative descriptive approach to conduct interviews with patients and physiatrists between June 2021 and March 2022. Patients were recruited across Canada from social media and from a single hospital network in Toronto, Ontario. Physiatrists were recruited across Canada through social media and the Canadian Association for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (CAPM&R) email listserve. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed thematically. A total of 19 participants were interviewed-8 physiatrists and 11 patients. Two themes capturing physiatrists' and patients' experiences with delivering and receiving compassionate care, especially in the context of virtual care were identified: (1) compassionate care is inherently rooted in health care providers' inner intentions and are, therefore, expressed as caring behaviors and (2) virtual elements impact the delivery and receipt of compassionate care. Compassionate care stemmed from physiatrists' caring attitudes which then manifest as caring behaviors. In turn, these caring attitudes and behaviors enable individualized care and the establishment of a safe space for patients. Moreover, the virtual care modality both positively and negatively influenced how compassion is enacted by physiatrists and received by patients. Notably, there was large ambiguity around the norms and etiquette surrounding virtual care. Nonetheless, the flexibility and person-centeredness of virtual care cause it to be useful in health care settings.

Unexpected Silver Lining of A Worldwide Pandemic: Student Workers Working From Home

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our university leadership charged our department to shift academic and career support for our 20,000 ground students to a virtual modality. Through 100+ student workers, our department maintained similar service levels and outcomes to pre-pandemic times while working remotely during the pandemic. This reflective practice explores four working ideas for how and why our student worker team succeeded in remote work, including: organizational culture, departmental culture, adapting an existing technology model, and training. Ultimately, all four working ideas likely contributed to our team’s success. However, it is likely an incomplete picture of what truly influenced our team’s success working remotely for 18 months.

Anxiety in University Teachers and Virtual Education

The purpose of this research is to analyze whether university teachers show signs of anxiety due to the new modality of virtual education due to confinement due to the health emergency. A bibliographic review has been carried out and there has been the collaboration of university teachers who now teach their classes through virtual means, to whom a structured survey was applied to determine how they face the virtual education modality, at the same time the Scale was applied of Hamilton Anxiety, which evaluates anxiety levels (give the results). The research has a correlational, descriptive scope since it seeks to know if teachers present anxiety regarding the virtual education that they had to implement at the time of teaching classes. The investigated population was made up of 24 university professors from the University of the Armed Forces, Latacunga headquarters. University teachers have serious anxiety indicated that in the context of the health emergency added to the change of modality in education.

Adaptation Plan to the Virtual Modality in the Nursing Career of a University in Northeastern Peru

Objective: Describe the implementation of a plan for the adaptation of courses to the virtual modality in the nursing career of a private university in northeastern Peru in 2020. Theoretical Framework: The process of adaptation to virtuality is supported by connectivist and constructivist and instructivist theories of education. Method: This descriptive case study involved 83 students and 11 teachers. The plan consisted of 5 phases: selection of subjects, choice of teaching tools and resources, adaptation of subjects, implementation of the pedagogical strategy, and control and monitoring of courses. Results and Discussion: Of 30 adapted subjects, 66.7% had theoretical and practical hours and 33.3% only theoretical hours. Supervisions of the virtual classrooms showed deficiencies in sending announcements (73%) and aggregating learning sessions (45%). To address the challenges, communication strategies, technological and academic support, and flexibility of evaluation methods were used. Teachers' technological knowledge was rated as the lowest, with a mean of 2.64 ± 0.44. 94% of students attended classes and 80.7% passed the courses. Research Implications: The implementation of the plan allowed students to continue their learning during the pandemic, highlighting the need to improve strategies to achieve effective virtual education. Originality/Value: This study will not only allow us to know how Peruvian universities responded to the educational crisis during the pandemic, but could also ensure the sustainability of education in these new paradigms.

Vivencialidad y Formación Virtual para mejorar la Competencia Matemática

This study proposes, develops and applies the didactic model based on experience and virtual training to improve mathematical competence: solves problems of regularity, equivalence and change in the virtual modality, in the San Juan Alternative Basic Education Center of the city of Trujillo in the year 2020. The study has a mixed approach which type of research was quasi experimental, we chose a sample of 28 second grade students whose average age was 16 years, in the experimental group the proposal of the didactic model was applied, for which a test, a rubric, a research field notebook and evidence registration form were used as measurement instruments, getting as a result a significant improvement in the indicated competence, with respect to the dimensions of data translation and algebraic conditions, mathematical communication, math application and math problem solving.

Investigating the Efficacy and Sustainability of Virtual Education Courses

As teacher educators prepare for the future of teacher education, it is important to address the sustainability of virtual education courses. This study used a pre-existing model provided by the New York State Education Department as a framework to define the types of courses that may appear in an education program. Data was collected using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach to simultaneously gather qualitative and quantitative data. A total of 640 education courses from accredited education programs across the United States were analyzed. Findings indicated the type of course did not play a role in the course effectiveness during the pandemic, suggesting all education courses can be delivered effectively in a virtual modality. The delivery method of undergraduate courses was indicated by participants to be less effective during the pandemic than graduate courses. Results suggest courses that involve fieldwork (i.e., Field Experience, Student Teaching, or Practicum) were indicated by participants to be the least sustainable as virtual courses post-pandemic. Results also suggest that although virtual education courses at the graduate level are sustainable in education programs post-pandemic, undergraduate courses may not be. Advantages to virtual course delivery clustered around logistics and access while challenges clustered around engagement and hands-on-learning. This study provides curriculum guidance to those across the globe in the position of making modality decisions.

Student Perceptions of Emerging Virtual Teaching in Business Management Fields

In recent years, virtualization has been present in educational institutions, both in teaching-learning processes and in management and research, using the Internet to facilitate communication, document consultation and the virtual modality of courses, among others. This is why today the use of information technologies (ICT) is essential to facilitate the teaching process for teachers and the learning process for students. The objective of this study is to know about the perception of the students and the strategies implemented in the University Center of Economic-Administrative Sciences of the University of Guadalajara, to adapt the teaching and learning due to the contingency of COVID-19. The methodology is empirical and the data were obtained through interviews and the application of a questionnaire whose results were analyzed with statistical tools. The results show that students improved their autonomous learning, that the use of digital tools allows teachers to better explain the concepts, and that it is difficult to do teamwork and personal interaction but it is necessary.
 
 Received: 6 October 2023 / Accepted: 25 January 2024 / Published: 5 March 2024

Identifying virtual care modality in electronic health record data.

Virtual care increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific modality of virtual care (video, audio, eVisits, eConsults, and remote patient monitoring) has important implications for the accessibility and quality of care, but rates of use are relatively unknown. Methods for identifying virtual care modalities, especially in electronic health records (EHR) are inconsistent. This study (a) developed a method to identify virtual care modalities using EHR data and (b) described the distribution of these modalities over a 3-year study period. EHR data from 316 primary care safety net clinics throughout the study period (4/1/2020-3/31/2023) were included. Visit type (in-person vs virtual) by adults >18 years old were classified. Expert consultation informed the development of two algorithms to classify virtual care visit modalities; these algorithms prioritized different EHR data elements. We conducted descriptive analyses comparing algorithms and the frequency of virtual care modalities. Agreement between the algorithms was 96.5% for all visits and 89.3% for virtual care visits. The majority of disagreement between the algorithms was among encounters scheduled as audio-only but billed as a video visit. Restricting to visits where the algorithms agreed on visit modality, there were 2-fold more audio-only than video visits. Visit modality classification varies depending upon which data in the EHR are prioritized. Regardless of which algorithm is utilized, safety net clinics rely on audio-only and video visits to provide care in virtual visits. Elimination of reimbursement for audio visits may exacerbate existing inequities in care for low-income patients.

CACTUSS: Common Anatomical CT-US Space for US examinations

Purpose:The detection and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a vascular disorder with life-threatening consequences, is challenging due to its lack of symptoms until it reaches a critical size. Abdominal ultrasound (US) is utilized for diagnosis; however, its inherent low image quality and reliance on operator expertise make computed tomography (CT) the preferred choice for monitoring and treatment. Moreover, CT datasets have been effectively used for training deep neural networks for aorta segmentation. In this work, we demonstrate how leveraging CT labels can be used to improve segmentation in ultrasound and hence save manual annotations.Methods:We introduce CACTUSS: a common anatomical CT-US space that inherits properties from both CT and ultrasound modalities to produce an image in intermediate representation (IR) space. CACTUSS acts as a virtual third modality between CT and US to address the scarcity of annotated ultrasound training data. The generation of IR images is facilitated by re-parametrizing a physics-based US simulator. In CACTUSS we use IR images as training data for ultrasound segmentation, eliminating the need for manual labeling. In addition, an image-to-image translation network is employed for the model’s application on real B-modes.Results:The model’s performance is evaluated quantitatively for the task of aorta segmentation by comparison against a fully supervised method in terms of Dice Score and diagnostic metrics. CACTUSS outperforms the fully supervised network in segmentation and meets clinical requirements for AAA screening and diagnosis.Conclusion:CACTUSS provides a promising approach to improve US segmentation accuracy by leveraging CT labels, reducing the need for manual annotations. We generate IRs that inherit properties from both modalities while preserving the anatomical structure and are optimized for the task of aorta segmentation. Future work involves integrating CACTUSS into robotic ultrasound platforms for automated screening and conducting clinical feasibility studies.

Qualitative Case Study of a Virtual Education Program: Challenges and Future Directions

<p style="text-align: justify;">Existing studies have explored the repercussions of school closures. The researchers were interested in exploring the virtual health and physical education program (VHPEP) by identifying existing practices, drawing a more profound understanding of teachers’ experiences, identifying parents’ roles played in support of their children and teachers, and finally recommending inputs for a better VHPEP. Using a criterion-based selection, twenty participants, encompassing ten teachers and ten parents, were recruited for this study. The study employed a qualitative case study design. The results found that implementing VHPEP involved various issues and challenges in class management, including limited student interaction, difficulty sustaining interest, ineffective assessment methods, and instances of student cheating. These challenges prompted teachers to shift their pedagogical practices, focusing on making adjustments and developing new strategies to ensure student participation. Additionally, the study found that teachers experienced anxieties and realized the importance of self-reflection, including the importance of implementing measures to mitigate anxieties, gaining new perspectives on teaching, and grappling with the unique difficulties and opportunities of the virtual teaching modality. This study also shed light on the diverse roles that parents played in supporting their children and collaborating with teachers. Lastly, the study identified crucial aspects for improving VHPEP. While this study gives much attention to valuable insights provided by teachers and parents as collaborative partners for a quality VHPEP, caution should be exercised because the research is based on specific contexts and individual experiences.</p>

Qualitative Case Study of a Virtual Education Program: Challenges and Future Directions

<p style="text-align: justify;">Existing studies have explored the repercussions of school closures. The researchers were interested in exploring the virtual health and physical education program (VHPEP) by identifying existing practices, drawing a more profound understanding of teachers’ experiences, identifying parents’ roles played in support of their children and teachers, and finally recommending inputs for a better VHPEP. Using a criterion-based selection, twenty participants, encompassing ten teachers and ten parents, were recruited for this study. The study employed a qualitative case study design. The results found that implementing VHPEP involved various issues and challenges in class management, including limited student interaction, difficulty sustaining interest, ineffective assessment methods, and instances of student cheating. These challenges prompted teachers to shift their pedagogical practices, focusing on making adjustments and developing new strategies to ensure student participation. Additionally, the study found that teachers experienced anxieties and realized the importance of self-reflection, including the importance of implementing measures to mitigate anxieties, gaining new perspectives on teaching, and grappling with the unique difficulties and opportunities of the virtual teaching modality. This study also shed light on the diverse roles that parents played in supporting their children and collaborating with teachers. Lastly, the study identified crucial aspects for improving VHPEP. While this study gives much attention to valuable insights provided by teachers and parents as collaborative partners for a quality VHPEP, caution should be exercised because the research is based on specific contexts and individual experiences.</p>

Digital teaching competencies in the return to face-to-face teaching

This research was conducted at the University of Guayaquil with the purpose of knowing if the digital knowledge, skills and abilities acquired by university teachers in the virtual modality during the COVID 19 pandemic in the biennium from 2020 to 2022; digital competencies that were consolidated in the four academic quinquemestre and that are still in force in the current face-to-face modality. To fulfill this research purpose, an approach to the teachers of the disciplines selected for their academic development in the face-to-face modality in the Early Childhood Education and Basic Education Careers during the IC - 2023-2024 was foreseen, and to collect qualitative data from this segment of teachers, which allows us to know the truth beyond the evidence of their digital skills.