Learning in vivo

Virtual reality made feasible with cardboard viewer

... for the participant that is ... for less than R100

Virtual Reality (VR) experiences are enabled by a motion sensitive screen built into a goggle or headset, which the user (student) wears and thereby immersing themselves in a 360-degree visual environment, by steering the motion sensitive device with head movements, explain Zertuche, Connors, Scheinman, Kothari and Wong (2020). Users (students) are able to navigate the specific computer generated, real or artificial, three dimensional virtual environment, as substitute for ‘real life’ experiences, as if they were actually physically present. The virtual environment/reality could range from static images to full-motion video, with associated audio. VR technology has, since its introduction, reduce in expense, and is now widely used in different industries. VR has emerged in medical education as a cost-effective and impactful tool.

Zertuche et al. (2020) found that facility tours by VR not only have the potential of replacing in-person site tours, but also more efficient with regard to time consumed and elimination of transportation costs. Photos of the relevant sites were taken with a 360-degree camera, and made accessible through the free Google Cardboard application (app) for VR. Participants were given cardboard-constructed goggles to be worn over the eyes, held in position with elastic headbands. The inexpensive cardboard goggles held the users’ smart phone. As the user turns her/his head, either left, right, up, or down, the viewer’s perspective moves accordingly, which enabled 360-degree visualization of the virtual environment. The users were encouraged to browse the images thoroughly, and ask as many questions as they deem necessary.

How to Assemble Google Cardboard DIY Kit

Zertuche, J-P., Connors, J., Scheinman, A., Kothari, N. & Wong, K. 2020. Using virtual reality as a replacement for hospital tours during residency interviews. Medical Education Online, 25(1). Electronically accessible from https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2020.1777066

Artist and repertoire professionals search for talent from a pool of potential

In ‘Creating virtual internships in the music business’, Channell and Anderson (2010: 173) indicate that “Mozart was one of the first to leave the patronage system [working as servants to powerful noblemen] to play music for the masses” and that “Beethoven was able to make a living as a musician by playing for audiences and not solely relying on the aristocracy for total financial support”. The challenges Mozart and Beethoven faced, remain challenges facing musicians, who “rely upon the general public to not only provide income, but also to provide a venue to touch the lives of others through their music”.

“Music is made accessible to the populace through the work and dedication of the people in the music industry. The music industry seeks talent and then brings that artist to the masses through recording contracts and concert tours” indicate Channell and Anderson (2010: 173). Historically, musicians “were expected to ‘pay their dues’ to get to the point where an [artist and repertoire] A&R professional [the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting] would consider listening to an untested, unrecorded performer. The system expected artists to go through the trials of night clubs, becoming warm-up acts for regional bands, and finally becoming regional acts themselves. Eventually, artists might be heard by an A&R professional who might sign them to a recording contract or give advice on how to improve the act. This system eradicated less popular performers, and only those with audience appeal or fortitude prevailed and were rewarded with a contract.” (Channell & Anderson, 2010: 178). However, “Sometimes, being signed by a major label requires being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people. Many talented individuals and performing groups have not been discovered because their timing has not aligned with the schedules of A&R professionals. This does not make the performers less talented, it is merely the fact that they have not yet been in that right place, or have not networked appropriately.” (p. 177)

https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/how-to/what-is-ar-and-how-does-it-work

Aspiring musicians were often required to relocate to musical hubs, which could be cost prohibitive because internship programmes historically do not pay well. Many promising musicians are further restricted due to family or other reasons. The digital age impacted the above significantly. Channell and Anderson (2010: 178) indicate that “With the advent of digital recording, MP3 technology, and social networking, music sharing is only a click away. Many performers are now opting to build a fan base through social networking sites by allowing streaming audio of their latest releases, podcasts of interviews, blogs, and other interactive technologies to build fan support with the hopes it will translate into online sales of recordings.” Through virtual internships and the use of technology, the process of talent discovery is expedited. Aspiring musicians no longer “have to wait to be signed by a major label to be able to present his or her music to the masses.”

The Radford University ‘music business program’ and RM64, ‘a boutique artist management company’, developed a partnership with the aim of reaching out to a broader audience outside of the local area, through a real-world virtual environment. “Using virtual interns, record labels and management firms will have an increased number of trained A&R professionals out in the field searching for new talent” say Channell and Anderson (2010: 177).

Fuelled “by improving technology and the growth of social media”, says Channell and Anderson (2010: 176), virtual internships “are becoming more common”; providing “students with an opportunity to work on projects” and obtain relevant learning experience through the use of technology. They differentiate different types of internships, namely (a) “project-based internships require students to maintain a blog of their progress throughout the project term”; and (b) internships that “go beyond basic blogging to include typical business communications with the provider”, such as teleconferencing and “written reports about the internship experience”. Virtual internship programmes allow students to complete their prerequisite experiential learning by “finishing assignments and participating in hands-on activities that can be implemented from anywhere with Internet access”. The host “company will ask the intern to complete assigned tasks through a virtual environment just as it would if the student were physically in the office”. Students stay “in touch with facilitators, who assist and monitor their progress and performance, and subject mentors, who are experts in the specific field of study”.

Channell and Anderson (2010: 174) indicate that “a good internship should adhere to a set of standards”, which “should be consistent for all internships”. They present “eight principles of good practice are listed for all experiential learning activities as outlined by the National Society for Experiential Learning”, which are (p. 175):

1. Intention – Both the student and the internship provider must be clear on expected outcomes as well as set goals and objectives for projects.
2. Preparedness and Planning – There must be clear plans for the internship. Both the intern and the provider must understand the expectations, start, and end dates.
3. Authenticity – The internship must provide real world experience. Applicable skills learned for the intern’s individual growth in the field.
4. Reflection – An opportunity must exist for both the intern to reflect on what they are and have learned as well as the provider to reflect on the work attempted throughout the process.
5. Orientation and Training – The intern must be given a background of the company, expectations as well as how projects are to be completed. This may include various training activities that will help the intern learn the culture of the provider as well as the basics used in the industry.
6. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement – The intern is entitled to have consistent feedback on their progress. It is important in the learning process to have feedback to work toward improvement.
7. Assessment and Evaluation – At the end of a task, and the internship as a whole, the provider bears the responsibility of providing clear assessment of skills learned and an evaluation of the interns work.
8. Acknowledgement – It is vital for all parties to acknowledge the accomplishments that were achieved through the time period of the learning experience.

Channell, T.L., & Anderson, D.M. 2010. Creating virtual internships in the music business. Journal of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association, 10(1), 173-183. Electronically accessible from https://doi.org/10.25101/10.9

How the frequency of quality communication impacts the psychological contract of e-Internships

Jeske and Axtell (2018) differentiates two types of computer-mediated internships (also known as virtual or e-internships); namely, (a) those that are entirely simulated with the aim of knowledge and skill acquisition, and (b) those that are by means of tele-working, and involving an actual employer, but characterised by working remotely. Jeske and Axtell (2018) found that e-internships offered in more than two dozen countries vary in duration; as well as the hours of ‘work’ expected, with regard to which flexibility is permitted; and is lacking the permanency and/or continuity, which is usually associated with other forms of employment. Organisations offering e-internships, Jeske and Axtell (2018) found, include for-profit companies, small and medium-sized employers, start-ups and entrepreneurs, non-profit organisations, and government agencies. Although e-internships have been in existence for more than a decade, little is known with regard to their general management challenges for supervisors, say Jeske and Axtell (2018), who decided to research the psychological contracts of e-internships. The term 'psychological contract' (illustrated below), which emerged in the early 1960s, refers to the unwritten set of expectations between the parties concerned, and may include expectations, respective beliefs, perceived obligations, informal arrangements, etc. Jeske and Axtell (2018) identified four relationship characteristic-types of psychological contracts in literature, namely transactional, relational, balanced, and transitional.

The frequency of communication, through different media, appears to improve the quality of the relationship, the task clarity and the knowledge exchange, found Jeske and Axtell (2018). This is deemed of significant importance from the perspective of both the CHE’s programme accreditation and institutional audit criteria pertaining work-based learning, namely:

• Criterion 15, including implemented learning contracts/agreements with regard to objectives and outcomes of learning; regular and effective communication and good working relations; regular and systematic monitoring of progress; and an enabling mentoring system (Council on Higher Education, 2014: 104, 2004a: 20)
• Audit criterion 7(iii) same as above (Council on Higher Education, 2004b: 11)

Council on Higher Education (2014). Distance Higher Education Programmes in a Digital Era: Programme Accreditation Criteria, pp. 81 – 107, Criterion 15, p. 104. In Distance Higher Education Programmes in a Digital Era: Good Practice Guide. Electronically accessible from https://www.saide.org.za/documents/CHE_-_Distance_Higher_Education.pdf

Council on Higher Education (2004a). Higher Education Quality Committee. Criteria for Programme Accreditation. Electronically accessible from https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/che2020-c5efd.appspot.com/o/website%2Fyxqlkgy7gwo1.pdf?alt=media&token=c1ea5d6e-2e05-463d-9f2b-bbf92d4b402b

Council on Higher Education (2004b). Higher Education Quality Committee. Criteria for Institutional Audits. Electronically accessible from https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/che2020-c5efd.appspot.com/o/website%2Fjh3xgy9ub11.pdf?alt=media&token=aa1b8117-5414-4e70-a363-50dc924a7d42

Jeske, D. & Axtell, C. M. 2018. The nature of relationships in e-internships: A matter of the psychological contract, communication and relational investment. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 34, 113-121. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2018a14

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) could potentially accelerate a significant increase in knowledge

Cunha, Terreri and Len (2020) report on research with regard to the success of a virtual learning programme with regard to paediatric rheumatology in Brazil. They start off by sketching the background and scope of the need for training of resident medical practitioners, who are responsible for the first care of children as it would cause delays in referral, diagnosis and treatment if inadequately trained. Medical educators have since the 1960s developed computerized education and virtual learning environments (VLEs), which “stand out as a safe and potential tool in the literature, supporting the teaching-learning process”, Cunha, Terreri and Len (2020: 2) remark. They outline the approach to the training:

• teachers of reference services in paediatric rheumatology and paediatricians were invited to each suggest ten topics considered of utmost practical significance to the training
• after all the submissions were accrued, the original participants were sent a Survey Monkey assessment and asked to rate the 36 topics suggested in the first request using a Likert scale from 1 to 7 (1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree)
• after statistical analysis six themes emerged:
  • History and physical examination in rheumatology
  • Warning signs that may indicate rheumatic disease
  • Musculoskeletal pain in childhood
  • Differential diagnosis of acute arthritis
  • Vasculitis: Kawasaki disease and Henoch-Schonlein purpura
  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• a specialized system analyst used ASP.NET 4 associated with the Bootstrap framework to build the web system, making use of a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 database
• a trained and qualified in paediatric rheumatologist created video lessons and interactive clinical case sessions, which were reviewed by professors in the field
• freely accessible scientific articles were selected to complement the teaching
• the virtual learning environment, of each module, comprised a ten to 25 minutes of video lecture, an interactive case study and the mentioned scientific articles
• residents in training could only change modules after watching each video class in full and having answered the entire interactive case report

Cunha, Terreri and Len (2020: 7) observed Paediatric Rheumatology VLE to be an effective tool that brought about a significant increase in knowledge. They conclude that the internet has ushered in a new era, allowing for “students to quickly access information and virtual learning environments”, but remark that “not all educational sites are equally effective”.

Cunha, A.L.C., Terreri, M.T., & Len, C.A. 2020. Virtual learning environment in pediatric rheumatology for pediatric residents. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 38. Accessed electronically from http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018189

Constructivism - Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework

Literature about online distance learning, has been providing insight with regard to virtual learning, (Ruggiero & Boehm, 2016), in that the design draws from the constructivist learning paradigm. Virtual internships are by nature constructivist activities. “Constructivists believe that learning is a process of interpreting, building, and modifying our understanding of reality based upon life’s experiences” say Ruggiero and Boehm (2016: 107), citing Dewey (1966), who “believed that knowledge emerges only from situations in which learners have to draw them out of meaningful experiences”. Virtual internships offer students opportunities to apply subject matter expertise and theoretical knowledge to a work context, thereby creating new knowledge and skills.

One of the multiple contributions made by the field of online learning to the theory of distance learning, especially in relation to constructivism, is the ‘Community of Inquiry’ (CoI) framework, say Ruggiero and Boehm (2016: 107), citing Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2010). The goal with the CoI framework was to provide a conceptual framework with regard to using online communications media. It comprise three related constructs or core elements, namely Social Presence, Cognitive Presence, and Teaching Presence. It is believed that the educational experience for students is determined by how the three core elements interrelate. The three elements, and their areas of overlap, are illustrated by a diagram.

 

Cognitive presence, say Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2010), is operationalized through the four phases of the Practical Inquiry (PI) model, namely the triggering event, exploration, integration, and resolution. Social presence is described from a multi-dimensional perspective, including affective expression, group cohesion, and open communication. The three dimensions of social presence are defined with regard to participants identifying with the community, communicating purposefully in a trusting environment, and developing interpersonal relationships. Teaching presence entail a three dimensional design, facilitation and direction nature of learning activities that will ensure students move through the four phases of the PI model. All three core elements overlap with one another dynamically.

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2010). The first decade of the community of inquiry framework: A retrospective. Internet and Higher Education, 13(1), 5–9. Accessed electronically from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.10.003

Ruggiero, D., & Boehm, J. 2016. Design and Development of a Learning Design Virtual Internship Program. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 17(4), 105-120. Accessed electronically from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2385

Value of simulated clinical training

With regard to simulated work-integrated learning (WIL), Rahm, Wieser, Bauer, Waibel, Meyer, Gerber and Fucentese (2018) report that most studies demonstrate virtual reality based simulator training does result in improvement of technical skills. They tested the efficacy of a standardized, competency based training protocol for arthroscopy—also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery, which is a minimally invasive surgical examination, and sometimes treatment of damage, of a joint. Clinical training (work-integrated learning in the medical field) of medical residents is both a demanding and time consuming job in teaching hospitals. Arthroscopy skills cannot be acquired by observation and assisting alone. Virtual reality competency based simulator training has been found to be at least of equal value as direct observation, animal and/or cadaver models or videotape learning tools. Although the initial investment of a simulator is high, as is service expenses, the benefit of a potentially 24/7 availability of a training tool is deemed increasingly important because hands-on operation time is getting less for residents.

https://images.app.goo.gl/uYDcizXHbA1HDo5u8

Rahm, S., Wieser, K., Bauer, D.E., Waibel, F.W.A., Meyer, D.C., Gerber, C, & Fucentese, S.F. 2018. Efficacy of standardized training on a virtual reality simulator to advance knee and shoulder arthroscopic motor skills. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 19. Accessed electronically from https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-018-2072-0