John Miller, nursing faculty

My Blog Has Moved.

2010-03-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

My blog has moved to http://jsmillerrn.blogspot.com/. Thanks for your interest!

Redefining Innovation: Programming Complex, Immersive Simulations in Second Life

2009-08-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ah, a TV talk show, never done one. I had to dress up. International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) Eduverse, episode 8

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Discover Magazine Press

2009-08-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

I was interviewed recently and this article was published: Can Training In Second Life Teach Doctors to Save Real Lives? .

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Health Care Reform Debate

2009-08-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here are two interesting publications on the reform needed.

NPR: The Health Care Debate Is Making Me Sick. - Brian Unger.

Washington Post: Like Your Health Insurance. Maybe You Shouldn't. - Simon Johnson and James Kwak.

Preview of Courses this Quarter

2009-04-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my courses in Blackboard currently in preview mode only:

Pharmacology

Medical Surgical

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EMERGING Technologies Center Nursing Education 2.0: A Second Look at Second Life

2009-04-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

Emerging Technologies Center Nursing Education 2.0: A Second Look at Second Life is an article that talks about my TCC nursing virtual world activties and is by Diane J. Skiba, PHD, FAAN, FACMI, in Nursing Education Perspectives: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 129–131, April, 2009, published by National League for Nursing (NLN), accrediting body for nursing.

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Medical Simulations, Evergreen Island

2009-04-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is video of an update for nursing area at Evergreen Island, owned by SBCTC, in Second Life. It is HD or high definition and is best viewed in full screen.

If you want to schedule students here, please email me at jsvavoom@gmail.com .

More Online Courses for Community Colleges

2009-02-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

Governor Gregoire yesterday spoke about increasing online courses for community colleges in Washington as part of her reform plan to "Deliver 21st Century Customer Service" Last week, at the Washington State Nurses Association Legislative Day, she talked about streamlining government the same way.

While having more online classes, with all or part of the face to face time reduced, can reduce maintenance, cleaning, power consumption of classrooms, it can also reduce gas consumption by students as well as help create flexible schedules for their busy work schedules. In the long term, parking lots and buildings will not have to be created. Quality methods of instruction using full and partially online delivered classes already exist. Some of the online teaching methods include course management systems ( Angel Learning), interactive elements (GoogleSites, Twitter, YouTube, del.ico.us, Skype ), and experiential virtual worlds such as Second Life.

Virtual worlds by big company

2009-01-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

Sony with its Home virtual world is spending big bucks but has created a less than robust virtual world. See this article, A PG Rated Second Life, from Time magazine: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1870505,00.html Maybe good things to come though, as they ARE interested in virtual worlds.

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Creating Engaging and Interactive Online Nursing, Medical, and other Courses

2008-11-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

For my college courses, I use Articulate Presenter, Crossword Compiler, and Jeopardy to engage the students in learning with games, as well as to provide slides with audio. The web 2.0 tools besides a learning management system (Blackboard, Angel) include Google Calendar, Docs, Talk, Sites, Video Chat, Blogger, del.icio.us, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Skype, ooVoo, Camtasia and others.

The virtual world of Second Life is extensively used for constructivism activities using Archipelis and tools in world. Community in the online world is encouraged with avatar creation, in world classes, and field trips to events in Second Life. Animations are imported into Second Life with Poser, sounds with Audacity, and images with Gimp or Photoshop. Students interact with virtual patients, making critical decisions for assessment, communication and treatment. Support groups in Second Life are numerous and interaction with them is critical for understanding the complexities for those accessing the medical system with major and long term health issues. Virtual Ability and SL Healthy have more information about these activities.

My teaching career has spanned 27 years in nursing, with more than eight years teaching online. For five years I was the faculty trainer for all disciplines in online teaching at a college.

If you need assistance in creating interactive and engaging online courses for nursing, other medical areas, or other disciplines, contact me at http://muvers.org.

Medical-Nursing Courses Moved to Evergreen Island

2008-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Evergreen is an island in Second Life owned by the state of Washington's State Board for Community and Technical College's ELearning council. Here is a link to the island in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Evergreen%20Island/104/97/26 There is a teleport directory at this slurl to all the places for teaching. The theory classes are in sky islands above the island, in the clinic and at medical support group places in SL.

Thanks to Todd Tevlin's (sl Esch Snoats) many hours of work, a medical clinic was built. Cathy Walker (sl padlurowncanoe Dibou) and Chris Crawford (sl Silver Tomorrow) have been working long hours on a customized orientation area where students will be born, emphasizing rapid and easy training. In the clinic (small hospital) area, use of patient bots and HUDs helps with training for either synchronous or asynchronous delivery of scenarios emphasizing decision making skills. Students also go to medical support group meetings, coordinated by Gentle Heron (sl name) and Ability Commons (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Commonwealth%202/128/128/2.

Just attended a panel at BlogHer conference in the virtual world of Second Life. The title of the panel was SecondLife as Educational/Training Tool. This is being blogged from within Second Life.

2008-07-19T12:10:00.001-07:00

posted by JS Vavoom on Centralia College using a blogHUD : [permalink]

3D Creation of Objects For and By Nursing Students

2008-07-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of Centralia island in Second Life and a few of the 3D objects I am using for classes. The objects are used to reinforce learning and students can build items to apply their knowledge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4J7-OlzLV0&feature=related

and an ED simulator area video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD4dRTR1nVI .

Virtual Medical Projects besides Second Life

2008-07-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

-PULSE project: http://www.sp.tamucc.edu/pulse/home.asp
-Virtual Heroes: http://www.virtualheroes.com/healthcare.asp
-Fortrerra: http://www.forterrainc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=47

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ISTE NECC Conference Update

2008-07-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

Very busy with presentations on education in Second Life, as well as creating new accounts. Some key points:
-NMC link to join Second Life, with an education emphasis: http://sl.nmc.org/join/
-Second Life Education, SLED listserv enrollment page for education news link: https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators
-SLED Archive link: http://www.simteach.com/forum/
-The Shelter, Second Life place for orientation and fun link: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isabel/50/229/81

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-Yadni's Junkyard, large selection of freebies in Second Life link: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Leda/192/44/79

Need help teaching with the web in nursing and other medical disciplines?

2008-06-24T22:43:00.001-07:00

Am currently seeking some part time work directly with students as nursing instructor or with faculty in training. I am interested in working virtually and in person with others. My experience includes five years of training faculty from all disciplines at my college in online teaching. Of my 26 years of teaching nursing (most is advanced med-surg), I have taught online for the last ten years and use online lectures with interactive games (Articulate) and web links, as well as crosswords, and Jeopardy like games. I currently teach fully online courses, such as pharmacology, and 50% online courses also. I use online simulations and other software to fully engage the students. Use 3D objects in Second Life to help students understand pathophysiology (see the lame lungs in my pic above), as well as important assessments and interventions.

Support groups are very important for the students understanding of the complexity of healthcare. There are several in Second Life. An ACLS like simulator is sometimes used to prepare students for the METI and Laerdal high fidelity human patient simulators. I am also using blogging as an educational tool in most of my classes. See the blogs on this page. All of my testing is online.

International Society for Technology in Education conference

2008-06-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

Heading off in a day or two for ISTE's National Educational Computing Conference in San Antonio, TX. Presenting with several others on Second Life and education and hopefully presenting and moderating discussion in the Second Life lounge at the conference.
This is a huge conference for K-12 and college level educators and other staff. ISTE is involved heavily in Second Life education. There will be several in world activities for those who cannot attend in San Antonio.

Second Life for Education conference at Seattle Central Community College, May 29

2008-05-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Was to meet everyone at Seattle Central Community College. Would add these additional comments.

New Accounts in Second Life It is easier for students and other faculty to create an account at this New Media Consortium link (than the SecondLife.com one): http://sl.nmc.org/join NMC is a very large consortium of educational institutions.
Creating multiple accounts from one address, including educational institutions The people at Second Life recommend that you send them dates that you will be trying to create new accounts, but give them at least two weeks notice. If you do not do this, only a few accounts can be created and all others will fail.
SLED, Second Life listserv for educators This is a very extensive and valuable list. There is also a very large archive.

Centralia Island Besides visiting Evergreen Island and other locations in Second Life, be sure to stop by my class stuff at this location. Many of the units are in the sky also. This link is a slurl, so when you click on Teleport Now, a map will pop in Second Life, where you click on Teleport.
The Shelter This is a place where newbies or noobies come to and get help from volunteers on moving, talking, dressing, dancing, etc. There are also freebies there. I send all my students there so that orientation is fun.
Tutorials There are many tutorials at this Second Life.com link. I particularly like the videos on Camera-ing and Building from the Noob-Be-Gone series at Natural Selection.

Do not hesitate to call, email, or IM me in Second Life if you have questions.

Thanks,
John, aka SL JS Vavoom

Games for Health Conference in Baltimore

2008-05-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ben Sawyer for planning the Games for Health Annual Conference 2008 (Serious Game Initiative from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars) and inviting me to come to present. I saw so many facinating presentations and met some very interesting people. Here are but a few:

1. Play2Train, disaster training in Second Life, sponsored by the Idaho Bio-terrorism Awareness and Preparedness Program (IBAPP): video. I am already doing some collaboration with Rameshsharma Ramloll, Professor at the ISU Institute of Rural Health with Idaho State University and the founder of this group.

2. Whyville, a virtual world for kids, was discussed by Dr. James Bower, Professor of Computational Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

3. Virtual Heroes and George Washington University's NEMSPI initiative (by a grant from Department of Homeland Security) for emergency medical services training was shown. Look at this link for a video.

4. Bart Bartlett, with Forterra , a company that builds simulations and virtual worlds, discussed some products they have developed for medical training.

5. Another project is the PULSE project from Texas A&M, Corpus Christi and the Office of Naval Research.

6. Fold It, a protein folding game to help develop drugs from University of Washington (Zoran Popovic, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering): FoldIt article.

7. Dr. Richard Satava, University of Washington Professor of Surgery, showed demise of the scrub nurse. See the related video . He also did a keynote on the future of medical training and surgery.

8. Many large hospital corporations and foundations were there too, supporting video games that taught preventative health and kept people physically active during them, as well as doing rehab with patients: Kaiser, Humana, Robert Woods Johnson, and others.

Simulation and Teaching in Second Life

2008-05-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Sue Ford for being there in real life, despite the issues with getting Second Life up at Renton Vocational and Technical College, on May 7 :)

The presentation slides are on SlideShare at: http://www.slideshare.net/jsvavoom/best-practices-renton-conf-may-7-2008
A few posts below is the link you saw in the presentation.

Let me know if you have any questions or wish to collaborate :)

I would be happy to meet you in Second Life, my avatar is JS Vavoom. My cell is 253.820.7115 and email jmiller@tacomacc.edu .

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Virtual Worlds for Education & Training of Health Professionals

2008-05-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Just presented on May 7th in Baltimore at the Games for Health, part of the Serious Games initiative, sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. The presentation slides are on SlideShare at: http://www.slideshare.net/jsvavoom/games-for-health-conf-baltimore/
A video of what I presented is at an earlier blog here.

Let me know if you have any questions or wish to collaborate. Really enjoyed speaking on this topic :)
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New Media Consortium, NMC, Second Life and Account

2008-05-02T23:50:00.000-07:00

Go to this web page to get a Second Life account: http://sl.nmc.org/create.php

If you already have an account, go this NMC orientation location in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/NMC%20Orientation/69/107/32/

The Shelter is a nice place to orient too with lots of people to help: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isabel/75/230/81

Pac NW Teaching Learning Conference presentation

2008-05-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

With Geoff Cain am presenting at this Spokane WA conference. Here is a link to the presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/jsvavoom/simulation-and-teaching-in-second-life

Virtual Worlds and Web Learning

2008-04-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

Went to an interesting presentation/discussion today with Dr. Tony O'Driscoll, former Lead Learning Strategist with IBM, now a professor at North Carolina State. His blog is at http://wadatripp.wordpress.com/.

Several things to consider about learning, which platforms, since each has advantages.

The meeting was hosted by Anders Wildcat avatar of the Grondstedt Group in Second Life at this SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wolpertinger/173/87/51
Different speakers come each week at 9:00a PDT. Announcements can be received by joining the Second Life group Train for Success.

Art of Technology Conference, Tacoma, March 7, 2008

2008-03-07T16:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who attended the presentation today, here is some more information on things we did not get to cover.
Tour -each has a link to the place in Second Life. Also, Google each name for videos on the web and other information.
• Genome island, Texas Wesleyan University course on genetics
• Reproductive physiology, Ohio State University
• Second Health, UK's National Health Service
• Ann Myers Medical Center, Johns Hopkins health professionals and others, located on BC's Sprott Shaw Community College
• NESIM, Emergency Department, Tacoma Community College; Centralia island-email for access.
• Exploratorium; NOAA; Svarga (an ecosystem)
• Support groups: Traumatic Brain Injury, Wheelies (impaired mobility), Support for Healing (mental health)
• Renaissance Island (Globe Theatre)
•Evergreen Island (Washington State focus)

Community Colleges in Second Life group and center, CCSL

•Training to teach in Second Life, Boise State University on EduTech island

Web 2.0, Sarah Robbins

2008-02-26T23:59:00.000-08:00

Excellent presentation on Web 2.0, Second Life and education is at this link by Sarah Robbins, aka in Second Life: http://hosted.mediasite.com/flash/ELI/VirtualWorldsasWeb2.0LearningSpaces/

Health Care Meeting in Tacoma

2008-02-12T08:07:00.001-08:00

Besides the American Nurses Association president, who introduced Senator Hillary Clinton, several other dignataries were present including Senator Maria Cantwell, Congressman Jay Inslee, Governor Gary Locke, and a general. Several local TV stations have the full speech including King5: http://www.king5.com/video/index.html?nvid=216293&shu=1
Please note this is a large video and will take a while to load and be viewed.

Virtual Nursing Education, Second Life, videos

2008-02-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

My channel: http://www.youtube.com/jsmillerRN

Video part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjLDe-ca-sw

Video part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8sp69B0xLY

Video part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9II12Mztffg

HEALTH CARE TOWN HALL with Hillary Clinton

2008-02-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 8 beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the University of Puget Sound Field House, North 11th and Union in Tacoma. The actual event begins at 10:15 and ends at Noon.

Health Care Debate on TV

2008-01-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

See this link for details and replays on the CNN's Broken Government/Healthcare series: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/news/broken.government

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Online Learning in US News and World Report

2008-01-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

A recent US News and World Report issue focused on online learning.
New Answers for E-Learning:
Wikis and avatars are improving the educational experience ""My pet peeve is professors who just paste PowerPoint slides, a textbook assignment, and a quiz into a course shell in Blackboard" and think they've created a good online course, says Darcy Hardy, who heads the University of Texas's TeleCampus." http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/e-learning/2008/01/10/new-answers-for-e-learning.html?PageNr=1
It lists several colleges involved with online degrees, as well as transfer considerations.
There is also a brief article on Second Life in the same issue, A Second Life for Higher Ed: A virtual world offers new opportunities for teaching, http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/e-learning/2008/01/10/a-second-life-for-higher-ed.html
It is interesting that Peter Ludlow, a professor at the University of Toronto, seems to be not aware of ways to sense emotion in Second Life, including Sloodles classroom HUD, the use of voice, and more interactive teaching approaches, which might lessen the need to look at the avatar's eyes or whatever. It is also interesting that if this same teacher is in a class of 30 or more students at one time, sensing all the students emotions would be impossible to do. Online learning and good learning should focus on active particiopation, not just receiving the lecture and asking an occasional question. I use a combination of a physical classroom and online methods, which work well together.

Presentation to University of Texas, Austin, Nursing Faculty

2008-01-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

On January 10, I had the pleasure of showing in Second Life some of my virtual teaching strategies to nursing faculty and graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin. We went to the VESIM area and looked at the NESIM simulator, as well as to Centralia island, which unfortunately is not open to the public. If you wish to look at Centralia, send me an IM in world (Second Life) or email me.

Presentations on Nursing Education

2008-01-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

Over the last several weeks, I and others in Second Life, have presented on nursing education virtually at these real life places:

Pulaski Technical College, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
Sprott Shaw Community College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Western Wyoming Community College, Rock Springs, Wyoming, USA
Childrens Hospital of Chicago, Illinois, USA

Nursing Education, Waiting for Research

2007-12-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

Well, as far as education is concerned, the face to face approach to medical and other education does not have research completely supportive it, as far as the advantages of whiteboards, lecture, plain PowerPoints, essay, multiple choice testing, etc, but we still use it, lol. This system is basically just grandfathered in and accepted because it is what has been done. I have been teaching in nursing education for about 25 years and an RN for 31 years. Health care has certainly changed and changes very frequently, why not education? On a greater scale, society has changed and why should not education in general?

We recently moved towards mannequin simulators, which has some data but waiting for all of it to surface and prove its benefit, is causing a huge delay in implementing a system that is far superior to the above traditional approach. Why?- not because the data was there completely to support but because it works. Talk to students, look in their eyes when simulations are used, either with mannequin or Second Life sims. Look at students when in the hospital situation, they have an unpredicted situation occur, they draw on what was practiced in sims. More commonly, the students never experience a high acuity, low frequency situation, such as an acute myocardial infarction in hospital training, but the sims help prepare them for the day that they are working as a graduate and suddenly encounter an MI.

Certainly multiple learning styles need to be used in teaching now, and should have been always in the past, including text, graphics, video, auditory, simulation, and others. We have using sims in nursing for all the time I have been teaching, it is called lab. Nothing is different, except that the sims have more technology, but so does the world.

The education I am talking about in Second Life is a small investment, that does not require million dollar contracts or huge disruptions in other existing systems, but can be successfully implemented with 20k usd or so, including some training of faculty and students, scripted objects, land and other furnishings (vesim.org). This is exclusive of classroom, hardware or web requirements needed for teaching students using Second Life on the RL campus.

A Second Life approach still needs to used with a content delivery system, such as Blackboard, Moodle, Angel, etc. PowerPoints or other presentations need to have highly interactive components, not just text and few pics. Simple games like crosswords, Jeopardy, hangman, etc. can be used to increase some interactivity. Face to face in RL is desirable, through mannequin sims in RL labs and certainly hospital and other settings in the health care system. Discussion boards, wikis, blogs, and other ways of communicating are essential. While some of these can be implemented in Second Life, their use there is not always the best choice, as other systems of delivery, like just the web, are superior.

The problem with research on online teaching and even simulation, is that the teaching can be quite variable between instructors, and so you can be looking at an apple and orange comparison.

I try to teach using the best methods available to me at any given moment. I do not have to do any research fojavascript:void(0)
Publish Postr my continued employment and therefore have a larger contact with all my students. I teach all of my classes, no TAs, although that would be nice.

More Second Life and MUVE graduate courses

2007-12-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

As I end my semester at Boise State University next week, here is some information on other upcoming Second Life Courses:

The Dept. of Educational Technology at BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY is pleased to offer two 15 week, 3 credit, graduate courses in Second Life for Spring 2008 semester. Starting January 22.

***************************
· EDTECH 597: Teaching & Learning in Second Life
Instructors: Dr. Mauri Collins (UNLV) & Ann Jeffery (Univ. of Southampton)

· EDTECH 597: Educational Games & Simulations

Instructor: Dr. David Gibson, co-editor of Gibson, Aldrich, Prensky (2007). Games & simulations in online learning: Research and development frameworks.
***************************
Section # 4173
Class# 15631
3 credits
Course fees: $1,044 regardless of location

Instructors: Dr. Mauri Collins & Ann Jeffery
Internet course, requires weekly attendance at live synchronous session on TH 12:00-2:00 PT.

Sample Syllabus: http://lisadawley.googlepages.com/597SLsyllabus.htm

Register at http://edtech.boisestate.edu or contact Jerry Foster at jfoster@boisestate.edu, 208-426-1966 to assist you with questions and/or admissions. Can be taken as a non-degree seeking student.

Description: This course explores the use of virtual worlds, primarily Second Life, for teaching and learning. Weekly meetings are required in Second Life on EDTECH island. Participants will analyze and identify emerging research, as well as tools, methods, environments, content resources, and various available assessments for virtual world teaching. This is a hands-on, project-based class where participants will have opportunities to design, facilitate, and evaluate instruction in Second Life. Course assignments are customized to participants' individual work contexts.

Headset required. Voice enabled.

It is recommended that participants have at least 10-20 hours of prior participation in Second Life before the course begins.

Prerequisite skills include:
* Use of camera controls
* Ability to fly, walk, and teleport
* Knowledge of communication tools (IM and chat)
* Basic building skills (create prims, add textures and content)
* Basic inventory management (can find items, wear clothing, make a notecard)

***************
EDTECH 597: Educational Games & Simulations
Section #4172
Class# 13420
3 credits
Course fees: $1,044 regardless of location
Instructor: Dr. David Gibson
Internet course, requires attendance at several live synchronous sessions on M 3:00-4:30 PT.

Sample Syllabus: http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/597gaming/syllabus.htm

Register at http://edtech.boisestate.edu or contact Jerry Foster at jfoster@boisestate.edu, 208-426-1966 to assist you with questions and/or admissions. Can be taken as a non-degree seeking student.

Description: This course uses a hands-on approach to explore the theories of educational games and simulations, and the practical aspects of designing, implementing, and evaluating virtual games and simulations for teaching and learning. Participants will explore the foundational, social, and cultural implications of these new media. Gaming is required.

Headset required. Voice enabled.

It is recommended that participants have at least 10-20 hours of prior participation in Second Life before the course begins.

More comments on Nashville conference

2007-12-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

Muve Forward blog:
http://muveforward.blogspot.com/2007/11/nursing-education-in-second-life.html

New World Notes:
http://nwn.blogs.com/

PixelRN:
http://www.pixelrn.com/2007/11/second-life-used-in-nursing-school.html

Vanderbilt U podcast:
http://blogs.vanderbilt.edu/s4theb/

I-Health Beat:
http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2007/11/27/Nursing-Students-Train-for-ED-Environment-in-Virtual-Online-World.aspx

See the above links.

Web GIS in practice V: 3-D interactive and real-time mapping in Second Life

2007-11-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/6/1/51
Full article pdf version is at this link: http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/pdf/1476-072X-6-51.pdf
Goto the web links for more.

10 Challenges & Solutions to Teaching in Second Life

2007-11-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to some things compiled by the class in my Boise State University online course for teaching in Second Life: http://lisadawley.googlepages.com/challengesolutionBSU.htm

Just go to the link.

ED Sim info

2007-11-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

VESIM, formerly NESIM, official website: http://vesim.org/

This site will have info about any refinements in the sim that you may have seen used for the nursing classes.

Seattle Central Community College today

2007-11-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

Had the pleasure of doing a short Second Life presentation at Seattle Central Community College today, along with enormous help from a student with the avatar name, BayBay.

Looked at SL generally and more specifically on nursing applications in SL. Some stayed on and played in SL for a bit, getting more comfortable with the user interface. Numerous ideas about teaching projects in other fields were discussed.

Tacoma Tribune story on nursing simulations in Second Life

2007-11-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

A story was published this morning on nursing simulations using Second Life at Tacoma Community College: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/213087.html

See the Tribune link for the story: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/213087.html

PowerPoint on Presentation at CIT in Nashville

2007-11-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a PowerPoint of the presentation: http://www.tacomacc.edu/HOME/jmiller/sl/CIT07.htm

Notes are at this link: http://www.tacomacc.edu/HOME/jmiller/sl/UsingSecondLifeToTrainNursingStudents.rtf

Using Second Life’s 3D Online World to Train Online Students

Conference on Information Technology, Nashville, 2007

John Miller RN, MN
Nursing Department Faculty, Tacoma Community College

Music in Second Life

Live music for today’s presentation
Musician: Komuso Tokugawa

Blues
Biofeedback
blog: http://www.sonicviz.com/music/members/6/

Presenters in RL (real life)

· John Miller RN, MN

o Instructor of nursing, Tacoma Community College, Tacoma, WA

o Second Life: JS Vavoom; jmiller@tacomacc.edu; jsvavoom@gmail.com; Skype: jsvavoom; cell 253.820.7115; del.icio.us: jsvavoom; blog: http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/jmiller/index.htm

· Geoff Cain MS

o Grant projects co-director, instructional designer, instructor of English, Tacoma Community College (SL Dante Abrusto)

· Andy Duckworth BA

o Distance learning coordinator, Tacoma Community College

Presenters in SL (Second Life)

David Bodily BSN, RN, NESIM builder

Instructor of nursing, Western Wyoming Community College (SL - markin Pau), builder of NESIM ED simulator

Cathy Walker, Event Coordinator

Educational Technology and Network Admin, St. Vincent de Paul

Session Description
· Live patient simulations were created and role played to cause RN student teams to critically think by selecting the correct interventions.

· The project was developed as part of a multi-college grant, with scripting and animation expertise provided directly from people in Second Life.

· This presentation is also being held in Second Life at the same time with live activities.

· Participant outcomes

o Learn about SL.

o Learn how to use SL for education.

o Learn how to use simulators for interactive education.

o Learn how to train in medical fields in SL.

o Become aware of the educational training possibilities in 3D worlds in the medical and other business areas.

o Compare learning in real life lab and medical setting to that in virtual worlds.

o Recognize some advantages of interactivity in 3D virtual worlds.

o Apply some of these ideas in their own areas of teaching.

o Consider building or teaching techniques that can further enhance 3D learning.

About Second Life

· Communication

o Text, voice, real time, group, IM, chat, events

· Collaboration

o Multicultural, multilingual, multinational, SL communities, support groups

· Creativity

o Build, animate, sell, give away 3D objects

Project Overview

· Two 10K state grants

o Teach in SL

o Existing resources in SL

o Create new resources in SL

o Develop training materials for teachers and students

Course Structure

· Second year RN nursing program, acute medical-surgical emphasis, heart-lungs-brain-kidneys-liver stuff

· Theory course: 50% online

· Articulate PPT lectures, blogging, discussion board, patient cases, games

· Face to face for discussions, viewing video case clips, in computer lab/classroom

· SL component 10% of total course, or less

· Four mannequin high fidelity human patient simulators (Laerdal, METI).

· Three sims per student group are performed, including chest pain and dysrhythmia scenarios.

· Laerdal IV simulator

· Laerdal MicroSim computer simulation software on chest pain

SL Education Training

· Graduate course from Boise State University, Lisa Dawley, EdTech 597: Teaching in Second Life

o All classes are in SL, discussion and documents are in Blackboard

o http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/web/

o http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/597gaming/syllabus.htm

· Free SL classes on scripting and building

o In SL: Search>Events>Education

· Months in SL

ED Simulator Building

Contracted building group
Based on ideas from high fidelity human patient simulators

METI: http://meti.com/products_ps_hps.htm
Laerdal: http://www.laerdal.com/document.asp?docid=1022609

SL activities for the course

Orientation

All 54 students were new to SL.

Field trips
Theory classes in SL at college owned island

Display of images, with questions
Learn to walk, move objects, communicate, etc.

Group simulations at the ED simulator build

Orientation of new students -Newbies or Noobs

· The Shelter in SL, place where newbies get help and learn.

· Class activities in computer lab, with less computer phobic students as initial leaders.

· Free stuff to learn with: clothes, animations, hair, skins, etc.

· Orientation note cards with key concepts

· YouTube and other videos about SL

Field Trips

· Groups of 3-4 students

o Visit medical place from a list, photo of group in SL, blog at http://nurs211f07.blogspot.com/

Theory classes in SL

· Temporary structure at college owned island, few buildings, mostly open space, sandbox like.

· Viewed images, with questions to answer.

· Learn to walk, move objects, communicate, play.

ED simulator activities

· Each group of four students performed a chest pain simulation with different dysrhythmias

· Each sim lasted about 15 minutes.

· Performed in a computer lab classroom with a computer projector.

· Debriefed with the entire class after all simulations were completed.

· Students can return and practice with another student using the instructor HUD.

ED simulator build

· NESIM, on a private island

· ED room and other hospital rooms

· Based somewhat on advanced cardiac life support guidelines

· For training in decision making regarding assessments, treatments, transfer of patients

· Not for skill checkoffs, such as performing all the steps in starting an IV.

· Instructor and student HUD controlled

ED Simulator equipment

· Stretcher

· Oxygen

· EKG, BP, breathing rate

· IV, IV pumps

· Medications

· CPR

· Defibrillator

· Heart and lung sound assessment

· Pain assessment

· Documentation

Results

· Students were engaged, having fun, and learning.

· Frustration at times for the user interface of SL, not as much with the ED simulator.

· Enjoyed the play activities.

Future

Revise ED simulator

More automated
More functionality

Include more training in SL and less in Blackboard

o More 3D objects in the SL classroom sandbox

o 3D Pathophysiology

Students at the conference in Nashville

2007-11-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Two RN program nursing students in my courses were virtually present through Second Life virtual world at the real life Nashville Conference on Information Technology, League for Innovation in the Community College.

They did fantastic! They really stole the show:

pics of them: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daneelariantho/2006067440/in/photostream/

Type rest of the post here

Thanks to this SL and RL friend at the conference

2007-11-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

Scott Merrick: http://scottmerrick.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/optomystic/2034142909/in/photostream/

http://scottsecondlife.blogspot.com/2007/11/video-from-nesim-at-cit-07-and-in.html

Met minutes before the presentation, knew briefly in SL, a few days. Thanks so much for the SL expertise, podcasting, etc.

Conference on Information Tecnology

2007-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Becky and Marisa, fantastic performance! Geoff Cain brought the education focus and Andy Duckworth helped with the sound. Special thanks to Cathy Walker

Chronical of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/2541/to-save-a-second-life

Article from Daneel Ariantho’s laboratory:
http://daneelariantho.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/emergencynursing-education-simulator/

Pictures from rosefirerising: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/2037587411/

Pictures from testdriverone: http://www.flickr.com/photos/slml/1991185310/

Education Spree blog: http://education-spree.blogspot.com/2007/11/sled-nursing-ed-sim-event-follow-up-and.html

Ann Myers Medical Center in SL blog: http://ammc.wordpress.com/

Using Second Life's 3D Online World to Train Online Students - RL and SL Presentation

2007-11-13T17:37:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 12, 2007, 1:15pm SLT
Instructional designers and faculty in any educational program will benefit from this presentation. Included in this presentation is the unveiling of an innovative emergency/nursing education simulator (NESIM). Live patient simulations will be created and role played while RN student teams use the NESIM simulator to apply critical thinking skills and interventions.

1. Learn about SL
2. Learn how to use SL for education
3. Learn how to use simulators for interactive education
4. Learn how to develop basic simulation strategies and incorporate them into existing courses
5. Learn how to train in medical fields in SL

RL Time & Location - Conference on Information Technology, Nashville, TN Rock and Roll Room, Renaissance Hotel, 3:15pm CST, Monday, November 12, 2007 http://www.league.org/league/partners/confer_profile.htm#cit

SL Time & Location - ISTE Auditorium http://slurl.com/secondlife/ISTE%20Island/207/51/23 1:15pm SLT, Monday, November 12, 2007. Be prompt. This is a multi-location presentation in SL. The presentation will begin and end at ISTE Auditorium.

SL Event Information and Instructions

* Join the group, CIT '07 SL Nursing Ed Sim, before the conference. The presentation will be in voice, in group mode using this group. Please go to Preferences, Voice Chat, put a check in the boxes Enable voice chat and Start Viewer in Push-to-Talk mode. Please make sure that Push-to-Talk in toggle mode is not checked. This will eliminate sounds from your rl on the listening end. Please only press to speak, Push-to-Talk trigger) if specifically invited to by the moderator, padlurowncanoe Dibou.
* A landmark to NESIM will be sent out in a group notice. NESIM is usually "access list only" but will be open during the presentation.
* Please IM text the moderator, padlurowncanoe Dibou, with questions during the presentation. She will forward them to the appropriate presenter. Any questions not addressed during the Q&A, will receive a personal response, post-presentation.
* Direct pre and post event questions to padlurowncanoe Dibou by IM, notecard, or email, padln@hotmail.com
* Direct NESIM pre and post event inquiries to JS Vavoom by notecard or email, jsvavoom@gmail.com

SL and RL Event Outline

* Live SL Musician, Komuso Tokugawa, will entertain with a few songs as attendees arrive, attain notecards, and set up group and SL voice preference for the event. The RL event will observe and listen on the big screen as RL presenters greet, pass out materials, and provide an overview of SL.
* Opening Remarks - padlurowncanoe Dibou (Cathy Walker)
* NESIM Project overview - JS Vavoom (John Miller) and Dante Abrusto (Jeff Cain)
* NESIM simulator description - JS Vavoom (John Miller) and markin Pau (David Bodily)
* Go to NESIM for live demo with Tacoma Community College RN students.
* Q&A at NESIM -- text moderator, padlurowncanoe Dibou, with questions.
* Return to ISTE. Results and future SL education plans - JS, markin, and Dante (John, David, and Jeff)
* Q&A at ISTE -- text moderator, padlurowncanoe Dibou, with questions.

Presenters

* John Miller MN, BSN, ADN, RN, instructor of nursing, Tacoma Community College (SL - JS Vavoom)
* David Bodily BSN, RN, instructor of nursing, Western Wyoming Community College (SL - markin Pau)
* Geoff Cain MS, instructional designer, Tacoma Community College (SL Dante Abrusto)

RN Students
* Rebecca Bean, RN nursing student, Tacoma Community College (SL - 2B Schmooz)

* Marisa Aslanian, RN nursing student, Tacoma Community College (SL - BayBay Bedrosian)

*

A Special Thanks To

*
Andy Duckworth, BA, distance learning coordinator, Tacoma Community College

Event Coordinator

*
Cathy Walker, Educational Technology and Network Admin, St. Vincent de Paul (SL - padlurowncanoe Dibou)

Second Life Resources, a small sample

2007-11-13T17:35:00.001-08:00

Google the following phrases with the words “Second Life” or search for them within the Second Life world:

1. Education groups and SL sites:
a. SLED
b. SLED Health
c. Sloodle
d. ISTE
e. EdTech
f. Boise State University
g. Sprott Shaw Community College
h. New Media Consortium
i. Educators co-op
j. SimTeach
k. Global Kids
l. Numerous other colleges and universities

2. Medical groups and SL sites:
a. Ann Myers Medical Center
b. Play2Train
c. Support for Healing
d. Second Health
e. Virtual Hallucinations
f. Heart Murmur
g. Survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI)
h. American Cancer Society

3. Fun and Educational SL sites
a. The Shelter
b. NOAA
c. Svarga
d. SpacePort Alpha
e. Second Life libraries
f. SciLands
g. Avilion
h. Genome island
i. Nanotechnology island
j. Spaceflight museum
k. JPL
l. CSI New York
m. Thursday’s Fiction
n. Dante’s Inferno

Using Second Life’s 3D Online World to Train Online Students

2007-11-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

PowerPoint notes for my November 12th CIT conference in Nashville, TN and in world in Second Life. Please complete this survey if you attended in world, Nashville, or are just reading the notes for the first time here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JwCpYTJMJ5bP9cVxJ0Weag_3d_3d

Conference on Information Technology, Nashville, 2007
John Miller RN, MN
Nursing Department Faculty
Tacoma Community College

Music in Second Life
Live music for today’s presentation
Musician: Komuso Tokugawa
Blues
Biofeedback
blog: http://www.sonicviz.com/music/members/6/

Presenters in RL (real life)
John Miller RN, MN
Instructor of nursing, Tacoma Community College, Tacoma, WA
Second Life: JS Vavoom; jmiller@tacomacc.edu; jsvavoom@gmail.com; Skype: jsvavoom; cell 253.820.7115; del.icio.us: jsvavoom; blog: http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/jmiller/index.htm
Geoff Cain MS
Grant projects co-director, instructional designer, instructor of English, Tacoma Community College (SL Dante Abrusto)
Andy Duckworth BA
Distance learning coordinator, Tacoma Community College

Presenters in SL (Second Life)
David Bodily BSN, RN, NESIM builder
Instructor of nursing, Western Wyoming Community College (SL - markin Pau), builder of NESIM ED simulator
Cathy Walker, Event Coordinator
Educational Technology and Network Admin, St. Vincent de Paul (SL - padlurowncanoe Dibou)

Session Description
Live patient simulations were created and role played to cause RN student teams to critically think by selecting the correct interventions.
The project was developed as part of a multi-college grant, with scripting and animation expertise provided directly from people in Second Life.
This presentation is also being held in Second Life at the same time with live activities.

Participant outcomes
Learn about SL.
Learn how to use SL for education.
Learn how to use simulators for interactive education.
Learn how to train in medical fields in SL.
Become aware of the educational training possibilities in 3D worlds in the medical and other business areas.
Compare learning in real life lab and medical setting to that in virtual worlds.
Recognize some advantages of interactivity in 3D virtual worlds.
Apply some of these ideas in their own areas of teaching.
Consider building or teaching techniques that can further enhance 3D learning.

About Second Life
Communication
Text, voice, real time, group, IM, chat, events
Collaboration
Multicultural, multilingual, multinational, SL communities, support groups
Creativity
Build, animate, sell, give away 3D objects

Project Overview
Two 10K state grants
Teach in SL
Existing resources in SL
Create new resources in SL
Develop training materials for teachers and students

Course Structure
Second year RN nursing program, acute medical-surgical emphasis, heart-lungs-brain-kidneys-liver stuff
Theory course: 50% online
Articulate PPT lectures, blogging, discussion board, patient cases, games
Face to face for discussions, viewing video case clips, in computer lab/classroom
SL component 10% of total course, or less
Four mannequin high fidelity human patient simulators (Laerdal, METI).
Three sims per student group are performed, including chest pain and dysrhythmia scenarios.
Laerdal IV simulator
Laerdal MicroSim computer simulation software on chest pain

SL Education Training
Graduate course from Boise State University, Lisa Dawley, EdTech 597: Teaching in Second Life
All classes are in SL, discussion and documents are in Blackboard
http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/web/
http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/597gaming/syllabus.htm
Free SL classes on scripting and building
In SL: Search>Events>Education
Months in SL

ED Simulator Building
Contracted building group
Based on ideas from high fidelity human patient simulators
METI: http://meti.com/products_ps_hps.htm
Laerdal: http://www.laerdal.com/document.asp?docid=1022609

SL activities for the course
Orientation
All 54 students were new to SL.
Field trips
Theory classes in SL at college owned island
Display of images, with questions
Learn to walk, move objects, communicate, etc.
Group simulations at the ED simulator build

Orientation of new students
Newbies or Noobs
The Shelter in SL, place where newbies get help and learn.
Class activities in computer lab, with less computer phobic students as initial leaders.
Free stuff to learn with: clothes, animations, hair, skins, etc.
Orientation note cards with key concepts
YouTube and other videos about SL

Field Trips
Groups of 3-4 students
Visit medical place from a list, photo of group in SL, blog at http://nurs211f07.blogspot.com/

Theory classes in SL
Temporary structure at college owned island, few buildings, mostly open space, sandbox like.
Viewed images, with questions to answer.
Learn to walk, move objects, communicate, play.

ED simulator activities
Each group of four students performed a chest pain simulation with different dysrhythmias
Each sim lasted about 15 minutes.
Performed in a computer lab classroom with a computer projector.
Debriefed with the entire class after all simulations were completed.
Students can return and practice with another student using the instructor HUD.

ED simulator build
NESIM, on a private island
ED room and other hospital rooms
Based somewhat on advanced cardiac life support guidelines
For training in decision making regarding assessments, treatments, transfer of patients
Not for skill checkoffs, such as performing all the steps in starting an IV.
Instructor and student HUD controlled

ED Simulator equipment
Stretcher
Oxygen
EKG, BP, breathing rate
IV, IV pumps
Medications
CPR
Defibrillator
Heart and lung sound assessment
Pain assessment
Documentation

Results
Students were engaged, having fun, and learning.
Frustration at times for the user interface of SL, not as much with the ED simulator.
Enjoyed the play activities.

Future
Revise ED simulator
More automated
More functionality
Include more training in SL and less in Blackboard
-More 3D objects in the SL classroom sandbox
-3D Pathophysiology

Traumatic Brain Injury Group in Second Life

2007-11-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

The following is a message from the TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury, group in SL. Search in groups and join for free if you want.

To kick off our new facility, I am inviting all to come and check out the upstairs outdoor area. I have placed 6 unusual games up there to expand and challenge our minds. Please take time to go up there and play them!( I will leave them thru the weekend). They are; "4 Knights", "Drum Sequencer", "Memory", "Peg Puzzle", "Slider", & "Towers of Hanoi". We will do different things as time progresses. Please come!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cies%20Island/191/53/27

Assessment in Nursing Education

2007-11-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

Formative assessment is the most useful assessment, as it gets the learner to refocus on resolving issues of inadequate performance. People learn by mistakes and hopefully those are small mistakes, not large ones. In the medical area, hopefully this is not on a real patient, as the consequences can be catastrophic.

Assessment using patient simulators in the lab as well as 3D patient simulators in Second Life can provide the feedback for students to hone their skills and decision making, without undesirable consequences. Students can experience low frequency high acuity situations, which they will not usually experience in the patients they see in the real medical clinical setting.
Much of traditional nursing assessment has been in the real medical setting, in which students are prevented from causing harm by closely monitoring medical staff and nursing instructors. This can be a hit and miss approach, with some scenarios coming dangerously close to an adverse outcome. Each state has licensing exams, which are summative, and use multiple question examination, as do most nursing courses.
The problem with this multiple choice format is that it does not assess much in the way of application of content, nor does it allow students to make errors and have learning occur because of them. This format is not very transferable to the real medical setting.
References: http://www.immersion.com/medical/benefits1.php ; http://www.medsim.org/what_medsim.asp
Blogged on http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/jmiller and on http://my.bloghud.com/jsvavoom

My Advising Blog

2007-11-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my Advising Blog:

http://tccadvisingjmiller.blogspot.com/

Minimizing Barriers to Educational Use of MUVEs

2007-10-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

College and K-12 funding can vary each year but the real value and adoption potential for education is in positive student feedback. Certainly MUVEs (multiuser virtual environments, such as Second Life) offer at least initially reduced start up costs by not needing brand new facilities in RL or expensive real world simulations. However, campuses will need to provide better than average computers, with reasonable graphics capabilities, as well as fast bandwidth to get the best results.

I am currently struggling with that issue in my orienting students in a face to face situation, which requires much time and can affect a budget in education. This is a most essential activity for learner so that they become moderately capable in using learning objects, use of cameras, moving and communicating. Another important hurdle to overcome is the complexity of the user interface of Second Life. OnRez just came out with a better browser for the CSI sims (http://www.onrez.com ). Extensive one on one training is needed especially for many adult learners, students and teachers alike, not too much different than it was with email’s introduction. They also benefit from face to face group activity, at least at the beginning. Many of the younger users at the college level quickly adapt to the environment, because of other social networking systems they are involved with outside of courses.
One interesting argument in favor of colleges and K-12 using MUVEs is the Webkinz, a phenomenon that along with other social networks for young kids, is becoming very popular (http://www.webkinz.com ). Student may have an expectation to learn using an online social network (SimpsonScarborough blog, http://www.simpsonscarborough.com/blog/2007/05/second_life_webkinz_and_the_future_of_vi.html). As students are exposed to positive learning experiences and the curriculum is sound, MUVEs will grow tremendously in education.

Rapid E Learning

2007-10-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

Rapid e learning is essential for many college programs because of limited time and funding. Creating more traditional elearning products are much more expensive, unless the topics are so general they can be used by more than one department or can be used for a long period of time, with few updates. However, given the nature of changing web links, online platforms and content, most traditional programs will outdate quickly, one way or another.

One complaint about educational institutions is that they change very slowly and are not responsive to the student’s needs or employer needs. Training for a specific career needs to be relevant to the current and future employment opportunities. Education in non-training courses also needs to have components which reflect some of the real world. These courses also need to be more applicable to the careers that the students will eventually choose.
Business changes occur fast, product life cycles of 12-18 months (Bersin). In past years, I have used programs like Toolbook to develop tutorials, which were very labor intensive. They often took several months to complete, whereas with more rapid elearning tools, such as Articulate, tutorials could be completed within days from PowerPoint presentations. The latter have outstood the test of time, being still valid years afterwards, with little revision needed. The PowerPoints used have an extensive number of weblinks. Many of these are links to the latest medical treatments and include animations and videos. Quiz games can be added in minutes to the PowerPoints. I have not found any inexpensive tools though, with Articulate Presenter Pro (educational version) costing around $500 a license. Camtasia is much less and is quite but requires more effort, which is also a cost. I am using it for recording tutorials about word processed documents, such as syllabi. Another way to teach is use live web conferencing, such as Elluminate. The cost of this product for a year is about $360 per user, including students. Although budgets are all tight, the real cost for faculty using elearning products are the cost of time for development and maintenance of the learning items.
With any educational product development for the classroom, analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation (ADDIE) (Kruse) need to be used, although sometimes very rapidly. Most teachers fear technology and its updating, only second to salary issues. Even if they use ADDIE, major barriers need to be overcome for them to devote time for development and implementation of new teaching methods. The use of simple and fast products is essential for any adoption by faculty. This is of course assuming that the faculty members have access to fast computers and online access.
References:
Making Rapid E- Learning Work, Josh Bersin, July 2005, http://www.clomedia.com/content/templates/clo_article.asp?articleid=1008&zoneid=62
Introduction to Instructional Design and the ADDIE Model, Kevin Kruse, April 2006, http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art2_1.htm

Online Education, Required or Optional

2007-10-16T22:24:00.001-07:00

I attended a national nursing meeting on the development of online associate degree nursing programs today. The conference was a phone one, which has definite disadvantages. While this delivery method may have helped those educators attending but who are still transitioning into online, it did little to role model technology uses in education. My involvement was further hindered by the lack of a budget to pay for the hour long phone call, so I first tried my cell, my main communication tool with all of my colleagues and students. When I could not figure out if it had a mute button, I suddenly realized my Skype account had calling out privileges to land lines, which worked perfectly.

From Dolores Fidishun’s Integrated Adult Learning Theory as We Teach with Technology, she refers to Knowles, Holton, and Swanson’s six assumptions of andragogy. In the nursing and other medical fields, the first assumption, The Learner Needs to Know, is well evident, for these are training courses for professions needing student graduates. Some reflection is used in the courses already, but more could be done. The learner’s self concept is not usually fostered towards a self directed learner, but rather as a dependent one. Most courses in traditional as well as in many online ones, provide the information, which is then internalized, and regurgitated, if not forgotten, on a multiple choice examination, both in the college programs and in the state licensing examination. Multiple ways of learning are usually provided and an almost exclusive emphasis is on the textbooks, rather than other educational sources, even in partially online courses. This is particularly a problem because the medical profession requires lifelong learning, most of which will be done in a independent format.

Little emphasis has been made about andragogy in nursing education. All of the educational structure seemed to be more pedagogical, following the less effective learning model of providing the information for the students to memorize, without experiencing it before they moved onto the lab and clinical. Using teaching resources like Eluminate, Articulate, blogging, games, web videos and animations, 3D online environments, text messaging, and clinical cases are not very common place in traditional or online nursing education.

Not much in nursing and medical education uses the next assumption, the role of the learner’s experience, to encourage reexamination of previous learning. Critical thinking requires that practitioners reexamine interventions based on the complex variables presented in each unique medical scenario on the job. Therefore it is imperative that learning occur with a more reflective and prioritizing manner. Through media and activities using the web and real patient cases, students can learn better in both the online and all face to face environments. At this meeting, a huge emphasis was placed on attrition and licensing rates, as compared with all face to face classes. The real test of whether online learning using current, complex situations not available in textbooks, should come from the medical facilities and employers themselves, as long as they are too entrenched in the old ways of teaching. Clearly, as the graduates move into practice in a job, reexamination comes quickly and can be very traumatic for the novice.

A strong argument can be made for all classes in the medical area needing to be at least partially online, with a heavy emphasis on the current state of the medical fields as well as real patient situations. Medications and treatments change frequently because much of medicine is not based on evidence, but rather it is just the way it has been done, and as new research comes forth, these assumptions are questioned. Equipment changes very fast and the manufacturers have detailed educational resources, which are extremely valuable, even with the negative of their corporative spins. The links to these changes need to be at front of any educational program, providing the real examples for students to analyze and react to.

posted by JS Vavoom on Avilion Mist using a blogHUD : [permalink]

HTML on a Prim in SL is coming

2007-10-08T22:26:00.001-07:00

http://taotakashi.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/html-on-a-prim-is-getting-ready-for-prime-time
AND
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Media_on_a_parcel

-Just caught this from SLED today. Linden is moving on this, but in small steps. HTML Flash, and new media types are some of the most essential improvements needed in SL, as they help keep the student immersed in their environment and add more functionality to the prims.

-For example, adding HTML to a medical treatment devices, can provide an explanation of the treatment and increase its interactivity, such as a medicine, with a link out to a drug information site, including ones with animations and videos, using media such as Flash and no longer limited to just QuickTime.

*First, Static prim, which I think means that the streaming you can get with media, will include HTML.
*Second, Adding a Second Stream Per Parcel of Land, so that you can have more than one at a time and a HUD to play the media.
*Third, Extending HTML to Other Users, and onto a Prim
*Last, html is on each prim.

Simulations, Games, and Holoprojection

2007-10-02T21:24:00.001-07:00

John Miller, aka JS Vavoom in SL

Although there are some medical sims in Second Life which are immersive, there are too few. In most medical training, including some in Second Life, too much time is spent on linear content, with more pedagogical emphasis than gaming and simulation. Much of the content exists as text on prims, which is not that much better than educational settings in the traditional classroom.
Imagine for a moment, flying through a 3D scan of someone’s brain or their arteries. Holographic technologies allow this, without even having a monitor in front of students. Each person in the classroom experiences their own personal, can almost touch, visual representation, which they can even fly inside. It is so difficult to describe this visual representation. Tears literally come to the eyes of experienced educators at what could be, but probably not in their lifetime.

An increased emphasis on simulation and even more on gaming experiences is needed in the medical areas. Although perfection is strived for in photorealism for medical virtual worlds, they become more real through our habituation or living in them. This is not to say that 3D Holograms technology is absent from the web’s future (http://www.3dh.net/pictures.htm , http://www.3dh.net/demos.htm ). But until this technology is incorporated more widely in environments, lower quality graphic representations need to be used. In some current contracts with builders, technical precision has been replaced with artists’ representations.
Gaming can be the catalyst for entertainment and enhanced learning in even the dullest of afternoon workshops, as well as courses. Competition, rewards, comedy and other elements can increase learning far beyond what is possible with traditional linear methods. Students are engaged quickly and for longer periods of time, with increased knowledge as almost a byproduct.
In education, if it is not fun or interesting, it is not worth learning and learning will not occur.

References:
Clark Aldrich's Six Criteria of Educational Simulations, LearningCircuits.org
Immersive Virtual Reality, Wikipedia
A Virtual Realist Primer to Virtual World Design, MHeim.com, Mikael Jakobsson

Blogged at http://my.bloghud.com/jsvavoom/ and http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/jmiller/
posted by JS Vavoom on EdTech using a blogHUD : [permalink]

Social tagging is an interesting learning technique.

2007-09-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

John Miller, BSU 597, Reflections, September 25, 2007

Social tagging is an interesting learning technique. Through categorization and displaying content, the information can be learned, through individual and group processes. It uses collaboration. In order to digest information, the learner must do some processing. Tagging and sharing the learning can facilitate the retention of the content because it is manipulated and reshaped, requiring the student to have a good grasp of the material and be able to apply it.
In medical professions, so many facts need to be recalled. It is through application that these can be remembered more easily. Going to a lab and performing skills can help with retention of the specific steps needed. Perhaps the use of social tagging can facilitate the recall of these steps too, through a social sharing of the different ways to perform the skills.

In the medical facilities, a similar need is evident. Interactions with patients, medical staff and families can be quite taxing to the knowledge base of the medical personnel themselves. One could try using a social tagging of research, anecdotal information, and feelings, to help the medical personnel better apply the knowledge they have acquired and provide a better outcome for the patients and families. Also in the patient education process, the use of a tagging structure can provide patients and families with different perspectives and formats for understanding the teaching that needs to be done before discharge and throughout the recovery process. A similar use can be for preventative health, helping reduce the incidence of debilitating and chronic diseases.

Jude Yew, Faison Gibson, Stephanie Teasley. Learning by Tagging: The Role of Social Tagging in Group Knowledge Formation, MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2006
Sloog, tagging the whole world, slog.org

Synchronous or Asynchronous Classes?

2007-09-18T23:44:00.001-07:00

Is not that helpful to use classrooms with synchronous activities in virtual worlds. (Using a Virtual World for Transferable Skills in Gaming Education, M. Hobbs, E. Brown, and M. Gordon. Virtual World Environments.) However, using synchronous activities where the student interacts in new situations using the skills that are sought after by employers, would be valuable in learning. From the teaching side, it can be a bit labor intensive, although small groups of students can help reduce the work and foster teamwork. The smaller groups can interact with the larger group through analysis and discussion of the findings.Using synchronous activities where avatars can play out certain behaviors and actions, rather than scripting the animations and action using computer code, is much easier technically as an initial step. For example, it is much easier and more effective for an avatar to say they have a particular problem, than to script it out in animations.

posted by JS Vavoom in SL

211 and 143 Courses

2007-09-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

There has been a delay in making these courses available on Blackboard. Sorry for the inconvenience. They should be ready late Tuesday afternoon.

Updated NURS 143 0599 Calendar

2007-09-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Blackboard opens sometime on Monday, September 17.

I added some possible Simulation Orientation times on Monday, the 24 and Tuesday, the 25th. You will need to signup for one in Blackboard.

Pharmacology II, online course

Link to Calendar (updated 9/14) ATI date was changed.
Link to Download syllabus. (updated 9/14) Make sure you get the syllabus with the ATI points mentioned.
PDF files, better than Adobe Acrobat: FoxIt free and light .pdf file reader

Updated Calendar and Syllabi

2007-09-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Blackboard opens on Monday, September 17.

I added some possible Simulation Orientation times on Monday, the 24 and Tuesday, the 25th. You will need to signup for one in Blackboard.

Nursing 211, advanced med-surg theory, three sections, hybrid online (instructor)

Fall 2007 Calendar: Google link(updated 9-14) ATI times have changed.
Link to syllabi (pdf version): 0604, 0605, 0606. (updated 9-14)

Make sure you get the syllabus with the ATI points mentioned.

Create an account and go through in world orientation: Second Life online world software

With Google calendar, you can have reminders sent out to your phone or email.
PDF files, better than Adobe Acrobat: FoxIt free and light .pdf file reader

Nursing 212, five sections, hybrid online (team leader)

Fall 2007 Calendar: Google link
Links to syllabi (pdf version): 0610, 0611, 0612, 0613, 0614

I just set up a way to blog from within Second Life to the web. Interesting :)

2007-09-12T23:31:00.001-07:00

posted by JS Vavoom on EdTech using a blogHUD : [permalink]

Registration for Classes, 4th Level Students

2007-09-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

Please register for classes now, as Blackboard will be available late on Monday, September 17.

Part time students: register for one section of 211 and one section of 241.
Full time students: register for the above plus one section of 212 (preassigned).

Second Health

2007-09-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

This a UK virtual medical center in Second Life. Several interesting videos are there.

Overview of site video

SLurl to site when logged into Second Life

Some thoughts on nursing and medical education

2007-09-11T23:08:00.000-07:00

SL education should be something that cannot be done in the real world. It should not simply be a duplication of the traditional classroom environment (How Not to Teach in Second Life, Milosun Czervik, 10-31-06).

In the area of medical training, high risk but low frequency medical problems can be assessed and treated, in a relatively safe environment. Mistakes can be learned from without harming anyone. The cost is lower than say, high fidelity patient simulators, which can average $100,000 and up for the equipment and physical setting alone. Many schools have one or share one, which when used in a large school, limits the number of exposures students can experience. These simulators have a limited amount of responses they can generate beyond physiologic measurements. In the virtual world, there is an unlimited variety of responses, although not tactile yet, in movement and physical interaction. Until robotics are used more in these patient simulators, they will fall far short of simulating a realistic interactive patient. And when that occurs, the costs will be even higher.

In some of my face to face teaching in a more traditional environment, I try to resist lecturing to the students. I do provide them with an asynchronous online Flash format of a narrated PowerPoint with links to videos, animations, and other graphics, as well as embed quizzes every few slides or so. I even take screenshots of the more graphic websites and put them in the PowerPoint with a hyperlink. Games such as Jeopardy and crosswords are used in the asynchronous environment, to further enhance their learning.

However, this all has limitations, especially the application to a more real life situation. In recent years, I have conducted classes only with videos of real or reenacted medical emergencies, and let the students respond and anticipate what they would do and how. This stimulates much discussion and interaction and encourages them to learn the facts first. The problem is that the quiet students do not participate in the discussion much.

However, using 3D interaction can certainly increase the learning because it used multiple learning styles , as well as high levels of learning. The real challenge, and one I am currently experiencing, is to create interactive 3D simulations for the learning outcomes. Second Life, even though its scripting and building are far easier than using many other computer programs, still has a steep learning curve to produce well thought out and stimulating exercises for students to interact with. Clearly there is a need in education to analyze the learning needs of the student and use appropriate ones (How Not to Teach in Second Life, Milosun Czervik, 10-31-06). Many of the simpler education tools do not address the more interactive style of learning and are mostly just 2D visually.

Virtual worlds need to be multi discipline and multi interest (Horizon Report, 1-23-07).

Should universities be closed, insulated from the greater Second Life? I do not think so. Training for a particular occupation does not just require knowledge of facts and their application in an isolated environment. Multitasking as well as interacting with colleagues and customers, are especially important things to learn. What goes on inside a workplace is clearly affected by what goes on outside, both personally and in a societal sense. Business is global, affected by many cultures and nationalities.

Distractions during the educational process can hinder learning. However, attention of students should be maintained while in open areas where different interests, abilities, and societies overlap.

JS Vavoom in SL, aka John Miller

Am Taking a Graduate Course on Teaching and Learning in Online Worlds

2007-09-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

I am enrolled in a graduate level course at Boise State University to learn how to teach and learn in online environments, such as Second Life.

All of the class is in Second Life, except some of the course documents and discussion are in their Blackboard.

The course lasts until December.

Here is a link to the professor's web page: http://edtech.boisestate.edu/ldawley/web/

NPR: Go Get a (Virtual) Life

2007-09-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sound recording from August 31, 2007: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14087749

NURS 143 Calendar

2007-09-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

Pharmacology II, online course

Link to Calendar
Link to Download syllabus.
PDF files, better than Adobe Acrobat: FoxIt free and light .pdf file reader

NURS 211 and 212 Calendar and Syllabi

2007-09-01T17:46:00.001-07:00

Nursing 211, advanced med-surg theory, three sections, hybrid online (instructor)

Fall 2007 Calendar: Google link(updated 9-6)
Link to syllabi (pdf version): 0604, 0605, 0606.
Create an account and go through in world orientation: Second Life online world software

With Google calendar, you can have reminders sent out to your phone or email.
PDF files, better than Adobe Acrobat: FoxIt free and light .pdf file reader

Nursing 212, five sections, hybrid online (team leader)

Fall 2007 Calendar: Google link
Links to syllabi (pdf version): 0610, 0611, 0612, 0613, 0614

Creating Medical Simulations in Second Life

2007-08-19T12:25:00.001-07:00

I am looking for scripters - animators to create medical scenarios in Second Life.

Prospective Nursing Students at TCC

2007-08-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Go to this link for more information: Nursing Department

Medical Simulations in Second Life

2007-08-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Medical Centers

Ann Myers Medical Center (Sprott-Shaw Community College)

This organization is comprised of medical professionals from around the world.
I am creating online 3D student learning experiences with patient avatars for my classes here.
Web blog: http://ammc.wordpress.com/
Sprott-Shaw Community College, British Columbia, Canada
In World Links (must be logged into Second Life):

Play2Train (University of Idaho)

· Medical Learning Tutorials

Virtual Hallucinations (UC Davis)

Video: tba
SLURL

Heart Murmurs

I am using this Second Life site in my nursing courses.
YouTube video
SLURL

· Government Sites

Center for Disease Control

Video:
SLURL

National Institute of Health

Video:
SLURL

· Medical Treatment

Support for Healing

This site is a support area for people with problems such as depression and other coping problems.
SLURL

Wheelies and Second Ability

SLURL

· Medical Libraries

Health Info Island

SLURL

Virtual Neurological Education Center

SLURL

· Other Non-Profits

American Cancer Society

SLURL

Alzheimer Society of Ontario

SLURL

· Medical entertainment

Wish Upon a Star Maternity Clinic

SLURL

Educational Simulations in Second Life

2007-08-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Second Life, online 3D world and simulation learning environment

What: I are creating simulations for our nursing program, allowing student teams to interact with real life patient problems to augment clinical experiences in medical facilities. Students are immersed into a patient situation and required to respond with real time assessments and interventions. Adverse outcomes occur if mistakes are made. A debriefing is held at the end of the scenario.

How: Download and install software after signing up (free) at http://secondlife.com .

Presentations: View this presentation on educational value of Second Life: Second Life, a 3D Online Role Playing Environment . You can also download a Zip file of the presentation.

Articles:

NPR (National Public Radio) article and audio recording: Go Get a Virtual Life (August 31, 2007)
Newsweek (July 30, 2007): Why Millions are Living Virtual Lives Online (includes video links)National League for Nursing: Nursing Education 2.0: Second Life, by Dr. Diane J. Skiba, University of Colorado, School of Nursing

Videos:

CBS Sunday Morning replay of a video on Second Life: CBS News Video - Top Stories and Video News Clips at CBSNews.com and search for the words "Second Life". Although this video link is in the presentation, it may not work properly all of the time.

Education in Second Life: Exploring the Possibilities

Ohio University in Second Life

New Media Consortium of Colleges and Universities

Colleges and Universities in Second Life Institutions and Organizations in Second Life

Simulation

2007-08-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Why use simulations in education?

EDUCAUSE and New Media Consortium's Horizon Report findings: Educational Gaming Questions - Horizon Project

MacArthur Foundation

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE):

Weblink
SLURL (link in Second Life)
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) presentation in Second Life by me on 7-09-2007. (notes without the photos)

My Fall Quarter Classes

2007-08-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Nursing 211, advanced med-surg theory, three sections, hybrid online (instructor)

Fall 2007 Calendar: html format for viewing, pdf format for printing

Nursing 212, five sections, hybrid online (team leader)

Fall 2007 Calendar: html format for viewing, pdf format for printing

Nursing 143, pharmacology II, one section, online (instructor)

More information on these courses is at these links:

Welcome to my webpage and blog :)

2007-08-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Topics:

nursing courses
prospective nursing students
faculty
high fidelity mannequin simulation
Second Life simulation
software
websites
music
videos