Higher Education and Emerging Technologies: Shifting Trends in Student Usage

This study serves as an update to a previous study by Sam Houston State University librarians about the use and preferences of Internet, communication, and educational technologies among students. Since the previous study was initiated in 2010, the iPad has made its debut and significantly altered the educational technology landscape. In this new landscape, this study investigates student usage of such technologies as instant messaging, cell phones, e-readers, social networking, RSS feeds, podcasts, and tablets. In addition, this study aims to determine which technologies students prefer the library to utilize for a variety of services, such as reference assistance or book renewals, and which technologies may not be worth the investment, such as geosocial networking. The information gained from this survey is intended to provide guidance for libraries looking to provide services utilizing the most popular technologies with the most efficient use of resources. Survey results show an increasing use and dependence on educational technologies and a desire for basic library services to be available on a variety of platforms and technologies.     

Development of a computer-assisted cranial nerve simulation from the visible human dataset

Advancements in technology and personal computing have allowed for the development of novel teaching modalities such as online web‐based modules. These modules are currently being incorporated into medical curricula and, in some paradigms, have been shown to be superior to classroom instruction. We believe that these modules have the potential of significantly enriching anatomy education by helping students better appreciate spatial relationships, especially in areas of the body with greater anatomical complexity. Our objective was to develop an online module designed to teach the anatomy and function of the cranial nerves. A three‐dimensional model of the skull, brainstem, and thalamus were reconstructed using data from the Visible Human Project and Amira®. The paths of the cranial nerves were overlaid onto this 3D reconstruction. Videos depicting these paths were then rendered using a “roller coaster‐styled” camera approach. Interactive elements adding textual information and user control were inserted into the video using Adobe Creative Suite® 4, and finally, the module was exported as an Adobe Flash movie to be viewable on Internet browsers. Fourteen Flash‐based modules were created in total. The primary user interface comprises a website encoded in HTML/CSS and contains links to each of the 14 Flash modules as well as a user tutorial. Anat Sci Educ 4: 92–97, 2011. © 2010 American Association of Anatomists.     

Impact of compulsory participation of medical students in a multiuser online game to learn radiological anatomy and radiological signs within the virtual world Second Life

Competitive game-based learning within Second Life enables effective teaching of basic radiological anatomy and radiological signs to medical students, with good acceptance and results when students participate voluntarily, but unknown in a compulsory context. The objectives of this study were to reproduce a competitive online game based on self-guided presentations and multiple-choice tests in a mandatory format, to evaluate its development and student perceptions compared to a voluntary edition in 2015 (N = 90). In 2016 and 2017, respectively, 191 and 182 third-year medical students participated in the game as a mandatory course activity. The mean (±SD) score of the game was 74.7% (±19.5%) in 2015, 71.2% (±21.5%) in 2016, and 67.5% (±21.5%) in 2017 (P < 0.01). Participants valued positively the organization and educational contents but found the virtual world less attractive and the game less interesting than in the voluntary edition. The experience globally was rated with 8.2 (±1.5), 7.8 (±1.5), and 7.1 (±1.7) mean points (±SD) in a ten-point scale, in the 2015, 2016, and 2017 editions, respectively (P < 0.05). Competitive learning games within virtual worlds like Second Life have great learning potential in radiology, but the mean score in the game decreased, acceptance of virtual world technology was lower, and opinion about the game was worse with a compulsory participation, and even worse when dropouts were not allowed. Under the conditions in which this study was conducted, learning games in three-dimensional virtual environments should be voluntary to maintain adequate motivation and engagement of medical students.