Simulation
So in my last few blogs I wrote about different kinds of teaching methods and compared them to traditional teaching. In this blog I will be talking about simulation based learning/training.
Simulation based learning is a form of e-learning and virtual learning that provides and creates a learning experience for individuals or groups by giving a learning experience combining the complexities of simulations with unlimited programmable and forever updating information. Generally this kind of approach towards learning is centred on the medical field and employment training. This form of teaching looks into the psychology of human errors. The introduction of a simulation in clinical teaching is a fantastic opportunity to learn. Learners are now able to confront their anxieties within a far safer environment. This of course has large volumes of evidence :
Lectures on the assessment of blood pressure were combined with real practical sessions and computerized patient simulators. A written examination to test for knowledge on this topic was administered to students before and after the blood pressure practical to assess the students knowledge and attitudes regarding the overall general process, (individual skills were assessed by the patient simulator). Results showed that 100% 95 students completed the study and showed significant improvements in subject knowledge and practical ability to determine blood pressure for virtual patients (Seybert, Batron, 2007). Results like this show clear benefits for practical knowledge and general knowledge of a subject.
In a very similar study (also blood pressure improvments) 102 students completed patient simulation sessions and 95 (93%) completed the written examinations and survey instruments. Students’ blood pressure measurement skills showed significant improvement after each practice session with the patient simulator. Results indicated that students had a positive attitude towards SBL even before they had any experience with this type of educational equipment, so students were confident that patient simulation would improve their ability to measure blood pressure and their opinion changed little after the sessions (Blum, Raemer, Carroll, Dufresne, Cooper, 2005). This shows that there is satisfaction in this kind of learning because you are not looking at pages all day getting really bored, your using very complicated equipment to truly understand a topic of interest in what is considered “a more fun way”.
Results of this study
Another study used third year students which underwent a learning course for 6 week period, to help understand the complexities of antiarrhythmic drugs and EEG. The purpose of this study was to view how effective a simulator was in helping the education of students. This study used 234 students that were randomly allocated into groups, group 1 received simulation training and basic information from lectures, group 2 received a life support manikin and extensive lectures. Results show that significant improvements were present in group 1 and considered better to link theory and practise together for a better understand (Mueller, Christ, Dobrev, 2005).
So as you can see the medical profession is covered in term of simulation based learning, but there are different kinds of simulations at do aid learning
- Part-task trainers are models used for repeated practice of the technical components of a clinical task. Examples include “arms” for practising intravenous methods, head and throat models to help in airway skills and synthetic skin pads for practising stitching on a person.
- Simulated patients, or a better term for them is actors, these are individuals trained to behave in an unwanted way to aid interactions inside a clinical settings (Kneebone, Arora, King, 2010). Specifically trained simulated patients are used in some medical schools so understand the psychology of a patient to introduce students to sensitive clinical tasks, such as conducting a breast examination or performing an examination in sensitive areas both physically and mentally (Robertson, Hegarty, O’Connor, Gunn, 2003).
- Computer-generated simulators are representations of tasks or environments used to aid learning. These may be as simple as a computer program to demonstrate the operation of a piece of equipment, or detailed virtual reality environments in which participants interact with virtual patients in clinical psychology and other areas of interest(Schmidt, Scerbo, Bliss, 2006).
- Hybrid simulators are a combination of previously stated techniques e.g. part task takers and simulated patients to help with learning e.g. model can be attached to a simulated patient so students can learn about associated communication skills and professional behaviours (Kneebone, Kidd, Nestel, 2002).
So there is a lot of information right there in how the medical field and their educational system inside that subject are helped by simulation based learning. But how does that help other areas?
Well to be honest, simulation based learning in my opinion generally only helps the hands on subject’s e.g. medical fields and clinical psychology. However as I was about to conclude but I found a program called simSchool, which offers simulation based learning for teachers. The program boosts that it can improve general teaching skills, generates a positive impact on the mastery of deeper learning capacities that comprise the readiness to teach and make a difference in a child’s life.
http://www.simschool.org/index
There seems to be no evidence to show this works so I would be interested to see what people think about this?
Seybert,. Barton. (2007) Simulation based learning to teach blood pressure assessment to doctors of pharmacy struents. Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
Mueller MP, Christ T, Dobrev D, et al. Teaching antiarrhythmic therapy and ecg in simulator-based interdisciplinary undergraduate medical education. Br J Anaesth. 2005;95:300–4
Blum RH, Raemer DB, Carroll JS, Dufresne RL, Cooper JB. A method for measuring the effectiveness of simulation-based team training for improving communication skills. Anesth Analg.2005;100:1375–80
Roberton K, Hegarty k, O’Connor V, Gunn J. Woman teaching womans health: issues in the establishment of a clinical teaching associate program for the well woman check. Womans health 2003; 37: 46-65
Kneebone R, Arora S, King D, et al. Distributed simulation-accessible immersive training. MedTeach 2010; 32: 65-70D. Distributed simulation-accessible immersive training
Schmidt EA, Scerbo MW, Bliss JP, et al. Surgical skill performance under combat conditions in a virtual environment. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 50th Annual Meeting 2006; 50: 2697-2701
Kneebone R, Kidd J, Nestel D, et al. An innovative model for teaching and learning clinical procedures. 2002; 36: 628-634
brettrowlatt 
The objective of Steadman et al. (2006) was to determine whether simulation-based learning (SBL) is superior to interactive problem-based learning (PBL) for teaching medical students acute care assessment and management skills. In support of your blog findings, the researchers concluded that SBL was superior to PBL for the acquisition of critical assessment and management skills. Van der Meij and de Jong (2006) also found that subjects in the SBL condition experienced their learning environment as easiest to work with. Those in the dynamic representations group (SBL) retained more information than those in the static representation condition. SBL is an effective tool for aiding learning in students, however it may not be the most cost effective, meaning that some communities may not have access to similar learning environments.
This is a type of learning that I had not ever furthered research around before, We all know about simulators but why is it not used more? I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that it only really applies itself to practical areas.
However, to me what this does highlight is that students feel that doing does allow to learn, and that it does yield good results. This links to all of the research showing that a more active classroom is good for learning. As Chickering and Gamson (1987) found, children do better if they can read, write, discuss, analyse and talk solve problems. So activities such as making models, and posters, and then seeing which are the best for the task at hand could be seen as educational simulation. A safe environment to test abilities and skills and immerse themselves in the task before entering the ‘real world’.
Woods (2004) also discussed the use of games in education as having simulation properties, that could be of potential social and cognitive benefit. However this area does need more research!
If it has been effective in one educational areas, then there is always potential for this to be adapted to others.
Chickering, Arthur W., and Zelda F. Gamson. March 1987. “Seven Principles for Good
Practice.” AAHE Bulletin 39: 3-7. ED 282 491. 6 pp. MF-01; PC-01.
Woods, S. (2004) Loading the Dice: The Challenge of Serious Videogames.
Game Studies, 4 (1). http://www.gamestudies.org/0401/woods/. Last accessed
15th March 2005.