Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences
Volume:14 Issue: 3, 2023 Sep

Given the rapid development of technologies, virtual community of practice (VCoP) has been employed across various fields, including education. In this context, it is essential to identify the utilization of virtual community of practice in medical education settings in China, particularly its effects on teaching methods and student learning. By understanding the effects of the virtual community of practice on college medical education, we can better evaluate the feasibility of introducing this technology to universities in economically disadvantaged areas. To this end, this study reviewed the literature to identify the potential benefits and challenges of implementing a virtual community of practice in the Chinese context and provide insights into how such an initiative can be effectively designed and implemented.

To identify the effects of the virtual community of practice on teaching and learning in Chinese medical education settings, we searched multiple databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and the University of Manchester Online Library. We focused on peer-reviewed English-language publications on virtual technology and medical education from 2013 to 2023. 

In Chinese medical education, traditional face-to-face teaching remains the primary instructional approach. This is understandable, considering that supplying a costly virtual community of practice to each student might be impractical, particularly for universities in economically disadvantaged areas. Nevertheless, the literature reviewed in this study suggests that if the virtual community of practice are employed appropriately, it can significantly enhance teaching by substantially reducing the budget required for constructing realistic medical scenarios.

To effectively promote the virtual community of practice for universities in economically disadvantaged areas, we advocated for establishing a dedicated medical education volunteer association as a form of the virtual community of practice to support medical education, which is enhanced by the virtual community of practice.

This study examined the unethical use of information technology among students in a Faith-based higher educational institution in Ghana. The choice of a Faith-based higher-level institution was based on the moral values and strict religious code of conduct inscribed in the culture of the university.  A cross-sectional primary data used for analysis was gathered from June to July 2021. The choice of a cross-sectional was to compare the perspectives of the gender, age groups, and economic levels among various students in the university. A structured questionnaire was provided online for students willing to participate in the study to complete and submit online. A sample size of 574 students answered the closed ended online questionnaire for data analysis. Gender and education level were used to assess the primary reasons for the unethical use of information technology by students. SPSS software version 21 was used for data analysis. Students who participated in the study were 239 males (42.5) and 324 females (57.5). Among some of the reasons for unethical behavior was easier access to information technology which enabled the students to engage in wrong activities (mean score 3.11, standard deviation 1.154). Students with financial support were less likely not to be involved in IT to perform well (mean score 3.00, standard deviation 1.169). The students working and studying at the same time had less time to study and resorted to unethical use of IT (mean score 3.26, standard deviation1.050).  This study recommends that universities should teach ethics of information technology as a stand-alone course, and that higher-level institutions should periodically present academic seminars on unethical use of information technology.

With the beginning of the 21st century, the necessity of transformation in education has become clear to everyone, and technology is the starting point of this transformation. The current research was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship of e-learning with the perception of a constructive environment with the mediating role of learner and teacher abilities in high schools of Kerman city.  This correlational study was performed using structural equation model between from 2021 to July 2020. The samples were 150 high school principals, experts, teachers, and students of Kerman city high schools in 2021 who were selected via convenience sampling. of these, 30 were experts and school teachers, and 120 subjects were high school students. The research tool was a 45-questions researcher-made questionnaire of the factors related to the enrichment of online education and a questionnaire of the perception of the constructivist learning environment based on the facts and Karsheki (2014). The face validity of the researcher-made questionnaire was confirmed based on the experts’ opinions, and the exploratory factor analysis confirmed the 4-factor structure of the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed based on the calculation of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was done using structural equation modeling method in AMOS software.  Using structural equation modeling, the relationship between family structure, educational system, learner ability, teacher ability, and perception of constructivist learning environment was investigated. The values of path coefficients and indirect effects showed that family structure with path coefficient (0.45) and educational system with path coefficient (0.18) indirectly influenced the perception of constructivist environment through the ability of the students. Also, the educational system with path coefficient (0.26) indirectly influenced the perception of constructivist environment through the teacher’s ability. The mean and standard deviation of the sample group’s scores in the variables of learner ability, teacher ability, and perception of constructivist learning environment were 27.39 and 4.10, 21.37 and 4.08, and 79.05 and 7.79, respectively. These variables included different dimensions that had a score range between 2 to 10, 2 to 4, and 10 to 50.  Designing and managing various processes of the online learning system, keeping in mind the empowerment of various dimensions related to this system, namely knowledge, learner, teacher, and family.

In the realm of healthcare, the symbiotic relationship between social networks and medical advancements has attracted significant attention. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness and safety of this approach, with a particular focus on the role of social networks in disseminating information and shaping patient experiences. In a prospective single-arm interventional study, we examined the effects of integrating social networks – Skype and WhatsApp – to enhance the safety and efficacy outcomes of low-dose Rituximab treatment for CNS Demyelinating Diseases. Patients eligible for treatment were recruited, and ethical consent was secured. The intervention involved informative Skype groups, led by medical experts, providing education and follow-up, and WhatsApp groups for peer support and question-answer sessions. Clinical data and interaction metrics were collected to evaluate treatment outcomes and engagement levels.  A total of 99 patients received rituximab, with 42 diagnosed with RRMS, 43 with SPMS, and 14 with NMOSD. The treatment period ranged from 12 to 40 months. Among the RRMS patients, 8 (19%) experienced new attacks, while 10 (23%) of the SPMS patients and 1 (7%) of the NMOSD patients had new attacks. In cases of RRMS and NMOSD, there was a decrease in EDSS scores. Additionally, SPMS and NMOSD patients showed a decrement in serum IgG levels. Two cases of drug adverse events were reported. Mean EDSS variability had a decrease in RRMS (-0.32, P=0.06) and NMOSD (-0.57, P=0.004) and had a slight increase among patients with SPMS (+0.19, P=0.23). Recognizing the impact of social networks can lead to improved patient care and tailored support systems.

Academic motivation is a fundamental aspect of learning that provides intensity and direction to a learner’s behavior. In recent years, the flipped classroom teaching method has gained popularity as a pedagogical approach that aims to enhance student learning outcomes and engagement. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of flipped Classroom Approach on elementary school students’ academic motivation and learning achievement.  An educational interventional study employing a pretest-posttest design was conducted with an intervention and a control group. The study enrolled sixty eligible students who were studying in two elementary schools from August to December 2021. They were randomly allocated to intervention (flipped classroom approach, n=30) and control (traditional method, n=30) groups. To measure academic motivation, we used the standardized questionnaire, the Harter Academic Motivation, which consists of 33 questions. Also, for measuring the learning achievement, we developed a 20-item multiple-choice questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS v 22.0. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was performed. P-value<0.05 was considered as the significance level.  The mean learning achievement and academic motivation scores in the intervention groups increased more than that the control group significantly (P<0.001). In contrast, in the control group, no significant changes were observed (P>0.05). Additionally, the outcomes demonstrated a significant increase in academic motivation scores among the flipped classroom group, particularly in the areas of preference for challenging academic tasks, focus on students’ curiosity, tendency towards independent mastery, and preference for easy work subscales, compared to the control group (P<0.001). The study did not find significant improvements in other areas of extrinsic motivation, such as satisfaction with the instructor or achieving grades, and reliance on the teacher’s evaluation.  According to the results, flipped classroom approach can improve the students’ learning achievement and academic motivation regarding science.

Gamified learning can make students more focused and can lead to learning at a deeper level. The aim of this study was to investigate the students’ perceptions of gamified web-based learning. In this study, we aimed to find out the students’ viewpoints about the dimensions of gamification acceptance and their correlation to each other. This survey study was conducted in 2022 on 350 students of Public Health, Medicine, and Laboratory Science who had taken three courses in mental health, health psychology, and mental health and addiction, and were taught through gamified learning between late 2017 and 2021. The Game Acceptance Questionnaire was used in this study. The questionnaire consisted of 21 questions divided into seven components: Perceived ease of use, Perceived usefulness, Perceived enjoyment, Perceived control, Concentration, Attitude towards using, and Behavioral intention. Each component had three questions. The Likert scale was used in this questionnaire, with a range of 5 to 1, where 5 means strongly agree and 1 means strongly disagree. The cut-off point was 3. Content validity and face validity were examined by experts and students. The reliability of the instrument, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.872. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics V22.0.  The highest mean scores were related to attention to play (4.15±0.64), concentration during play (4.03±0.59), attitude towards playing as a good idea (4.025±0.65), ease of learning (3.99±0.70), and interesting gamification (3.96±0.74). Students’ perspectives did not differ significantly by the field of study. Differences in the acceptance of gamification components were significant by gender only in the field of enjoyment (P=0.02). The use of gamification is an emerging technology in many countries, including developing countries, and useful and practical information about it can facilitate its expansion and proper use.

Development of the affective domain is linked to increasing self-awareness of internal dialogue, such as biases and assumptions, which can affect the ability of nurses to engage in person-centered care and meet the identified patient outcomes. Through visual thinking strategies (VTS) paired with art-based pedagogy to examine grief, loss, and bereavement concepts in a hospice and palliative care nursing virtual education course, affective domain development was advanced. Foundational to this virtual educational intervention was using the VTS framework of questions and pairing them with art-based pedagogy promoting open-ended interpretation and response to the art presented. This assisted the students in identifying relevant information, making judgments, and connecting them to previous knowledge. Using VTS with an art-based pedagogical framework enhanced person-centered competencies of empathy, understanding diverse perspectives, and advanced critical thinking and observational skills. Applying this teaching strategy to various healthcare disciplines, changing the concepts, and utilizing varying art-based pedagogical formats can easily be adapted into virtual courses, preparing healthcare practitioners to meet identified curricular needs and learning outcomes and advancing patient-centered competencies.

Virtual platforms have revolutionized distance education, making it accessible worldwide and empowering scientists, academicians, and researchers to access knowledge effortlessly. These platforms provide flexibility, allowing the users to tailor their learning experience to their needs and integrating knowledge into their work. Reproducibility is crucial in cancer research, and researchers integrate data analysis into virtual or electronic learning (e-Learning) platforms to facilitate replication and verification, promoting transparency and reliability. This integration enhances accessibility and enables collaboration among scientists and stakeholders in the fight against cancer. Virtual learning offers written and audio-visual communication benefits facilitated by electronic and web-enabling advancements. In the dynamic virtual realm, researchers transcend limitations, exchange knowledge, and push the boundaries of cancer research. Virtual platforms provide time efficiency and financial freedom, while advanced tools support data analysis and facilitate new insights. These tools unlock hidden patterns and accelerate the pace of discovery. The digital ecosystem generates new ideas, improves research methodology, and enhances research quality. Limitless collaboration and advanced tools propel cancer research, unravelling complex data with precision and innovation. The potential of cyberspace to revolutionize scientific research in the future, therefore, is promising.