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BCNETwork News
June 2005
Simulated Gaming for Medical Learning
Imagine a ‘game-like,’ interactive system that introduces medical students to a case study or problem, complete with 3-D virtual patients and virtual libraries, and provides a state-of-the-art education that will enrich their clinical experience at diagnosing and managing diseases.
COMPS - Collaborative Online Multimedica Problem-based Simulation
Today, this system is on the brink of reality, as institutions such as the Medical School at the University of British Columbia (UBC) plan to test an innovative application called COMPS – Collaborative Online Multimedia Problem-based Simulation. Using advanced networking technology and supported by funding of $3 million from the Social Sciences Health Research Council, as well as a $350,000 CANARIE grant, COMPS has the bandwidth and platform required for developing and running an online problem-based learning environment.
COMPS is part of the Simulation and Advanced Gaming Environments (SAGE) for Learning research project, and is a collaboration between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and 14 other Canadian universities. Dr. David Kaufman, Director, Learning & Instructional Development Centre & Professor, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, is the principal investigator for the
SAGE project, and the COMPS project leader. He has been studying the potential for simulation and gaming to support learning in the health domain. The project aims to bring together the strongest features of gaming – engagement and immersiveness – with the strongest feature of face-to-face learning – social interaction. By combining these three strengths, he plans to create a new learning system and offer greater understanding into how students learn in online environments.
“Today, with the development of high-bandwidth networks, we have the ability to deliver a unique learning environment for the health community. For the first time, we can deliver a multimedia, simulated and interactive online environment for health education -- a very powerful tool.”
- Dr. David Kaufman, Professor, Faculty of Education, SFU; COMPS Project Leader
Simulations for Family Medicine
Based on his research, Kaufman is working to develop a series of case-based simulations for students of family medicine, which he chose due to the nature of medical learning in remote communities. In order to participate in the practical aspects of medical education, students must engage in clinical practice in communities throughout BC.
“With the expansion of the UBC Medical School, we now have students studying medicine throughout the province, often in outlying communities,” says Kaufman. “COMPS provides an opportunity for student collaboration, problem-based learning and the chance to teach students valuable clinical reasoning skills.”
A Synchronized Multimedia Classroom Equipped with Learning Tools
Essentially, students from distributed locations will be able to logon from their home or university computers, and through BCNET’s advanced networks, they will have access to an interactive web-based application. Logging on simultaneously, students will be introduced to an online facilitator who will present narrative-based case information using Voice over IP (VoIP). The experience will be as if everyone is sitting around a table participating in a discussion. The added advantages are the multimedia rich tools at their fingertips to assist with learning.
Students can discover possible explanations for clinical scenarios presented to them through online tools, such as video clips, interactive websites, online libraries, simulated patients, and online labs and medical records. Collaborating and exchanging information over the Internet, students will be able to interact simultaneously using VoIP and live video connections. One of the
most engaging features of the application is the 3-D, interactive patients and facilitators.
The Talking Head, 3-D Conversational Face
A major component of the COMPS project is a 3-D conversational face system that can simulate patients in a variety of clinical settings. It allows students to take part in a real-life scenario where they can interact with the simulated patient and ask it questions. The talking head character is animated by the facilitator by simply talking through the software program, which in turn animates the face over the Internet. Designed by Steve Dipaola, Associate Professor, School of Interactive Arts & Technology, SFU, this animated face is an amazing work of art in action. |
“Simulations help to create engagement and immersiveness in face-to-face learning. Often, simulations are fun and engaging and help students internalize knowledge by practicing new skills in a risk-free environment.”
Steve Dipaola, Associate Professor, School of Interactive Arts & Technology, SFU
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New Opportunities for Medical Education
Kaufman has been collaborating with universities across Canada to discuss opportunities for learning through COMPS. Currently, he is engaging with the University of British Columbia, Dalhousie University and Université Laval to discuss this application for medical, nursing and inter-professional education. Perhaps one day we will be seeing a commercial application of this technology across Canada and around the world.
For more information on the COMPS program, visit the SAGE website
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