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A Post-PC World in Education

Integrating two distinct Virtual Patient systems: Identifying challenges and the role of the MedBiquitous Virtual Patient standard . Luke Woodham 1 , Matthew Cownie 2 , John Wright 2 ,  Sheetal  Kavia 1 1 St George's, University of London,  2 University of the West of England.

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A Post-PC World in Education

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  1. Integrating two distinct Virtual Patient systems: Identifying challenges and the role of the MedBiquitous Virtual Patient standard Luke Woodham1, Matthew Cownie2, John Wright2,  Sheetal Kavia11St George's, University of London, 2University of the West of England

  2. A Post-PC World in Education • Learners increasingly demand access to learning resources in a way that fits in with their own learning practices • In class • At home • When travelling • This requires supporting a wide range of platforms and device types – web, phones, 7” tablets, 10” tablets, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, mobile web etc. • This is expensive and time-consuming, beyond the means of most educational technology departments

  3. MedAssess/MedEdCases • Developed by SGUL in collaboration with iBOS Solutions • MedAssess • Distributed internally for SGUL students • Staggered release of cases based around curriculum • MedEdCases • Publicly available version on Apple app store • Currently includes 39 cases • Available for iOS and Android devices • Cases can be downloaded and played offline – no need for a permanent network connection

  4. UChoose • Developed by UWE • Internal audience • Distributed internally for UWE students • Being incorporated into new nursing curriculum for September 2013 • External audiences • General Practice • Acute Trusts • Sophisticated Silverlight Case Editor • Player requires Modern Web Browser (not IE 6) • Player (and video) works on any Webkit compliant mobile device with continuous network connection (unless a case relies on a flash widget) • Best mobile form factor is tablet

  5. UChoose/MedEdCases Collaboration • Aim: To allow learners to access their resources across all platforms • How: By facilitating communication and transfer of case content between the two systems, ideally seamlessly so that published content can be easily pushed to both platforms. • “A standard to enable [VP] exchange across systems has the potential to scale their development and implementation across health professions education, including resource limited settings” – MedBiquitous

  6. The role of the MedBiq VP Standard • Designed to enable exchange across systems • Both UChoose and MedEdCases were designed with knowledge of the standard • Data structures provide simple mapping of branching VP structure • However: • MCQ elements less easily mappable, as not defined in the standard • Requires processing overhead of constructing XML formatting • SCORM packages designed for manual transfer, requiring human intervention

  7. Collaboration Process so far • Stage 1 - Formalise collaboration (NDA) • able to share and directly view each systems data structures • Stage 2 - Generate a mapping from one system data store to the other directly • No need for intermediary XML mapping • Stage 3 - Explore potential transfer mechanisms • Agreed SQLite for initial stages of collaboration • Stage 4 - Implement and test exports to each system using SQLite • Stage 5 – Consider future development plans with a view to “harmonising” the systems and data structures

  8. Significant Challenges • Differing ways of handling MCQs • Not covered directly by the MedBiq standard so interpreted differently • Formatting of text content • ASCII or mark-up? What tags/formatting options are permitted? • Media items • Supported formats, multiplicity of media items • The transfer mechanism • Seamless publishing?

  9. Future Work • Alternative transfer mechanisms • Use of SQLite or indexedDB or OData ? • We used a restricted feature schema • Optional features such as mcq’s, counters, rules? • Closer integration of systems • Potential to develop web APIs to allow content to be pushed between systems automatically • LTI standard for moodle/blackboard LMS’s

  10. OData OData is a standardized protocol for creating and consuming data APIs. OData builds on core protocols like HTTP and commonly accepted methodologies like REST. The result is a uniform way to expose full-featured data APIs.

  11. Does it translate? • Does the system impact on a case’s design? Does the case author need to re-interpret parts of a case for use in the new system? • The nature of the platform alters the user’s relationship and expectations of the content • Different form factor • Different interface • Different input methods • Different screen size • Different activities, different affordance

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