In close collaboration with education experts and a digital technology provider, a high-quality, inclusive digital education methodology is being created that ensures the best practice standards of simulation.

The ENVISION partnership is the result of multiple contacts on the possibilities of VGS in nursing curricula. The process started in March 2018, with AHS being invited to Canada during which the contact between the nursing department of AHS and the Ryerson, Centennial, George Brown Collaborative Nursing Degree Program was founded. Never were we to imagine how this first meeting with Daria Romaniuk and Michelle Hughes, who stepped in because the original program had to be adjusted at last minute, would impact European nursing education.

There the foundation was layed for this strategic partnership EUROPEAN NETWORK ON VIRTUAL SIMULATION ONLINE, i.e. Envision. All ENVISION HEI-partners have a large network of associated health care education centers, are well embedded in the local community and have a strong cooperation with health care provider organizations. Additionally they have a pivotal role in multiple professional networks on education, technology or health sciences.

The project partners are: Arteveldehogeschool (Belgium – project lead), Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada), OAMK Oulun Ammattikorkeakouly (Finland), Joubel (Norway), URV Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain), LUV Ljudska Univerza Velenje (Slovenia), Universiteit Gent (Belgium).

Figure 1: The Envisionists at their first learning, teaching and training activity in Ghent, Belgium.

Virtual gaming simulation form the future of learning

Virtual gaming simulation (VGS) are high fidelity, 2D immersive simulations using videos of simulated patients (played by actors) in which the user can make clinical decisions for learning in healthcare. They are are ‘serious games’ and their purpose is to promote learning.

The learner encounters the client’s health storyline and then works through decision points with several options or choices regarding how best to assess or provide care. This branching scenario allows learners to see the consequences of their decisions. Prebriefing prepares the users for the VGS. Debriefing assists the participants to reflect on the learning experience. This VGS-design encourages thinking and active involvement, all key components of motivation and learning. A VGS can be played anywhere and anytime with repetitive play facilitating skill development.

The ENVISION project will produce two virtual gaming simulations, one in home health care and the second one in emergency pediatrics. The first virtual gaming simulation for distant learning has been developed using the best practices for simulation. An interactive simulation in the home care setting is now accessible for students and faculty. The English version of the first virtual gaming simulation »Hello. You must be Flo!« is available and it can be accessed via the project website www.envision-vgs.com. The game is now being translated in all partner languages and available in their countries.

Figure 2: The first virtual gaming simulation developed within the Envision project.

The second generation of the Envision virtual gaming simulation adds more learning strategies and is applied to a pediatric online simulation.

Educators will be equipped with the tools to use and create their virtual gaming simulations

New education tools will enhance the online simulation experience. A European digital technology framework integrates all important simulation components in VGS. Virtual gaming simulations are embedded in an open access educational resource with guidelines to support students and teachers in their digital education readiness. As overall strategy, the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)-framework will be used to share knowledge and create innovative solutions in this relatively new educational field. At the heart of the TPACK model, is the complex interplay of three primary forms of knowledge: Content, Pedagogy and Technology. We use this framework to assembly VGS-TPACK-teams who will use a train-the-trainer concept to become a champion in the use and creation of VGS.

Follow the project website (www.envision-vgs.com) and Facebook page for more information.

The author of the article is Tina Ojsteršek from project partner organisation Andragoški zavod Ljudska univerza Velenje with support of all project partners.