Training Scientific Communication Skills on Medical Imaging within the Virtual World Second Life: Perception of Biomedical Engineering Students
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Virtual Worlds in Health-Related Undergraduate Education
1.2. Radiology Teaching to Biomedical Engineering Students
1.3. Background
1.4. Objectives
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. The Virtual Environment: The Medical Master Island
2.2. The Course Biomedical Imaging
- Biomedical imaging and modalities: introduction to biomedical imaging, in which the main types of medical imaging modalities are described, such as digital radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance, and nuclear medicine.
- Compression, rendering and enhancement of biomedical digital images: The main image formats are studied, including the DICOM format. Image enhancement techniques and segmentation of regions of interest are also covered.
- Biomedical image processing and analysis: The main techniques of mathematical morphology, the use of image descriptors for their characterization, and the reconstruction of images from projections are studied.
- Laboratory activities: This subject has a strong practical component, in which the student can put into practice all the theoretical knowledge acquired by carrying out activities such as the handling of biomedical images in DICOM format, digital image filters, and the segmentation of biomedical images, including extraction of objects of interest.
2.3. Pilot Experience with Students as Presenters of Educational Content
- 1.
- Training and a visit to the island. Radiobiology and Radiological Protection Seminar, given by the professor. Discussion and proposal of topics for the next few days.
- 2.
- Oral presentations by students
- 3.
- Oral presentations by students
- 4.
- Oral presentations by students
- 5.
- Oral presentations by students
2.4. Training of Students in Delivering Oral Presentations
- 1.
- Reception and training in Second Life. Explanation of the activities to be carried out.
- 2.
- Presentation of web pages. To train the oral presentation in Second Life, the students had to choose a web page of interest for the course and present it to their classmates for 5 min.
- 3.
- Oral presentations by students
- 4.
- Oral presentations by students
- 5.
- Oral presentations by students
2.5. Data Analysis
2.6. Ethical Approval
3. Results
3.1. Pilot Experience with Students as Presenters of Educational Content
3.2. Training of Students in Delivering Oral Presentations
4. Discussion
4.1. Training in Oral Communication Skills in Public
“... It is also a good way to encourage the quietest and most timid to speak in public and express themselves since they have the advantage of anonymity and not see faces.”
4.2. Students’ Perception of Experiences in Second Life
“... It seems to me a great way to interact with both the teacher and the classmates, it is also very comfortable since it can be done from home. I hope this is not my last Second Life experience.”
“…it is a very heavy program, needs a good Internet connection and uses too many processes. In my case, this has resulted in black screen sessions because my computer couldn’t handle it, which is not good.”
4.3. Limitations and Future Perspectives
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Codes | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | 10 | 36 | 26 | 72 |
Interesting | 1 | 11 | 8 | 20 |
Educational | 4 | 10 | 7 | 21 |
Innovative | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
Ubiquity | - | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Fun | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Willingness | 1 | 2 | - | 3 |
Gratitude | - | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Negative | 3 | 24 | 26 | 53 |
Technical | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
Schedule | - | 4 | 3 | 7 |
Distraction | - | 4 | - | 4 |
Time | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
Face-to-face better | - | 4 | 3 | 7 |
School computers | - | - | 2 | 2 |
Assessment | - | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Suggestion | 1 | 6 | 4 | 11 |
Total | 14 | 66 | 56 | 136 |
Title of the Presentation | First 1 | Second 1 | Third 1 | Score | Normalized |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orthopantomography | 9 | 8 | 0 | 13.0 | 6.2 |
Tomosynthesis: 3D mammography | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8.8 | 4.2 |
Elastography | 4 | 5 | 2 | 7.1 | 3.4 |
RM spectroscopy | 0 | 4 | 9 | 4.7 | 2.2 |
Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3.9 | 1.9 |
Oral Presentation Title (Topic) | Year | N | Contents | Quality | Understand. 1 | Interest |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Risks of radiological studies in childhood | 2016 | 3 | 8.0 ± 1.2 | 8.2 ± 1.2 | 8.5 ± 1.1 | 8.6 ± 1.2 |
2017 | 3 | 8.3 ± 1.2 | 8.1 ± 1.2 | 8.0 ± 1.3 | 8.4 ± 1.0 | |
How many X-rays is it safe to have per year? | 2016 | 4 | 8.4 ± 1.0 | 8.3 ± 0.9 | 8.4 ± 1.0 | 8.5 ± 1.1 |
2017 | 2 | 7.5 ± 1.2 | 7.0 ± 1.3 | 7.5 ± 1.1 | 8.5 ± 1.2 | |
Risks of X-rays in pregnant women | 2016 | 3 | 8.6 ± 1.0 | 8.5 ± 1.1 | 8.4 ± 1.1 | 8.8 ± 1.2 |
2017 | 3 | 8.2 ± 1.2 | 7.9 ± 1.0 | 8.3 ± 1.2 | 8.8 ± 1.1 | |
Security measures in areas where X-rays are used | 2016 | 4 | 8.4 ± 0.8 | 8.3 ± 1.2 | 8.6 ± 1.0 | 8.5 ± 1.3 |
2017 | 3 | 7.9 ± 1.9 | 8.3 ± 1.4 | 8.6 ± 1.2 | 8.6 ± 1.2 | |
How radiation affects people according to age | 2016 | 3 | 8.7 ± 1.0 | 8.9 ± 0.9 | 8.9 ± 1.0 | 9.1 ± 0.9 |
2017 | 3 | 7.7 ± 1.3 | 7.7 ± 1.3 | 8.0 ± 1.2 | 8.1 ± 2.0 | |
Security measures in areas where radioactive isotopes are used | 2016 | 2 | 8.3 ± 1.0 | 8.4 ± 1.1 | 8.3 ± 1.1 | 8.6 ± 1.1 |
2017 | 3 | 8.0 ± 1.9 | 8.1 ± 1.7 | 8.2 ± 1.6 | 8.4 ± 1.6 | |
Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography | 2016 | 4 | 8.9 ± 0.8 | 8.7 ± 1.1 | 8.5 ± 0.9 | 8.9 ± 1.0 |
2017 | 3 | 7.8 ± 1.1 | 6.9 ± 1.3 | 7.3 ± 1.2 | 7.6 ± 1.3 | |
What is the diffusion tensor and MR tractography? | 2016 | 4 | 8.5 ± 1.1 | 8.4 ± 1.2 | 8.2 ± 1.1 | 8.6 ± 1.2 |
2017 | 3 | 8.0 ± 1.3 | 7.2 ± 1.5 | 7.1 ± 1.4 | 7.6 ± 1.5 | |
What is tomosynthesis and what is it for? | 2016 | 4 | 8.3 ± 1.0 | 8.3 ± 1.1 | 8.1 ± 1.4 | 8.5 ± 1.1 |
2017 | 3 | 8.1 ± 1.1 | 8.1 ± 1.0 | 8.2 ± 0.9 | 8.4 ± 1.3 | |
What is MR spectroscopy and what is it for? | 2016 | 4 | 8.6 ± 1.2 | 7.9 ± 2.0 | 7.9 ± 1.3 | 8.4 ± 1.3 |
2017 | 3 | 8.0 ± 1.1 | 7.9 ± 1.1 | 7.8 ± 1.3 | 7.9 ± 1.5 | |
What is elastography and what is it for? | 2016 | 3 | 8.4 ± 1.0 | 8.5 ± 1.3 | 8.3 ± 1.3 | 8.3 ± 1.3 |
2017 | 2 | 7.6 ± 1.0 | 7.5 ± 1.2 | 7.5 ± 1.5 | 7.9 ± 1.4 | |
What is functional MRI and what is it for? | 2016 | 4 | 8.1 ± 1.1 | 8.2 ± 1.2 | 8.0 ± 1.0 | 8.6 ± 1.1 |
2017 | 2 | 5.8 ± 1.6 | 6.2 ± 1.0 | 6.1 ± 1.4 | 7.3 ± 1.3 | |
Can Alzheimer’s be diagnosed with biomedical imaging? | 2016 | - | - | - | - | - |
2017 | 3 | 8.2 ± 1.2 | 8.2 ± 1.1 | 7.6 ± 1.3 | 8.5 ± 1.3 | |
How much do radiological studies cost? Can costs be reduced? | 2016 | - | - | - | - | - |
2017 | 2 | 8.7 ± 0.9 | 8.5 ± 0.9 | 8.8 ± 0.7 | 8.7 ± 0.9 | |
All the presentations | 2016 | - | 8.4 ± 1.0 | 8.4 ± 1.3 | 8.3 ± 1.1 | 8.6 ± 1.2 |
2017 | - | 7.9 ± 1.4 | 7.7 ± 1.4 | 7.8 ± 1.4 | 8.2 ± 1.4 |
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Lozano-Durán, A.; Rudolphi-Solero, T.; Nava-Baro, E.; Ruiz-Gómez, M.J.; Sendra-Portero, F. Training Scientific Communication Skills on Medical Imaging within the Virtual World Second Life: Perception of Biomedical Engineering Students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 1697. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031697
Lozano-Durán A, Rudolphi-Solero T, Nava-Baro E, Ruiz-Gómez MJ, Sendra-Portero F. Training Scientific Communication Skills on Medical Imaging within the Virtual World Second Life: Perception of Biomedical Engineering Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(3):1697. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031697
Chicago/Turabian StyleLozano-Durán, Andrés, Teodoro Rudolphi-Solero, Enrique Nava-Baro, Miguel José Ruiz-Gómez, and Francisco Sendra-Portero. 2023. "Training Scientific Communication Skills on Medical Imaging within the Virtual World Second Life: Perception of Biomedical Engineering Students" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 3: 1697. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031697