Medical education of surgical and interventional techniques is a long and challenging process that takes place during graduate and postgraduate years. Traditional training based on tutor-apprenticeship models are considered to be subjective, time/resource-consuming and non-patient safe. New structured programmes are being proposed to provide training and objective assessment in patient-free settings.Technology enhanced learning(TEL) has been used in recent years to support these new paradigms: from virtual reality simulators/box trainers for technical skills to e-learning/augmented videos for nontechnical skills. However, there is no common EU pedagogical framework to guide their use, nor a TEL platform encompassing technical and nontechnical skills. Technologies are used depending on centres’/funders’ choices rather than pedagogical value.EASIER involves higher education and companies with leading partners in their respective fields that will, for the first time, bring together different training technologies to provide a multi-skills learning experience for surgical and interventional education. It proposes an innovative solution for teaching and learning technical and nontechnical skills based on TEL. The solution will integrate TEL assets (virtual reality, video, augmented box trainers, etc.), providing residents and mentors with a learning management system to programme training activities, have access to ubiquitous learning and monitor progress on their learning experience. By integrating different technologies, the learner will have access to a comprehensive record of achievements and outcomes on both technical and nontechnical skills linked to any course.EASIER will reach the whole EU surgical community to set the basis for a strategy on a common TEL-based programme offering structured learning and assessment. This will help standardize training across the continent, favouring mobility of professionals as well as the exchange and co-creation of knowledge.
Following the path established in MISTELA project, EASIER has developed an innovative pedagogically-supported TEL solution for surgical and interventional multi-skills education, through the implementation of a LMS supporting multi-skills learning and also by defining a user model integrating gathering student data on performance and interaction. The solution provides residents and mentors with a centralized LMS to plan and carry out learning activities and monitor progress and assessment.
Nowadays, training paradigms are shifting towards new structured programmes in which technology enhanced learning (TEL) plays a major role, both for technical and nontechnical skills learning. TEL is being integrated in different training programmes all across EU, although there ia lack for a common European pedagogical framework for learning and accrediting surgical and interventional skills.
<< Background >> Nowadays, training paradigms are shifting towards new structured programmes in which technology enhanced learning (TEL) plays a major role, both for technical and nontechnical skills learning. TEL is being integrated in different training programmes all across EU, although there ia lack for a common European pedagogical framework for learning and accrediting surgical and interventional skills. << Objectives >> Following the path established in MISTELA project, EASIER has developed an innovative pedagogically-supported TEL solution for surgical and interventional multi-skills education, through the implementation of a LMS supporting multi-skills learning and also by defining a user model integrating gathering student data on performance and interaction. The solution provides residents and mentors with a centralized LMS to plan and carry out learning activities and monitor progress and assessment. << Implementation >> EASIER has proposed an innovative approach for surgical and interventional teaching and learning based on TEL by exploiting the use of ICT and other TEL-related assets to provide residents and mentors with a solution to program training activities, have access to ubiquitous learning and monitor progress on the different skills. The solution will be grounded on a validated learning framework, based on the pedagogical model developed in the LLP MISTELA project. << Results >> The EASIER more relevant results have been: Three case studies (Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Lumbar Puncture and Knee Arthroscopy), the pedagogical model (adapted to EASIER from MISTELA project), the LMS (supporting the courses and running on Moodle), the user model (implemented also in the LMS to collect user data and supervise the learning process) and the validation studies.