A proposed learning environment framework for virtual care

Abstract

The way in which health care is delivered has rapidly changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a rapid increase in virtual delivery of clinical care. As a result, the learning environment (LE) in health professions education, which has traditionally been situated in the bricks-and-mortar clinical context, now also requires attention to the virtual space. As a frequently examined topic in the health professions literature, the LE is a critical component in the development and training of future healthcare professionals. Based on a published conceptual framework for the LE from Gruppen et al. in 2019, a conceptual framework for how the LE can manifest through virtual care space is presented here. The four components of personal, social, organizational, physical/virtual spaces are explored, with a discussion of how they can be integrated into virtual care. The authors provide suggestions that health professions educators can consider when adapting their LE to the virtual environment and highlight aspects of its integration that require further research and investigation.

Exploring the activities and outcomes of digital teaching and learning of practical skills in higher education for the social and health care professions: a scoping review

“…The great variation makes it impossible to comment on recommendations for future use for digital practical skills teaching and learning in health care education programs. A well-functioning learning environment [ 14 ], especially the digital learning environment, is important in education for digital teaching and learning of practical skills and should be a focus when developing new digital practical teaching methods.…”

“…The learning environment is important in education [ 14 ], and the virtual learning environment (VLE) is equally significant for digital teaching and learning. VLEs can be web-based, providing course-related materials to students.…”

Evaluating Critical Thinking Disposition, Emotional Intelligence, and Learning Environment of Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study

“…14 According to Sosu (2013), the Critical Openness Subscale “reflects the tendency to be actively open to new ideas, critical in evaluating these ideas, and modifying one’s thinking in light of convincing evidence.” 16(p115) An example question of this subscale is “I usually try to think about the bigger picture during a discussion.” 16 On the other side, the Reflective Skepticism Subscale conveys “the tendency to learn from one’s past experiences and be questioning of evidence”; with an example question being “I often re-evaluate my experiences so that I can learn from them.” 16(p115) Furthermore, CTDS has been used in numerous studies to assess critical thinking disposition of health care students, including studies conducted in the United States, China, Spain, and Greece. 15-18…”

“…16(p115) Furthermore, CTDS has been used in numerous studies to assess critical thinking disposition of health care students, including studies conducted in the United States, China, Spain, and Greece. [15][16][17][18] Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) 19 is used to measure the "trait" emotional intelligence of individuals, which refers to their "emotional-related dispositions and self-perceptions."…”

Education decision making at medical schools: there must be a better way

“…9 discussed tailoring a medical education learning environment (LE) framework to a virtual clinical setting.…”