Project Description

The major goal of the project was to develop an immersive 3D virtual model to teach students chemical oxidation using a context that is relevant to students—alcohol metabolism. The model, developed for the DiVE, shows how alcohol is oxidized by 2 forms of the same liver enzyme, ADH. One form increases the risk of alcoholism, and another form decreases the risk. To carry out the project, 5 undergraduate students of different majors took Pharmacology 197/198 (Independent Study in Science Education). Working together the students developed the molecular models of alcohol and the enzymes according to their published structures, and built an interactive virtual reality experience, in the form of several games. The complete program takes about 35 minutes, and is also available in a web-based form. A separate group of students developed a tutorial for use by teachers interested in using the program in their chemistry classes.

Three different assessments were carried out during the funding period to assess content knowledge learned and student attitudes about the program. The first two provided formative data, and the third was a pilot study for a major grant. The first assessment targeted high school students, who demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge of chemical oxidation after viewing a preliminary version of the program in the DiVE. The second assessment, carried out in a Duke Pharmacology course (Pharm 150) during Fall 2008, showed that the interactive component of the program did not improve knowledge of oxidation compared to a non-interactive version. The small sample size (n=22) may have prevented detection of any significant differences. The third assessment was carried out in an accelerated intro chemistry course at Duke (Chem 23L) during the Spring 2009. ([The assessment was carried out as a senior thesis project by a Duke chemistry student (Dave McMullen)]. In this pilot study, students (n=121) were randomized into 3 groups to learn about alcohol oxidation; 1) a typical paper handout, 2) the DiVE program, and 3) a web-based version of the DiVE program (non-immersive), in the Duke LINK classrooms. Several outcomes were measured. There was no difference in the knowledge about oxidation among the 3 groups. It is possible that the immediate assessment (within 15 minutes of the intervention), or the single short exposure, did not allow the students to consolidate knowledge. However, the students in the DiVE group
expressed a greater interest in the content compared to the other groups, and they thought that they had a better understanding of oxidation (even though they did not demonstrate this). The pilot data will be used to write a major grant to carry out a more thorough assessment of the impact of the program on learning.

A summary of the program was presented at the IEEE Virtual Reality meeting in March, 2009 (abstract), and in January 2009 at the Visualization Friday Forum at Duke.   Finally, the webbased program will be made available to the public at http://www.rise.duke.edu/dive-adh (currently password-protected) and it will be submitted in September 2009 to the NSF-Science Visualization Challenge competition.

photo credit:  Les Todd

Project start date: 5/4/2007
Funding awarded: $ 6,500

Additional information:

Duke University Visualization Technology Group

RISE (Raising Interest in Science Education)

Other projects by Pharmacology 150

Duke Center for Science Education

Description of project in Duke Research Blog

Project description

The course NEUROBIO95FCS.01 covered the structural and functional organization of the brain, strengths and limitations of techniques in neuroscience, how concepts from economics are being introduced into neuroscience, and how results from neuroscience are changing economics models. Neuroanatomy was taught using a novel approach. First, instructors lectured using two-dimensional graphics. Then, students manipulated brain models in small-group workshops. Finally, the students were led on a “guided tour” of neuroanatomy, in a three-dimensional (virtual) brain models within the Duke immersive visualization environment (DIVE). Students walked through realistic, high-resolution brains with their instructor. This allowed them to learn how different brain parts are organized spatially. They later returned to the DIVE to practice in small groups without their instructor.

We know that students did learn the required neuroanatomy because of their exceptional performance on their mid-term neuroanatomy exam. Our students all completed practical exams in the DIVE, and both instructors were impressed with their facility with the neuroanatomy. We also gave a very challenging, graduate-level written examination. With only 2-3 exceptions in a class of 16, the students’ performance was outstanding. Their knowledge of neuroanatomy – as estimated from the performance on the test – was roughly equivalent to that of graduate students in the cognitive neuroscience program.

This project was presented at the 2007 Center for Instructional Technology Showcase on “Helping Students Visualize Science in Three Dimensions Using Virtual Reality”

Project start date: May 26, 2006
Funding awarded: $5,000

Project description
The purpose of this project was to investigate the efficacy of a software tool, Manuscript Architect (MA), in improving the scientific writing ability of students in Health Sciences related fields. MA, previously created by the project PI and his staff, allows focused and collaborative writing, with embedded examples and feedback (see paper describing MA).

During the study, 48 students from Medicine, Physical Therapy and Nursing participated, 24 using the tool and 24 using traditional writing methods. The students prepared a section of a scientific paper and their results were judged by external/blind reviewers. In addition the students themselves were interviewed and their interviews were transcribed and analyzed.

The major results were that students faced cognitive burden in learning to write well using standard scientific writing style, but the MA group found the support and collaboration provided by the tool helpful. The control group found it hard to distinguish content and structure issues in their papers, while the test group was better able to do this. Analysis of the papers showed using MA provided a statistically significant improvement in organization of the text and flow of argument than the control group, although there was not a difference in writing quality at the sentence level between the two groups (see published results).

Those wishing to receive access to Manuscript Architect for their own courses or research should contact Ricardo Pietrobon.

Project start date: 6/30/2005
Funding awarded: $40,000

This project created six interactive online modules to teach key concepts of patient safety and quality improvement to health care professions trainees (medical, physician assistant, nursing and others).

The module topics are:

• What is quality improvement?
• The how’s and why’s of chart audits
• The evolution of quality and safety in health care
• Culture of safety
• Anatomy of error
• Mistake-proofing care

The modules were created using Macromedia Flash by a local multimedia/web programming firm contracted for this project. Kaprielian, Wiseman and Gregory served as project coordinators and content authors.

The modules were first incorporated into the second year medical curriculum in Fall 2005, and later into the Family Medicine and the physician assistant curricula, where they are still actively used in summer 2007. The modules are available to the entire Duke University community, on the web or on CD.

In the medical student program, students completed pre- and post-module tests on patient safety culture and content knowledge. Results of these studies were to be analyzed following additional data collection in August 2006. Impact of the modules in other programs was to be judged using post-module surveys.

Project start date: 5/19/2004
Funding awarded: $39,721

Project description

Accreditation and certification requirements for medical students include that they must meet certain learning objectives with regard to patient encounters (have had experience interacting with and diagnosing patients with a variety of illnesses and situations). Merely placing students in clinical situations does not ensure that all learning objectives have been met.

This project produced an interface for PDAs which integrates with Duke’s existing “PatientKeeper” software, allowing students to input data about their patient encounters and to tie those experiences to specific learning objectives. Clinical instructors, course directors and curriculum planners were able to access the student information to enable adjustments to the students’ education program (seeing additional patients with specific diseases, for example), assess students’ depth of understanding, or highlight objectives which may need to be revised.

Project start date: 5/19/2004
Funding awarded: $25, 829