JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Virtual reality (VR) technology is increasingly used in healthcare professionals’ education as a novel tool for teaching, learning, and assessment.

Objective:

This study explored the experiences of the clinical students and the lecturers with virtual reality for training and assessment at a Nigerian institution. This study explored students’ perceptions of the usefulness of VR in improving their clinical abilities, knowledge retention, engagement, and overall learning experience.

Methods:

A qualitative research study was conducted among twenty-four clinical students and eight clinical lecturers. A developed Virtual reality model to TRain and Assess Clinical Students (VTRACS) was used to train and assess clinical students on clinical scenarios. Data were collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo 11.

Results:

Many of the participants had no prior experience of virtual reality (VR) in teaching- learning activities, but judging from their engagement with VTRACS, defined virtual reality as an alternative learning method (alternative to the traditional physical method). Major themes emerging from the study were Excitement, Simplicity, Challenges with Innovation, Uniformity, and Proficiency enhancement. The clinical students expressed a feeling of unlimited learning access with the use of VTRACS in training, which would positively impact their confidence and reduce clinical errors. They were, however, concerned about the affective aspect of the domain of learning with the use of VTRACS.

Conclusions:

Conclusion The use of virtual reality (VR) in the teaching and assessment of clinical students at a Nigerian university is perceived to increase skill acquisition, provide unlimited access to training, and enhance proficiency. While VR is considered to be engaging and beneficial to healthcare professionals’ education, there is a need for its effective incorporation into clinical courses and to ensure consistent access to the technology by students.