More than surgical tools: a systematic review of robots as didactic tools for the education of professionals in health sciences.

Within the field of robots in medical education, most of the work done during the last years has focused on surgeon training in robotic surgery, practicing surgery procedures through simulators. Apart from surgical education, robots have also been widely employed in assistive and rehabilitation procedures, where education has traditionally focused in the patient. Therefore, there has been extensive review bibliography in the field of medical robotics focused on surgical and rehabilitation and assistive robots, but there is a lack of survey papers that explore the potential of robotics in the education of healthcare students and professionals beyond their training in the use of the robotic system. The scope of the current review are works in which robots are used as didactic tools for the education of professionals in health sciences, investigating the enablers and barriers that affect the use of robots as learning facilitators. Systematic literature searches were conducted in WOS and Scopus, yielding a total of 3812 candidate papers. After removing duplicates, inclusion criteria were defined and applied, resulting in 171 papers. An in-depth quality assessment was then performed leading to 26 papers for qualitative synthesis. Results show that robots in health sciences education are still developed with a roboticist mindset, without clearly incorporating aspects of the teaching/learning process. However, they have proven potential to be used in health sciences as they allow to parameterize procedures, autonomously guide learners to achieve greater engagement, or enable collective learning including patients and instructors "in the loop". Although there exist documented added-value benefits, further research and efforts needs to be done to foster the inclusion of robots as didactic tools in the curricula of health sciences professionals. On the one hand, by analyzing how robotic technology should be developed to become more flexible and usable to support both teaching and learning processes in health sciences education, as final users are not necessarily well-versed in how to use it. On the other, there continues to be a need to develop effective and standard robotic enhanced learning evaluation tools, as well good quality studies that describe effective evaluation of robotic enhanced education for professionals in health sciences. As happens with other technologies when applied to the health sciences field, studies often fail to provide sufficient detail to support transferability or direct future robotic health care education programs.

Design science research applied to difficulties of teaching and learning initial programming.

Learning and teaching to program is an arduous task. It requires a lot of commitment, dedication, and passion from everyone involved. Programming courses have high dropout and failure rates. Throughout time, several educational research works have been carried out to study the different learning processes and characteristics of students. With this work, we present and describe our vision and model of teaching and learning of initial programming to minimize the problems. We present a technological tool, called HTProgramming (Help To Programming), which complements the teaching and learning process. This allows students to practice a wide variety of activities with immediate feedback, directly related to content and themes for learning programming. It allows the teacher to follow the whole process and students' results. Using a machine-learning (neural network) predictive model of student failure, it will allow the teacher to anticipate possible student failure and act quickly. In this paper, we apply the Design Scientific Research Methodology to tackle teaching and learning difficulties to initial programming. We also include the results and evaluation of the application. Students consider the application an important tool for their learning process. The student failure prediction model presents very realistic values.

Flipped Learning 4.0. An extended flipped classroom model with Education 4.0 and organisational learning processes.

This article integrates two visions on the creation of knowledge by students: an academic vision where the person who creates knowledge uses high-level cognitive abilities and, therefore, acquires deeper learning, and an organisational learning vision, where the creation of knowledge adds value to the organisation and the individuals who work in this matter. It starts from a validated flipped classroom model and then adds procedures and cycles of knowledge that make it an active methodology, in such a way that it simultaneously supports organisational learning, using cooperative competencies characteristic of Education 4.0. This proposed hybrid model has been applied online during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, subsequently, in dual mode (students partly in person and the rest online at the same time) and face-to-face mode. The evidence of this research shows that the creation of knowledge by the students, cooperatively and with an organisational learning perspective, has repercussions for improvements in their academic performance by producing deeper learning. In addition, the development of cooperative skills is observed to create and manage a large amount of helpful knowledge for them and other students in their learning process.

Active Game-Based Solutions for the Treatment of Childhood Obesity.

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems globally that, together with sedentarism, requires solutions that increase the enthusiasm towards physical activity. Therefore, this paper describes two solutions based on active games using the Kinect sensor and biometric sensors, designed for the outpatient treatment of childhood obesity. The solutions were applied in an intervention program based on active video games and motor games, developed with children in treatment for childhood obesity. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to assess the level of satisfaction, fun, learning, and behavior changes in the children of the experimental group that developed the intervention. The results showed a high index of satisfaction with the intervention program, as well as with the games developed. It is concluded that active video games and group games are highly motivating and can promote behavior change towards healthier life habits in children.

A Meta-Model Integration for Supporting Knowledge Discovery in Specific Domains: A Case Study in Healthcare.

Knowledge management is one of the key priorities of many organizations. They face different challenges in the implementation of knowledge management processes, including the transformation of tacit knowledge-experience, skills, insights, intuition, judgment and know-how-into explicit knowledge. Furthermore, the increasing number of information sources and services in some domains, such as healthcare, increase the amount of information available. Therefore, there is a need to transform that information in knowledge. In this context, learning ecosystems emerge as solutions to support knowledge management in a different context. On the other hand, the dashboards enable the generation of knowledge through the exploitation of the data provided from different sources. The model-driven development of these solutions is possible through two meta-models developed in previous works. Even though those meta-models solve several problems, the learning ecosystem meta-model has a lack of decision-making support. In this context, this work provides two main contributions to face this issue. First, the definition of a holistic meta-model to support decision-making processes in ecosystems focused on knowledge management, also called learning ecosystems. The second contribution of this work is an instantiation of the presented holistic meta-model in the healthcare domain.

Nextmed: Automatic Imaging Segmentation, 3D Reconstruction, and 3D Model Visualization Platform Using Augmented and Virtual Reality.

The visualization of medical images with advanced techniques, such as augmented reality and virtual reality, represent a breakthrough for medical professionals. In contrast to more traditional visualization tools lacking 3D capabilities, these systems use the three available dimensions. To visualize medical images in 3D, the anatomical areas of interest must be segmented. Currently, manual segmentation, which is the most commonly used technique, and semi-automatic approaches can be time consuming because a doctor is required, making segmentation for each individual case unfeasible. Using new technologies, such as computer vision and artificial intelligence for segmentation algorithms and augmented and virtual reality for visualization techniques implementation, we designed a complete platform to solve this problem and allow medical professionals to work more frequently with anatomical 3D models obtained from medical imaging. As a result, the Nextmed project, due to the different implemented software applications, permits the importation of digital imaging and communication on medicine (dicom) images on a secure cloud platform and the automatic segmentation of certain anatomical structures with new algorithms that improve upon the current research results. A 3D mesh of the segmented structure is then automatically generated that can be printed in 3D or visualized using both augmented and virtual reality, with the designed software systems. The Nextmed project is unique, as it covers the whole process from uploading dicom images to automatic segmentation, 3D reconstruction, 3D visualization, and manipulation using augmented and virtual reality. There are many researches about application of augmented and virtual reality for medical image 3D visualization; however, they are not automated platforms. Although some other anatomical structures can be studied, we focused on one case: a lung study. Analyzing the application of the platform to more than 1000 dicom images and studying the results with medical specialists, we concluded that the installation of this system in hospitals would provide a considerable improvement as a tool for medical image visualization.

Technological Ecosystems in Care and Assistance: A Systematic Literature Review.

Applying the concepts of technological ecosystems to the care and assistance domain is an emerging field that has gained interest during the last years, as they allow to describe the complex relationships between actors in a technologically boosted care domain. In that context, this paper presents a systematic review and mapping of the literature to identify, analyse and classify the published research carried out to provide care and assistance services under a technological ecosystems' perspective. Thirty-seven papers were identified in the literature as relevant and analysed in detail (between 2003⁻2018). The main findings show that it is indeed an emerging field, as few of the found ecosystem proposals have been developed in the real world nor have they been tested with real users. In addition, a lot of research to date reports the proposal of platform-centric architectures developed over existing platforms not specifically developed for care and services provision. Employed sensor technologies for providing services have very diverse natures depending on the intended services to be provided. However, many of these technologies do not take into account medical standards. The degree of the ecosystems' openness to adding new devices greatly depends on the approach followed, such as the type of middleware considered. Thus, there is still much work to be done in order to equate other more established ecosystems such as business or software ecosystems.

Sensor Technologies for Caring People with Disabilities.

Today, the population uses technology for every daily activity involving business, education, communication, entertainment, etc. Technology may also help us to take care of people who suffer some kind of disability. Complex technological ecosystems with pervasive and intelligent capabilities get along with us, facilitating the vigilance of those who need special attention or assisted living cares due to their health limitations. The advances in sensor research have enriched the powerful of these ecosystems to achieve more sophisticated monitoring and alarm systems, also taking into account the balance between the level of assistance and the people's privacy. The Special Issue on "Sensor Technologies for Caring People with Disabilities" aims to present recent developments on sensor technologies for caring people with disabilities, focusing on the different configurations that can be used and novel applications in the field.

Co-operative Networks and their Influence on Engagement: A Study with Students of a Degree in Nursing.

At present, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning in University education. Previous studies have found evidence to support collaborative activities; however, none have analyzed the influence of contact networks among students on their engagement and performance. This paper reports an intervention with nursing degree students aimed at facilitating an interdependent network to promote engagement and improve academic performance. The intervention was based on recording a video during a case study. The variables analyzed were network centrality, engagement and performance. The UCINET program was used to analyse social networks. The results showed a more cohesive network after the intervention and a high level of academic performance. The use of contact networks among students could be used as an academic strategy to build bridges between students in the classroom and even between these and students in other classrooms or centres.

Effects of Mobile Learning in Medical Education: A Counterfactual Evaluation.

The aim of this research is to contribute to the general system education providing new insights and resources. This study performs a quasi-experimental study at University of Salamanca with 30 students to compare results between using an anatomic app for learning and the formal traditional method conducted by a teacher. The findings of the investigation suggest that the performance of learners using mobile apps is statistical better than the students using the traditional method. However, mobile devices should be considered as an additional tool to complement the teachers' explanation and it is necessary to overcome different barriers and challenges to adopt these pedagogical methods at University.

An Empirical Assessment of a Technology Acceptance Model for Apps in Medical Education.

The evolution and the growth of mobile applications ("apps") in our society is a reality. This general trend is still upward and the app use has also penetrated the medical education community. However, there is a lot of unawareness of the students' and professionals' point of view about introducing "apps" within Medical School curriculum. The aim of this research is to design, implement and verify that the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) can be employed to measure and explain the acceptance of mobile technology and "apps" within Medical Education. The methodology was based on a survey distributed to students and medical professionals from University of Salamanca. This model explains 46.7% of behavioral intention to use mobile devise or "apps" for learning and will help us to justify and understand the current situation of introducing "apps" into the Medical School curriculum.

Systematic review of Erasmus+ projects labelled as good practice and related to e-learning and ICT: Some case studies.

This article focuses on the methodology applied for the review of European educational projects, within the framework of Erasmus+, labelled as good practices and that are related to electronic learning or the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education. In addition, some of the projects that have passed all the research phases and have proven to be sustainable over time are analyzed. The projects presented represent different educational sectors and propose learning systems through ICT with the involvement of students and/or teachers. As they are good practice projects, the article can contribute both to the use or transfer of the resources developed in these projects, and to be able to inspire new projects in those lines of work. The main factors that have contributed to the success of the projects are their usefulness for the educational community beyond the time of funding, the use of innovative methodologies applied with teachers and students, establishing them in the participating institutions. Another notable fact is the good collaboration and rapport between all the project partners who worked to get common objectives.

How to share the leadership competence among the team members in active learning scenarios: Before, during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

Teamwork is one of the most demanded generic competencies by international organizations, and higher education institutions train and assess that competence to prepare students for working life. Leadership is a crucial part of teamwork development, and previous research has shown that shared leadership tasks between team members present more advantages than the traditional concept of a formal leader. Shared leadership seems to be the best option in the academic context due to the university students' characteristics. This paper aims to prove that students can identify, distinguish and exercise shared leadership actions based on the needs that arise during the development of teamwork and that derive from the teamwork method applied rather than by the training modality that is followed (face-to-face - online). The achievement of the aim has been possible through a qualitative study of the teamwork development of 40 teams of new university entrance (237 students) with the Comprehensive Teamwork Competency Formation Model. The research has been carried out during three consecutive academic courses, with different training modalities for each course, forced by the COVID-19 pandemic (face-to-face for the pre-COVID-19 course, online for the COVID-19 course and face-to-face during the post-COVID-19 course). The shared leadership tasks and responsibilities, defined by students, were categorized in the same way independently of the training modality, which validates the proposed ontology. Also, the three academic courses studied the evolution of the primary shared leadership responsibilities by category. Besides, it is concluded that the primary responsibilities for each category remained unchanged during the three academic years but that some other categories were affected to some extent by the exceptionality caused by COVID-19. The ontology validated here constitutes a recommendation for future teams working with an evidence-based methodology.

Catch the Open! A Gamified Interactive Immersion Into Open Educational Practices for Higher Education Educators.

Open Education (OE) opens up learning opportunities to, potentially, every person in the world. Additionally, it allows teachers, researchers, and practitioners to find, share, reuse, and improve existing resources under a dependable legal framework. Aiming to spread and foster the introduction of open policies in Higher Education (HE) institutions, the gamified interactive learning experience Catch the Open! was developed. Catch the Open! targets HE educators who wish to learn, or who wish to deepen their existing knowledge, about OE and Open Educational Practices (OEP). Within the gamified learning experience, the user becomes an educator, Alex, the game character, who receives a task from the Rector: to investigate how to best include OE and OEP in teaching and learning practice within the institution. Alex proceeds to explore and gather information in a web-based 2D virtual HE institution where students, colleagues, and guest researchers will help her to develop a comprehensive understanding of OE and the practical application of OEP. The educational content within Catch the Open! is underpinned by an OE competences framework for HE educators, developed in a previous phase of the Erasmus+ OpenGame project. In this paper, the design process to link pedagogical and technological approaches, which results in the Catch the Open! gamified web-based interactive application, is presented as well as the application itself. Moreover, two phases of piloting with 153 HE educators from six different HE institutions are presented. The obtained findings showed that the gamified environment helped in learning about OE. On the other hand, learners also suggested several improvement aspects of the gamified environment, such as the length of finishing a learning mission while playing.

The Integration of Psychosocial Care into National Dementia Strategies across Europe: Evidence from the Skills in DEmentia Care (SiDECar) Project.

There is evidence supporting the use of psychosocial interventions in dementia care. Due to the role of policy in clinical practice, the present study investigates whether and how the issue of psychosocial care and interventions has been addressed in the national dementia plans and strategies across Europe. A total of 26 national documents were found. They were analyzed by content analysis to identify the main pillars associated with the topic of psychosocial care and interventions. Specifically, three categories emerged: (1) Treatment, (2) Education, and (3) Research. The first one was further divided into three subcategories: (1) Person-centred conceptual framework, (2) Psychosocial interventions, and (3) Health and social services networks. Overall, the topic of psychosocial care and interventions has been addressed in all the country policies. However, the amount of information provided differs across the documents, with only the category of 'Treatment' covering all of them. Furthermore, on the basis of the existing policies, how the provision of psychosocial care and interventions would be enabled, and how it would be assessed are not fully apparent yet. Findings highlight the importance of policies based on a comprehensive and well-integrated system of care, where the issue of psychosocial care and interventions is fully embedded.