Abstract:

Introduction:
Physiotherapy (PT) students need to obtain fundamental pathological, surgical knowledge and skills in orthopaedics and traumatology of spine to diagnose and manage spinal conditions to learn other subjects and for clinical practice. However, it is difficult to visualise the complex knowledge and techniques using written lecture alone. Access to operating theatre/laboratory remains limited. Studies about using different technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Hologram for medical education are reported. It remains unclear about the practice of mixing technologies to enhance mobile learning and teaching of specific and complex orthopaedic and traumatology knowledge of spine in PT education. Limited information is known from users’ and professional developers’ views. An interactive mobile e-learning platform on a virtual operating theatre was developed. In this study, “M-learning” is referred to the integration and practice of using mixed technologies to enhance active and mobile learning and teaching of knowledge and skills using the features of multimedia and technologies

Methodology:
A M-learning platform was developed by mixing technologies on a mobile and integrated virtual e-learning environment which consists of VR, AR, a portable 3D hologram, online spinal surgery videos, 3D simulation games, Kahoot! interactive games, online mini e-learning games, online video lecture clips, mobile collaborative discussion forum and a case bank. A preliminary evaluation was conducted with students and professionals experienced in developing e-learning systems to understand the usability of the platform from users’ and professional views.

Results:
80 questionnaires from 2nd year PT students in 2018 were received with 100% response rate. Mean of overall impression of the platform is 6.43, SD=1.19. 70% agreed surgical videos on this platform help to visualize abstract knowledge about orthopaedics and traumatology of spine (median=2, range=2-4), 66% agreed it is better to adopt 3D technologies rather than traditional lecture alone (median=2, range=2-4). 24 senior PT students from year 4 were included. 71% of them reported that 3D models and images put on the platform act as extra supplementary for them to learn (median=2, range=2-5), 67% agreed the interactive components can help to provide supplementary information to support future clinical placement (median=2, range=2-5). 10 professionals experienced in e-learning development were interviewed. 80% agreed it is better to use interactive technologies to visualize abstract contents to facilitate students’ studies whilst access to relevant knowledge is limited (median=2, range=2-5), 80% agreed 3D game helps to create an interactive mobile learning environment to teach procedural knowledge for assisting the learners to integrate related information (median=2, range=2-5).

Conclusion:
A mobile learning platform in this project provides a flexible, integrative and interactive learning environment to enhance students’ active learning instead of relying on mass lectures and written notes alone. It provides multi-dimensional learning experiences to assist students to acquire complex medical and surgical knowledge and skills without geographical limitation. This study provides practical insights from users’ and developers’ views for further development of an e-learning platform using mixed technologies to facilitate mobile and active learning for PT education.

Keywords:

Augmented reality, e-learning, hologram, interactive, m-learning, mobile, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, spine, traumatology, virtual reality, 3D.