Identifying and evaluating conceptual representations for auditory-enhanced interactive physics simulations

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic is a reason to revise traditional approaches to medical education. The disadvantage of online education is inability to train practical skills.PurposeTo evaluate the effectiveness of training students on an interactive pediatric simulator during distance learning.Patients and MethodsAn online survey was conducted during quarantine COVID-19 to clear out the attitude to distance learning of third-year students of the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (n = 150). During training the level of students’ motivation to learn decreased, and what is most important their practical skills deteriorated. Eighty-four out of 150 students had the effectiveness of their training on the multimedia simulator “Filatov. Pediatrics” analyzed.ResultsThe simulator reproduces clinical tasks using three-dimensional models of children of different ages and genders and has access to personal computers of students. The cases include imitation of a dialogue with a virtual patient, methods of physical examination, the appointment of laboratory and instrumental methods of research, treatment. The use of a pediatric simulator showed greater efficiency in mastering practical skills compared to a group of students who did not use the simulator in class. Summing up the results of the intermediate objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) on physical examination on dummies of the Simulation and Accreditation Center showed better results in the main group (n = 48) compared to the control (n = 36). The students who additionally studied on the simulator completed the tasks on the checklist on a cardiology dummy by 98.3 ± 1.5%. In the control group, the percentage of completed tasks was 94.3 ± 1.3 (p = 0.05). The OSCE for examining the respiratory system on an auscultative dummy revealed 97.3 ± 1.5 and 93.1 ± 1.4%, respectively (p = 0.05).ConclusionThe interactive pediatric simulator is a tool for mastering practical skills of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the use of which the OSCE results are significantly higher.

Epidemiological simulation models to be used primarily to augment the teaching of epidemiology to medical students and other individuals concerned with public health and control of epidemics are presented. Interactive simulations are used to expose students to ``realistic'' epidemic situations and permit them to experiment with various control strategies. Criteria by which simulations for such teaching purposes may be evaluated are proposed and operating simulations, MEASLES and INFLU, are described in detail. Information is provided regarding user experience with the above simulations.

Web-based learning environments have changed the traditional way of teaching to be more interactive and adaptive. However, there are challenges in making e-learning designs effective, aesthetically appealing and easy to use, and capable of improving learning outcomes and changing learning behaviors. This study investigates the influence of web-based learning environments on STEM education, focusing on the aesthetic appeal, user-friendliness and appropriateness of the visual design of mobile websites. The research objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of e-learning designs that include the incorporation of creativity, structured approaches, and evidence-based practices to improve learning outcomes and change learning behaviors. The research methodology involved literature analysis, content organization, and integration of interactive instructional design and multimedia elements. Merrill's Principles of First Instruction and the SAM Model were used as the basis of learning theory. Evaluation was conducted on modularity, scalability, codebase security, and user experience through navigation, intuitiveness, accessibility, and overall user happiness. The GUI design is accessible via PC/Laptop and Android and iOS-based mobile devices. The results show that comprehensive instructional design and the use of multimedia learning can improve learning outcomes. The integration of multimedia content such as videos, images, and interactive simulations within the web learning environment can increase engagement and facilitate effective learning. media experts and programming experts evaluated the visual and technical aspects of the website, providing recommendations to improve usability and performance. users also evaluate the website's ability to facilitate stem learning and report usability issues that could be improved. regular performance monitoring and testing, along with implementing best practices, can improve website quality and performance. fixing usability issues and improving website performance will provide a better learning experience for users.

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) with simulations represents a novel frontier in computational modeling, offering unprecedented opportunities to improve the realism, user experience, and analytical capabilities of simulated environments. This paper explores the synergistic potential of combining LLMs, such as GPT-4, with various types of simulations to create more dynamic, responsive, and intelligent systems. Beyond enhancing realism, LLMs can improve user engagement, provide advanced analysis of simulation data, act as consultants within interactive simulations, serve as active agents, assist in debriefing and decision-making processes, and even aid in the development of simulations.

This study evaluated the user experiences (UX) of stroke patients residing in the adaptive healing room (AHR) and compared them to the UX of patients residing in standard private rooms (SPRs). Healing environments in healthcare settings can promote patients' healing processes, outcomes, and psychological well-being. The AHR was designed as a healing environment for stroke patients and has been previously evaluated in laboratory settings. This study was the first to evaluate it in its intended context-a stroke rehabilitation unit. The UX of 10 patients residing in the AHR and 15 patients residing in SPRs were collected via structured interviews with a set of open-ended questions and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The AHR design features (orientation screen, skylight, and nature view) were rated positively by most patients. The skylight emerged as the least favorable. Responses to open-ended questions revealed that UX may be further improved if patients have more control over some of the settings (e.g., light intensity and nature views), and if the system allowed for more stimulation for patients at later stages of their recovery. Additionally, the results suggest that patients in the AHR have better UX than patients in the SPRs. The AHR has the potential to improve UX in the stroke rehabilitation unit. Patient feedback can be used to refine the AHR before carrying out clinical trials to assess the effect of the AHR on patient outcomes (e.g., sleep, mood, and length of stay) and stroke recovery.

This study uses a narrative qualitative research design to explore the role of math applications in the learning experiences of preservice mathematics teachers. Data were collected through interviews with 15 preservice mathematics teachers enrolled in a teacher education program in La Union. The study focused on how preservice mathematics teachers made use of these applications, the difficulties they faced, and the possibilities for incorporating such tools into their future professional practices. Findings revealed that participants utilized Geogebra, Photomath, Gauthmath, Mathway, and Khan Academy applications. These tools enhanced their understanding of mathematical concepts through visual representations, interactive simulations, and step-by-step problem-solving. However, participants encountered difficulties such as poor internet connectivity, subscription limitations, and unfamiliar interfaces. Preservice mathematics teachers intended to incorporate these tools into their future teaching to promote student engagement, an interactive environment, and a deeper understanding of mathematics. These findings support integrating educational technology training among preservice mathematics teachers and highlight the role of digital tools in shaping 21st-century mathematics education. The study emphasizes equipping future educators with the necessary competencies to integrate technology into mathematics education effectively.

Information technology is playing an increasingly important role in education, particularly in subjects that require visual representation, such as Science and Social Studies at the elementary level. This study evaluates the current application of Gizmos interactive simulations in teaching science and social studies - 3rd grade at selected elementary schools in Vietnam. Through a survey of 57 primary school teachers, the study analyzes the extent of usage, benefits, challenges, and potential solutions to enhance the effectiveness of this tool.The findings reveal that while most teachers are inclined to integrate technology into their teaching, the use of interactive simulations remains limited. The primary challenges include language barriers, a lack of detailed instructional guidance, and insufficient infrastructure. Nevertheless, the majority of teachers recognize the potential of Gizmos interactive simulations to enhance teaching effectiveness through their interactive and visually engaging nature. Based on these findings, the study proposes several strategies to promote the adoption of Gizmos interactive simulations in elementary education, contributing to the overall improvement of teaching quality in the context of comprehensive educational reform. These insights not only provide an overview of the current use of interactive simulations in elementary instruction but also offer practical solutions to optimize their implementation, helping teachers more easily access modern educational technology.

Background: A multimedia software designed as a Computer-Assisted Scaffolding system was used to teach gas behavior on the submicroscopic level using Physics Education Technology Project (PhET) simulation. PhET is a set of interactive, research-based science and mathematics online simulations (https://phet.colorado.edu/). Purpose: The purpose was to investigate secondary school students’ perceptions of the simulation-based learning system and how it supported their cognitive processing of chemistry target concepts. Identifying its most (and least) helpful features and instructional strategies was also an objective of this study. Simulation-based learning system description: The Computer-Assisted Scaffolding system combined with the PhET simulation (Program) were meant to facilitate learners’ conceptual understanding of gas behavior on the submicroscopic level, which would serve as a foundation for learning gas laws on the macroscopic and symbolic level. Chemistry target concepts included causes for gas pressure, relationship between gas pressure and volume/temperature changes, and relationship between gas pressure and the number of particles. Sample: One hundred and fourteen secondary school students participated in this study as part of their science curriculum. Design and methods: Data on the students’ perceptions of the overall learning experience and specific Program features were collected and analyzed. Students responded to three open-ended questions and provided ratings of the Program features, such as pop-up explanations, images, model explorations, guiding questions, diagrams and feedback. They used a paper-based survey that was administered during the last 8 min of class. Results: The results provide preliminary evidence of the benefits of this approach in chemistry education. For instance, the changing variables in the simulation helped students understand gas behavior, the multiple images and working with the simulation lab helped students visualize gas behavior, and the design of the system made it easy for students to understand gas behavior on the submicroscopic level. Conclusions: The vast majority of the students reported a positive learning experience and described it as worth spending their time.

Among the ever growing available multimedia data, finding multimedia content which matches the current mood of users is a challenging problem. Choosing discriminative features for the representation of video segments is a key issue in designing video affective content analysis algorithms, where no dominant feature representation has emerged yet. Most existing affective content analysis methods either use low-level audio-visual features or generate hand-crafted higher level representations. In this work, we propose to use deep learning methods, in particular, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), in order to learn mid-level representations from automatically extracted raw features. We exploit only the audio modality in the current framework and employ Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) features in order to build higher level audio representations. We use the learned representations for the affective classification of music video clips. We choose multi-class support vector machines (SVMs) for classifying video clips into affective categories. Preliminary results on a subset of the DEAP dataset show that a significant improvement is obtained when we learn higher level representations instead of using low-level features directly for video affective content analysis. We plan to further extend this work and include visual modality as well. We will generate mid-level visual representations using CNNs and fuse these visual representations with mid-level audio representations both at feature- and decision-level for video affective content analysis.

BackgroundAs survival rates for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer improve, managing treatment-related side effects is increasingly important. Enhancing physical activity levels has been shown to be effective in reducing some of these effects. Digital interventions, such as mobile apps, offer engaging tools to promote physical activity in young populations.ObjectiveThis article introduces the “FORTEe Get Strong” app (Nurogames GmbH) and presents a formative evaluation of its acceptability among children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer.MethodsThe “FORTEe Get Strong” app was developed within the multicenter FORTEe trial. Grounded in behavior change theories, the app uses gamification to deliver a child-friendly platform promoting physical activity and health-related knowledge. An embedded mixed methods design, with qualitative insights contextualizing quantitative findings, was applied. User experience was assessed using a self-developed questionnaire combining Likert scale items (1‐5: “not at all satisfied” to “very satisfied,” 1‐3 for participants aged <8 y) and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially, including chi-square tests for differences in app usage by age, sex, and diagnosis, and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare app feature ratings between age groups. Free text responses underwent qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe app was published in May 2023; it integrates gamified features to teach health knowledge. Exercise videos address endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination, and gait. Feedback on user experience was provided by 53 patients aged 5‐19 years (mean 11.4, SD 3.8 years, 95% CI 10.4‐12.5; 27/53, 51% male). App use did not differ significantly by age groups (χ²3=5.1; P=.16; Cramer V=0.135), sex (χ²1=3.4; P=.06; φ=0.110), or diagnosis (P=.54; Cramer V=0.168). The app was generally well-received, with a mean Likert scale score of 4.14 (SD 1.04, 95% CI 3.84‐4.43). For individual components, mean scores ranged from 3.52 (SD 1.44, 95% CI 3.09‐3.95) for exercise content to 4.37 (SD 0.82, 95% CI 4.14‐4.60) for design. Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed no significant differences among age groups. Qualitative analysis identified key categories regarding overall app evaluation, specific features, target group perception, usability, and suggestions for improvement. While participants highlighted the app’s design and gamification, concerns arose regarding age-appropriateness, lack of supervision, and adaptability of exercises.ConclusionsThis study provides novel insights into user experience of children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer with a gamified exercise and health education app. Unlike previous studies focusing on survivorship, this evaluation offers a comprehensive understanding of how digital tools can support patients in maintaining physical activity during intensive treatment. Apps with interactive, gamified elements may complement clinical care by providing low-threshold access to exercise and health education. The findings advance the field by identifying key facilitators and barriers to engagement. Future research should assess adherence, behavioral outcomes, and effectiveness in larger samples to inform clinical implementation.

One of the major challenges of user experience (UX) design in autonomous driving (AD) is to investigate the emerging expectations and needs of future passengers. Working with foresight into future interactions requires interdisciplinary collaboration that enables new modes of working. In our everyday work and throughout the sound interaction design process, we are often challenged by the lack of exploratory methodologies for involving human insights early on in the sound interaction design process. This chapter draws on the interviews with experts in sound design and UX domains, the research project, Sound Interaction for Intelligent Cars (SIIC), as well as daily product development work at the Volvo Car Corporation (VCC) to address this gap. We characterise what we call the classic approach to sound interaction design and outline methodologies used at different stages of the design thinking process for generating and translating UX insights into sonic interaction solutions. By this, we broaden the way of practicing participatory sound UX for AD development and respond to the challenge by incorporating existing exploratory design research methodologies, such as sensory ethnography, soundwalk, co-creation, ideation, and rapid prototyping.KeywordsAutonomous drivingUser experienceSonic interaction designSensory ethnographyParticipatory designDesign thinking

Visualizations in interactive computer simulations are a powerful tool to help students develop productive mental models, particularly in the case of quantum phenomena that have no classical analogue. The QuVis Quantum Mechanics Visualization Project develops research-based interactive simulations for the learning and teaching of quantum mechanics. We describe efforts to refine the visual representation of a single-photon superposition state in the QuVis simulations. We developed various depictions of a photon incident on a beam splitter, and investigated their influence on student thinking through individual interviews. Outcomes from this study led to the incorporation of a revised visualization in all QuVis single-photon simulations. In-class trials in 2013 and 2014 using the Interferometer Experiments simulation in an introductory quantum physics course were used for a comparative study of the initial and revised visualizations. The class that used the revised visualization showed a lower frequency of incorrect ideas about quantum superposition, such as the photon splitting into two half-energy components.

Falls prevention education between older adults and healthcare providers during transition from hospital to community-living

The advent of deepfake technology has introduced transformative possibilities in marketing, reshaping consumer perceptions and engagement through hyper-realistic digital content. This book chapter examines the ethical dimensions and potential implications of deepfake applications in marketing, specifically focusing on their power to shape consumer perception. With the ability to create synthetic yet believable visual and audio representations, deepfakes have provided brands with innovative tools to captivate audiences and personalize experiences. However, this comes with ethical concerns, including risks of deception, manipulation, and consumer mistrust. This chapter explores both the opportunities and challenges posed by deepfake marketing, emphasizing the need for responsible practices to maintain transparency, authenticity, and consumer trust. It also discusses regulatory and policy considerations, proposing ethical frameworks to guide marketers in the responsible use of deepfake technology.

Intonation, rhythm, and general “melody” of language are among the first aspects of speech that infants attend to and produce themselves. Yet, these same features are among the last to be mastered by adult L2 learners. Why is this, and how can L2 learners be helped? This book first presents the latest linguistic theories of intonation, in particular, how intonation functions in discourse not only to signal sentence types and attitudinal meanings but also to provide turn-taking and other conversational cues. The second part of the book examines the research in applied linguistics on the acquisition of L2 phonology and intonation. The third section offers practical applications of how to incorporate the teaching of intonation into L2 instruction, with a focus on using new speech technologies. The accompanying CD-ROM makes a unique addition in allowing for simultaneous audio playback and visual display of the pitch contours of utterances contained in the book. Users can start or stop the playback at any point in the utterance and can observe first-hand how such visual and audio representations could be useful for L2 learners.