Learner attitudes towards a virtual microbiology simulation for pharmacy student education

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Medical Simulation
• Microbiology Training

Background:

• Technology-enhanced learning is increasingly popular in education.
• Learner attitudes are crucial for evaluating educational technology effectiveness.
• Student-perceived benefits often outweigh specific medium characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate pharmacy students' attitudes towards a virtual microbiology simulation.
• To compare the virtual simulation with a traditional wet laboratory experience.

Main Methods:

• A virtual microbiology simulation (VUMIE) was compared to a traditional wet laboratory.
• Surveys were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and endpoint.
• Statistical and qualitative thematic analyses were conducted.

Main Results:

• Students perceived the virtual simulation as valuable.
• Technology-enhanced learning can partially replace face-to-face instruction.
• A higher preference was reported for the traditional wet laboratory over VUMIE.

Conclusions:

• Virtual microbiology simulations offer comparable learning experiences to traditional wet labs.
• Current evidence is insufficient to completely replace traditional labs in clinical courses.
• Simulations are suitable for just-in-time training, skill acquisition, and standardized assessment.