title: Reification of abstract concepts to improve comprehension using interactive virtual environments and a knowledge-based design: a renal physiology model.
abstract: Several abstract concepts in medical education are difficult to teach and comprehend. In order to address this challenge, we have been applying the approach of reification of abstract concepts using interactive virtual environments and a knowledge-based design. Reification is the process of making abstract concepts and events, beyond the realm of direct human experience, concrete and accessible to teachers and learners. Entering virtual worlds and simulations not otherwise easily accessible provides an opportunity to create, study, and evaluate the emergence of knowledge and comprehension from the direct interaction of learners with otherwise complex abstract ideas and principles by bringing them to life. Using a knowledge-based design process and appropriate subject matter experts, knowledge structure methods are applied in order to prioritize, characterize important relationships, and create a concept map that can be integrated into the reified models that are subsequently developed. Applying these principles, our interdisciplinary team has been developing a reified model of the nephron into which important physiologic functions can be integrated and rendered into a three dimensional virtual environment called Flatland, a virtual environments development software tool, within which a learners can interact using off-the-shelf hardware. The nephron model can be driven dynamically by a rules-based artificial intelligence engine, applying the rules and concepts developed in conjunction with the subject matter experts. In the future, the nephron model can be used to interactively demonstrate a number of physiologic principles or a variety of pathological processes that may be difficult to teach and understand. In addition, this approach to reification can be applied to a host of other physiologic and pathological concepts in other systems. These methods will require further evaluation to determine their impact and role in learning.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Dale C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Alverson
authors.forename: Stanley M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Saiki
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Caudell
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saland
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Colleran
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Danielson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerilli
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Randall
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norenberg
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shuster
authors.lastname: Panaoitis
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holten
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Vergera
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherstyuk
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kihmm
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.forename: Kin Lik
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D032882:Comprehension; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface