10,571 research outputs found
Occupational therapistsâ views of using a virtual reality interior design application within the pre-discharge home visit process
This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Background: A key role of Occupational Therapists (OTs) is to carry out pre-discharge home visits (PHV) and propose appropriate adaptations to the home environment, to enable patients to function independently after hospital-home discharge. However, research shows that more than 50% of specialist equipment installed as part of home adaptations is not used by patients. A key reason for this is that decisions about home adaptations are often made without adequate collaboration and consultation with the patient. Consequently, there is an urgent need to seek out new and innovative uses of technology to facilitate patient/practitioner collaboration, engagement and shared decision making in the PHV process. Virtual reality interior design applications (VRIDAs) primarily allow users to simulate the home environment and visualise changes prior to implementing them. Customised VRIDAs, which also model specialist occupational therapy equipment, could become a valuable tool to facilitate improved patient/practitioner collaboration if developed effectively and integrated into the PHV process. Objective: To explore the perceptions of occupational therapists with regards to using VRIDAs as an assistive tool within the PHV process. Methods: Task-oriented interactive usability sessions, utilising the think-aloud protocol and subsequent semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven Occupational Therapists who possessed significant experience across a range of clinical settings. Template analysis was carried out on the think-aloud and interview data. Analysis was both inductive and driven by theory, centring around the parameters that impact upon the acceptance, adoption and use of this technology in practice as indicated by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results: OTsâ perceptions were identified relating to three core themes: (1) perceived usefulness (PU), (2) perceived ease of use (PEoU), and (3) actual use (AU). Regarding PU, OTs believed VRIDAs had promising potential to increase understanding, enrich communications and patient involvement, and improved patient/practitioner shared understanding. However, it was unlikely that VRIDAs would be suitable for use with cognitively impaired patients. For PEoU, all OTs were able to use the software and complete the tasks successfully, however, participants noted numerous specialist equipment items that could be added to the furniture library. AU perceptions were positive regarding use of the application across a range of clinical settings including children/young adults, long-term conditions, neurology, older adults, and social services. However, some âfine tuningâ may be necessary if the application is to be optimally used in practice. Conclusions: Participants perceived the use of VRIDAs in practice would enhance levels of patient/practitioner collaboration and provide a much needed mechanism via which patients are empowered to become more equal partners in decisions made about their care. Further research is needed to explore patient perceptions of VRIDAs, to make necessary customisations accordingly, and to explore deployment of the application in a collaborative patient/practitioner-based context
Building sustainable learning environments that are âfit for the futureâ with reference to Egypt
Perhaps there is no building type that has a more significant impact on our lives than the
Kindergarten to high School (K-12). We continue to carry the memories of our early learning
environments through the residue of our lives. It is the quality of those learning environments that
play a crucial role in enhancing or hampering our learning experience.
Learning spaces are complex spaces where the collective skills, knowledge, and practices of a
culture are taught, shaped, encouraged, and transmitted. Comfortable/safe and creative learning
spaces can inspire and motivate users, while ugly/unsafe spaces can oppress. Based on these two
attitudes, the aims of this paper are to; firstly, developing Sustainable learning environments (SLE)
in the Middle-East countries with reference to Egypt. Secondly, to reviewing and extending the
planning and design of the internal, external and landscaping features of a proposed eco-class to
collectively pass to the learners for enhancing the quality of learning space and thus education.
After the Egyptian Revolution on the 25th of January, 2011 and the hopes and dreams this brings
with it, for a major transformation in all life sectors, the Egyptian government needs to recognise
the right of children and young people to learn in an environment which is safe, healthy and
achieves the highest quality possible. We must all be committed to improving the quality,
attractiveness and health of the learning and communal spaces in our schools. Environmental
factors have significant effects on pupil and teacher wellbeing. In contrast, poor school and
classroom design can affect concentration, creativity and general well-being; in addition, poor
quality lighting, ventilation, acoustics and furniture all have a negative effect on student
achievement and health.
Nowadays, Egypt endure deterioration of education quality as a result of deficient learning spaces,
high number of pupils in class, insufficient governmental expenditure and funding, and lack of
proper research in education developmental strategies. Therefore, new learning spaces should be
able to increase flexibility in order to support hands-on and outside-class learning activities.
Furthermore, they intend to encourage extra-curricula activities beyond conventional learning times.
Currently, these integral learning-components are crucial for socio-cultural sustainability and
positive initiatives towards minimizing recent educational underachievement. Undoubtedly,
comfortable, safe and creative learning spaces can inspire and motivate users, while ugly/unsafe
spaces can depress. Therefore, well-designed learning spaces are able to support creative,
productive and efficient learning processes on one hand. On the other hand, ecological design
measures became increasingly major keystone for modern sustainable learning-spaces. Thus,
learning-spacesâ design process, form, components, materials, features, and energy-saving
technologies can generate well-educated, environmental-literate, energy-conscious, and innovative
future-generations. (Continued
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