Developing autonomous learning in first year university students using perspectives from positive psychology

Autonomous learning is a commonly occurring learning outcome from university study, and it is argued that students require confidence in their own abilities to achieve this. Using approaches from positive psychology, this study aimed to develop confidence in first‐year university students to facilitate autonomous learning. Psychological character strengths were assessed in 214 students on day one at university. Two weeks later their top three strengths were given to them in study skills modules as part of a psycho‐educational intervention designed to increase their self‐efficacy and self‐esteem. The impact of the intervention was assessed against a control group of 40 students who had not received the intervention. The results suggested that students were more confident after the intervention, and that levels of autonomous learning increased significantly compared to the controls. Character strengths were found to be associated with self‐efficacy, self‐esteem and autonomous learning in ways that were theoretically meaningful

A Novel Approach to CT Scans’ Interpretation via Incorporation into a VR Human Model

This paper presents a novel approach for interpretation of Computerised-Tomography (CT) scans. The proposed system entails an automated transfer of selected CT scans onto a derfault Virtual Reality human model. Contemporary training requirements often are proven to be time-consuming for the clinical facilities which have to split unevenly their operational time between radiological examinations and the Radiologists' training. Adhering to the contemporary training requirements we employed a plethora of VR and Human-computer Interaction techniques in order to enable the trainees to familiarise themselves with the interpretation of such data and their actual, spatial correlation inside the human body. Overall the paper presents the challenges involved in the development of this method and examines the potential as well as the drawbacks for deployment of such system in large scale teaching audience. Finally the paper discusses the results of an initial user-trial, which involved twelve trainee doctors, and offers a tentative plan of future work which aspires to customise the software for different learning levels