Video Assisted Clinical Instruction in Dentistry
Project Overview
ITS-Instructional Services is working with the College of Dentistry’s Department of Periodontics to augment their Video Camera Project. Funded by the Center for Teaching and the Department of Periodontics, the Video Camera Project was completed in January, 2006. The project funded the purchase of an audiovisual setup, including a ceiling-mounted video camera with a remote-controlled zoom lens and a video monitor, to record live clinical procedures and transmit them to a remote audience.
Shortly after the completion of the Video Camera Project ITS-Instructional Services began working with Dr. Ali Fakhry to develop an application to organize and deliver a collection of videos in the College of Dentistry. A prototype is now ready for Dr. Fakhry to use. The prototype consists of a web-enabled Filemaker Pro database that is used to catalog videos and an application developed using Flash that allows students to search the catalog and play back videos.
To ensure that a solution is developed that will meet the College of Dentistry’s needs we have worked in close cooperation with stakeholders. Further development will be needed as more input is provided by the stakeholders.
Video System
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This system improves real time visualization of procedures and provides real time feedback to students. Two-way audio capability allows for live interactions between the operator and the audience. The setup provides a more hands-on approach, exposing students to a variety of periodontal procedures and enhancing clinical dental education. Video is archived to DVD that enables the video to be delivered in a variety of ways that include:
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Asset Management
The capability for students and faculty to have access to a large amount of teaching resources is a key step towards making educational institutions more efficient and effective. Because of this, asset management systems are becoming commonplace. Digital Asset Management systems act as a library of teaching resources that are individually described in a useful way. This description is commonly called "meta data". Meta data is simply data that describes data. A search engine can then search the meta data and more efficiently find the correct asset. Providing a larger selection of more appropriate teaching content to instructors, is likely to improve overall instructional effectiveness.
However, there exist several roadblocks in developing collections of assets. An asset management tool needs to walk a precarious line. On one side it cannot be too broad in scope in that it does not address critical needs of various disciplines. On the other side it must not be too narrow in addressing only one discipline. The VACID Data Base solution has attempted to provide a flexible solution so that in the future it can serve the entire college in addition to one department.
Student Survey
A student survey was conducted to determine the students’ preference between the traditional method of observing clinical procedures and an observational method relying on video.
Search Engine and Database
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| Written using Flash 8, the search engine searches a Filemaker Pro 8 database using meta data defined for periodontics. Search criteria are based on selections within lists. Granularity is determined by the number search criteria selected. As the number of search criteria grows the more specific a search becomes. Search results are displayed on the bottom left. To view the video, users can select search results. Thumbnail-sized video is streamed from a Flash Media Server and full screen versions are streamed using a WindowMedia Server. |
