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Speech Pathology 2030 - making futures happen
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Leading the way...
Curtin University in Western
Australia in collaboration with
Citrine Technologies in Atlanta, has
developed virtual learning technology
to train students and health care
workers in the development of
fundamental communication and
interpersonal skills.
The current virtual learning education
tool is a life-like computer-simulated
“avatar” of an elderly Australian
gentleman with dementia. This
Empathy Simulator, is a computer-
based program featuring an avatar
character named “Jim”, which has
been developed to address the
demands of education and health
care provision. “Jim”, a virtual client,
provides a cost-effective way for
students to practise and master
essential interpersonal and rapport-
building clinical skills before they
work with real clients. The simulator
challenges students to manage
complex scenarios, such as putting
the client at ease, delivering bad
news and managing clients who
are agitated, confused, or feeling
depressed.
Initially, the “avatar” is controlled by
a clinical educator who chooses its
responses based on the student’s
verbal and non-verbal behaviours.
This interaction between the student
and ‘Jim’ is recorded for reflection
and feedback so that the student
is supported and educated with
increasing levels of independent
responsibility in their management
of challenging communications.
Such training provides standard
experiences for all students with the
opportunity for repeated practice in
a safe environment. The aim is for
the student to achieve competence
before having real-life interactions
with the general public.
The training scenarios and the
responses of the avatar have
been designed by a team of
international researchers with over
30 years combined experience
in psychology, communication,
behaviour management and software
design. A recent collaborative study
investigated undergraduate speech
pathology students’ self-rated
communication skills, knowledge,
confidence and empathy across
simulated and traditional learning
environments. Research results
showed that students found the
avatar to be more challenging to
communicate with than human
patients and they generally had to
work harder to build rapport in this
virtual clinical exchange. However,
in terms of a learning experience,
the students felt that they learned as
much if not more because the virtual
scenario was safe, confidential and
allowed for repeated practice.
The next development for the
Empathy Simulator in the future will
include voice recognition software to
allow “Jim” to respond automatically
to the student without clinical
educator guidance. The potential for
clinical avatars, extends well beyond
the health care system, because
although the virtual environment is
not real, it creates a real learning
experience for students.
Virtual learning technology – School of Psychology and Speech
Pathology, Curtin University, Western Australia