Impacts of Immersive Virtual Reality (iHealthEd-IVR) and a Mobile Online Game (V-Care) on Interprofessional Education

NCT07474701 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20240827002
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 271
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomised controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of IVR and game-based learning in Interprofessional education (IPE), with significant implications for IPE delivery. The main question it aims to answer is: Does IVR or game-based learning enhance students' interprofessional competencies and learning outcomes in IPE? Which modalities optimise the educational effectiveness for IPE implementation among healthcare students between IVR and game-based learning? Researchers will compare the effectiveness of both IVR training and a mobile gaming platform and identify the optimal modality for IPE implementation. Participants will be randomly assigned to 2 groups: the IVR group that received a one-week IPE training with Immersive Virtual Reality (iHealthEd-IVR); the web-based group that received a one-week IPE training with a web-based serious game (V-Care).

Conditions

Interprofessional Education; Serious Games

Keywords

Virtual Reality; Undergraduate Health Care education; Serious games; Interprofessional Education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI)

  The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) is a multidimensional measure used to assess participants' subjective experience related to a target activity in laboratory experiments. The IMI evaluates several subscales, including interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort, value/usefulness, pressure/tension, perceived choice, and relatedness. The interest/enjoyment subscale is considered the self-report measure of intrinsic motivation, while perceived choice and perceived competence are theorized to be positive predictors, and pressure/tension a negative predictor, of intrinsic motivation. The IMI consisted of 18 items scored on a Likert scale from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). The overall IMI scale had strong internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of .85.

  From baseline to the end of the intervention period at 2 weeks

• Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS)

  The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was used to measure the "readiness" of healthcare students for shared IP learning. The RIPLS comprised a 19-item, 3-factor scale assessing students' perceptions of: 1) teamwork and collaboration, 2) professional identity, and 3) professional roles and responsibilities. The RIPLS uses a 5-point Likert scale for responses, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Overall, higher total and subscale scores on the RIPLS would demonstrate greater "readiness" and more positive perceptions towards the value of IPE and collaborative practice among healthcare students. The overall RIPLS scale demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability (α = 0.90).

  From baseline to the end of the intervention period at 2 weeks

• Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS)

  The Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) is an 8-item scale designed to measure the dimensions of sense of community as defined by the McMillan and Chavis model. The BSCS includes items representing the four dimensions of needs fulfillment, group membership, influence, and emotional connection. Participants responded to the BSCS items using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). A higher score on the BSCS indicates a stronger sense of community. The BSCS demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach's alpha of .92.

  From baseline to the end of the intervention period at 2 weeks

• Multiple choice questions (MCQs)

  Multiple choice questions (MCQs) were developed as a measure of student learning outcome on the knowledge of IPE. The questions and answers were collaboratively developed by academics from nursing and rehabilitation sciences.

  From baseline to the end of the intervention period at 2 weeks

• Face-to-face semi-structured focus group interviews

  To ensure representativeness and comprehensiveness of the qualitative data, participants will be recruited using stratified purposive sampling based on characteristics relevant to their learning experiences, such as field and year of study. The focus group will begin with a guiding question: "What was your IPE learning experience?" Participants will then discuss how the experience impacted their studies, elements they liked or disliked, and skills, knowledge, and benefits gained. Four face-to-face focus groups typically suffice to reach data saturation, and each session lasted approximately 60 minutes on average

  After the completion of all the IPE learning activities or the two modalities at 5 weeks

Study Arms (2)

IVR group

EXPERIMENTAL

The IVR group received a one-week IPE training with Immersive Virtual Reality (iHealthEd-IVR).

Other: IVR group

web-based group

EXPERIMENTAL

The web-based group received a one-week IPE training with a web-based serious game (V-Care).

Other: web-based group

Interventions

IVR group OTHER

a one-week IPE training with Immersive Virtual Reality (iHealthEd-IVR) training for healthcare students, which is embedded in the course

IVR group

web-based group OTHER

a one-week IPE training with a web-based serious game (V-Care) training for healthcare students, which is embedded in the course

web-based group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Either undergraduate and pre-registration master's nursing students from the School of Nursing or undergraduate physiotherapists from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Enrolled nursing subject (SN 402/5012) for nursing students
• Physiotherapy students who will earn practicum hours by participating

You may not qualify if:

• A student who refused to sign the consent form while enrolled in the subject in which the program is embedded as the course element.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (16)

• Reeves, S. and H. Barr, Twelve steps to evaluating interprofessional education. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 2016. 11(6): p. 601-605.

  BACKGROUND

• Fijačko, N., et al., Gamification in nursing. Obzornik zdravstvene nege, 2020. 54(2): p. 133-152. 9. Castro, T.C. and L.S. Gonçalves, The use of gamification to teach in the nursing field. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 2018. 71.

  BACKGROUND

• Sailer, M. and L. Homner, The Gamification of Learning: a Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 2020. 32(1): p. 77-112.

  BACKGROUND

• Zainuddin, Z., et al., The impact of gamification on learning and instruction: A systematic review of empirical evidence. Educational Research Review, 2020. 30: p. 100326.

  BACKGROUND

• Braun, V. and V. Clarke, Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 2006. 3(2): p. 77-101.

  BACKGROUND

• Patton, M.Q., Two Decades of Developments in Qualitative Inquiry:A Personal, Experiential Perspective. Qualitative Social Work, 2002. 1(3): p. 261-283.

  BACKGROUND

• Peterson, N.A., P.W. Speer, and D.W. McMillan, Validation of a Brief Sense of Community Scale: Confirmation of the principal theory of sense of community. 2008, John Wiley & Sons: US. p. 61-73.

  BACKGROUND

• McMillan, D.W. and D.M. Chavis, Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 1986. 14(1): p. 6-23.

  BACKGROUND

• McAuley E, Duncan T, Tammen VV. Psychometric properties of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory in a competitive sport setting: a confirmatory factor analysis. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1989 Mar;60(1):48-58. doi: 10.1080/02701367.1989.10607413.

  PMID: 2489825 BACKGROUND

• Hennink MM, Kaiser BN, Weber MB. What Influences Saturation? Estimating Sample Sizes in Focus Group Research. Qual Health Res. 2019 Aug;29(10):1483-1496. doi: 10.1177/1049732318821692. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

  PMID: 30628545 BACKGROUND

• Fusco NM, Foltz-Ramos K, Ohtake PJ, Mann C. Interprofessional Simulation Learning Game Increases Socialization and Teamwork Among Students of Health Professions Programs. Nurse Educ. 2024 Jan-Feb 01;49(1):E32-E35. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001341. Epub 2022 Dec 8.

  PMID: 36729868 BACKGROUND

• Joseph AR, Wright VM, Watkins SM, Goddard SE, Mast DD. Evaluation of the Performance of a Card Game to Introduce Students to Interprofessional Collaboration: A Randomized 2-Group Comparison Study. Nurse Educ. 2024 Jul-Aug 01;49(4):206-211. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001594. Epub 2023 Dec 25.

  PMID: 38150821 BACKGROUND

• Liaw SY, Soh SL, Tan KK, Wu LT, Yap J, Chow YL, Lau TC, Lim WS, Tan SC, Choo H, Wong LL, Lim SM, Ignacio J, Wong LF. Design and evaluation of a 3D virtual environment for collaborative learning in interprofessional team care delivery. Nurse Educ Today. 2019 Oct;81:64-71. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2019.06.012. Epub 2019 Jul 2.

  PMID: 31330404 BACKGROUND

• Taylor S, Bobba S, Roome S, Ahmadzai M, Tran D, Vickers D, Bhatti M, De Silva D, Dunstan L, Falconer R, Kaur H, Kitson J, Patel J, Shulruf B. Simulated patient and role play methodologies for communication skills training in an undergraduate medical program: Randomized, crossover trial. Educ Health (Abingdon). 2018 Jan-Apr;31(1):10-16. doi: 10.4103/1357-6283.239040.

  PMID: 30117467 BACKGROUND

• Qiao J, Xu J, Li L, Ouyang YQ. The integration of immersive virtual reality simulation in interprofessional education: A scoping review. Nurse Educ Today. 2021 Mar;98:104773. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104773. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

  PMID: 33497990 BACKGROUND

• Parsell G, Bligh J. The development of a questionnaire to assess the readiness of health care students for interprofessional learning (RIPLS). Med Educ. 1999 Feb;33(2):95-100. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2923.1999.00298.x.

  PMID: 10211258 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Justina Liu, PhD

  School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Head (Education) & Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Posted: March 16, 2026
• Study Start: September 2, 2024
• Primary Completion: October 31, 2024
• Study Completion: November 30, 2024
• Last Updated: March 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)