Cytology and Hematology Diagnostic Services, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, Coimbra, Portugal.
Reprod Domest Anim. 2023 Sep;58(9):1279-1288. doi: 10.1111/rda.14431. Epub 2023 Jul 19.
Vaginal cytology (VC) is an essential technique for monitoring the bitch's estrus cycle. Currently, animal-free teaching methodologies have not been investigated for VC. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate an immersive simulation with a VC model and augmented reality tools. Students (n = 219) from four universities were enrolled, having learning stations with models for practising VC that provided immediate feedback on the technique. Augmented reality tools comprised QR codes that endorsed students to short videos of owners' avatars reporting the clinical reproductive story of the simulated animals and slides with QR codes leading to microscopy slide navigation videos. Proestrus, estrus, diestrus, anestrus and vaginitis were identified in the learning stations. The students' perceptions were evaluated through questionnaires assessing satisfaction, motivation, confidence, impact on learning and diagnostic accuracy. Before the immersive simulation, students had no experience with VC, being afraid of doing a VC with a live dog. Almost all the students considered practicing VC as essential and 94% reported that repeating the procedure (>2 times) was the most important parameter for learning. The simulation activity lasted ≈3 h and significantly improved the confidence of students, being less afraid of doing a VC in a live animal. Slide navigation videos improved the diagnostic accuracy of the estrus cycle stage, and students diagnosed the estrus and vaginitis cases more accurately. The immersive simulation strategy allowed repeated practice in a safe, motivated and standardized environment, being appraised by students as an essential strategy for learning VC.
阴道细胞学（VC）是监测母犬发情周期的一项基本技术。目前，尚未针对 VC 进行无动物教学方法的研究。因此，本研究旨在评估一种使用阴道细胞学模型和增强现实工具的沉浸式模拟。来自四所大学的 219 名学生参加了学习站，这些学习站配备了阴道细胞学模型，可提供有关技术的即时反馈。增强现实工具包括 QR 码，可引导学生观看模拟动物的主人化身报告临床生殖故事的短视频以及幻灯片，其中的 QR 码可引导观看显微镜载玻片导航视频。在学习站中可以识别出发情前期、发情期、发情后期、乏情期和阴道炎。通过评估学生对满意度、动机、信心、学习影响和诊断准确性的问卷来评估学生的感知。在沉浸式模拟之前，学生没有阴道细胞学的经验，并且害怕对活体狗进行阴道细胞学检查。几乎所有的学生都认为进行阴道细胞学检查是必不可少的，94%的学生报告说重复该程序（>2 次）是学习的最重要参数。模拟活动持续了约 3 小时，极大地增强了学生的信心，使他们在活体动物中进行阴道细胞学检查时不再害怕。幻灯片导航视频提高了发情周期阶段的诊断准确性，学生对发情和阴道炎病例的诊断更为准确。沉浸式模拟策略允许在安全、有动力和标准化的环境中进行重复练习，学生认为这是学习阴道细胞学的重要策略。
