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Use of Clinical Simulation to Enhance Situated Learning in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The continuity of practical training in health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic required teaching strategies supported by digital technologies and clinical simulation environments. In this context, high-fidelity simulation emerged as an effective alternative to enhance situated learning for students in the Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Technology program at Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD), particularly in the Clinical Practice III course. The experience used simulated workstations and virtual reality software designed for computed tomography procedures, recreating clinical scenarios relevant to professional practice.
The strategy incorporated guided modeling activities and test-mode assessments, promoting the progressive development of competencies in patient care, diagnostic equipment operation, scan parameter selection, and image quality control. The use of simulators also strengthened immediate feedback, autonomous learning, and meaningful knowledge acquisition, while mitigating the limitations caused by the suspension of in-person clinical rotations and the risks of ionizing radiation exposure.
Results demonstrated high rates of learning-outcome achievement and pass rates comparable to those obtained in on-site clinical rotations. The experience enabled the integration of curricular and methodological innovations into the program’s practical component, consolidating clinical simulation as a support tool for health education mediated by digital technologies and virtual learning environments.
