Frequently Used Conceptual Frameworks and Design Principles for Extended Reality in Health Professions Education

Med Sci Educ. 2022 Sep 9;32(6):1587-1595. doi: 10.1007/s40670-022-01620-y. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Health professions education (HPE) has witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of extended reality (XR), but there is limited evidence that conceptual frameworks are being effectively employed in the design and implementation of XR. This paper introduces commonly utilized conceptual frameworks that can support the integration of XR into the learning process and design principles that can be helpful for the development and evaluation of XR educational applications. Each framework and design principle is summarized briefly, followed by a description of its applicability to XR for HPE and an example of such application.

Keywords: Augmented reality; Conceptual frameworks; Design principles; Extended reality; Health professions education; Virtual reality.