Towards an Integrated Online Learning System for Microscopic Pathology: Two Teaching Examples

Kainulainen, M; Helle, L; Kronqvist, P; Vincken, K; Pawelka, F; Korpinen, K; de Leng, B

Abstract

Microscopy is an essential basis for exploring and understanding pathological disease mechanisms. As a discipline, pathology is highly dependent on visual imaging technologies. Currently, digital pathology is a standard method with special advantages in both clinical histopathological diagnostics as well as the education of (undergraduate and postgraduate) medical students and pathology residents. However, to date, the available digital applications lack features to optimally support online collaborative learning and teaching of histopathology, such as possibilities for learners to individually perform tasks (eg annotate) on digital slides, opportunities for groups to reflect on their work and to receive feedback from more knowledgeable peers or supervisors. Such shortcomings have recently become more imminent, due to shifts toward more online learning in pathology education. Therefore, the cLovid (collaborative learning of viewing and decision-making skills) project set out to build an integrated online learning system featuring• an open-source webmicroscope (an extension to the OMERO viewer) with enhanced features for annotating whole-slide images, allowing integration with assessment and feedback software;• an online assessment software—eg, VQuest, in our design—for constructing assignments using various types of responses (eg marker questions, which are ideal for visual domains), suitable for developing image interpretation skills through active learning with large images.