Scaffolding collaboration in simulated medical emergencies

Abstract

Emergency medicine requires physicians to use their knowledge, experience and skills to diagnose life-threatening conditions under conditions of uncertainty. The "deteriorating patient" (DP) simulation was created as a role play activity integrating the cognitive and social dimensions of emergency medicine. This case study of classroom use of the DP simulation examines teacher scaffolding of collaborative problem solving under two conditions: with and without technological support. The teacher was found to use different strategies by playing different roles in different situations. Under the technological support condition the teacher broadened his support by creating scaffolding strategies based on what students recorded and shared while using technology. This investigation has implications for the design of computer-based learning environments to train medical decision-making. The diverse discourse functions and scaffolding strategies associated with the different roles can be used to design environments that are more authentic, compelling, and effective.