One recent treatment that has been used with individuals with TBI is virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) applications “allow the user to interact with, and become immersed in,
a computer-generated environment that simulates a real world environment.” As of right now, there is little research to support the success of virtual reality in treating TBI, but there is much anticipation that virtual reality will be a successful way of achieving positive outcomes in patients with TBI. Some of these outcomes include: assessing level of functioning in real-life situations, and being trained with consistent repetitions. For more information on this topic, please see sections 1, 3, 4, and 5 of this article. It discusses some of the benefits and potential issues concerning this treatment option. Do you think that virtual reality is a viable option for those with TBI?
Our group feels that because there have been so many advances in technology, virtual reality treatments will soon become an option that is affordable and very helpful to those with TBI. As technology becomes more advanced, virtual reality may certainly allow for great advances in the treatment of TBI, and could lead to vast improvements in the cognitive and life skills areas of a student with TBI. Although there still needs to be a lot of research done on this particular treatment option, we feel that it is certainly something that needs to be further studied in order to fully tap its potential as a treatment for those individuals with TBI.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think virtual reality is a great option granted that there is generalization outside of virtual reality for people with TBI.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a good option as the person with TBI could practice with virtual reality without the possibility of harming themselves in situations like crossing the street or cooking food where there is really not a lot of room for error.
I think it would be important though to seek this generalization though, because as the article said: "it could create a sense of an augmented reality."
How amazing is Virtual Reality? I find it truly fascinating and find it to be a great instrument in helping individuals with TBI. Furthermore, I think that it could be a beneficial instrument for more than just individuals with TBI and doctors who are getting ready to perform surgery. Could you imagine having the VR instrument to teach our future students how to cross the street, cook something in the kitchen, how to engage in a conversation appropriately, without the risk of them injuring themselves or getting embarrassed when they didn’t converse the right way. I just think that is would be Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI don't really like computers and TVs and microwaves and cameras and social networking sites and internet...for a means of learning. I think that they are all great technologies that can be used to positively influence those with disabilities, but should not be the sole means of educating anyone, especially someone with a disability. It should be used in conjunction with real human interaction and other mediums of teaching. I guess I just don't like the virtual reality thing because it reminds me of 1984 Big Brother-ness. I think it deviates education from reality if it it used as a primary technology or even pedagogy. A virtual reality would be a great place to hide, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I think, as I think with many technologies, that this use of virtual realities could be very beneficial to those with TBI and/or other disorders if it is used in moderation.
Isn't technology amazing? It's amazing what's available these days and what we can do. However, I do agree with Britany- in moderation. I think that VR for people with TBI could be very beneficial, and can allow them to have a safe environment to learn and provides opportunites for learning when the therapist is not available. However I don't think it should be the only way. I liked what Autumn said about generalization. I think VR can be beneficial as long as it is not taking over real human interaction. I don't think anything can really replace that.
ReplyDeleteIts crazy to see the different ways we come up with technology to help give people more scenarios or real life situations they will have. I think that of course its always going to be a great idea to do anything in moderation and of course we are going to want to generalize these real life skills. One article I read gave a VR scenarios for daily living skills. I think that for those that maybe dont have every minute the opportunity to experience these real life situations, their down time could be used orienting themselves with the VR and then having a goal to practice it in real life. I think that for those that need repetition in the beginning it seems like a great idea as long as you arent so dependant on a VR machine and not wanting to generalize. But I guess its like any therapy, it has to start somewhere. Not sure if its the very BEST idea but it seems like a good idea to test out as long as dependency is not the end product. But hey like any technology if it isnt working or not yielding the results, switch, change.
ReplyDeleteI think the low-risk aspect of virtual reality makes this very enticing. It can be used to do so much good! I am a big fan of moderation in all things though, and so I think virtual reality should be used as a supplement to therapy or for assessing. I like what Britany said about not letting virtual reality become a pedagogy. Nothing can replace human interaction, but I think there is something to be said of teaching high-risk activities using a low-risk technology.
ReplyDeleteI think that technology is amazing and i believe that virtual reality could be a fun and very helpful resource for those with TBI and maybe even other disabilities. i think that using VR is a great low-risk (like mentioned above) therapy and i think the possibilities are endless. you obviously would have to be careful about only using VR you would still want people to have real experiences but all in all i think it sounds fun and exciting.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite convinced that therapy in virtual reality would be any more effective than therapy in reality for general students with TBI. I don't think we should rush to use the most advanced technology just because we think it's cool or fun. However, in teaching some high-risk activities, it could be very helpful. If it can be cost-effectively offered to specific students who need it, I'm all for giving students a chance to try it, and monitoring the effectiveness of the intervention. If it works, keep using it. If not, try something else!
ReplyDeleteWow, technology never ceases to amaze me. It just baffles my mind all the inventions and what resources we have these days which people twenty years ago would not have thought about. Now there are things happening and being invented which we would not have thought about just five years ago. I think that the virtual reality thing would be a great resource for those with TBI. I think that it should be monitored and maybe limited some to make sure that it is not impairing learning in any way or becoming a crutch for those individuals. I do believe though, that it definately could be a great resource and help for those people.
ReplyDeleteVirtual Technology seems like a great way to help teach those with TBI. I don't think that it alone should be used, but in concert with other therapies I believe that it could help. Though outside experiences are vital they do also pose risk. The VR should be used and hopefully could be generalized into everyday life. If it works for some people then I see no reason why it should not be tried seeing as it does not pose risk to the individual. But it shouldn't be the only therapy used, the person should still have real-life experiences and real human contact.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting that the group previous who’s controversial issue was about television creating autism because virtual reality is very similar but has the opposite reactions. Television can also teach cognitive and life skills; but virtual reality technology includes more interaction and involvement so it is approved by more people. Though this technology is new and becoming less and less expensive, teachers and counselors must not forget that technology is not primary in teaching. It’s the use of the technology and the appropriateness to the situation that make technology effective, not just the existence and use of it.
ReplyDeleteI think the use of virtual reality on patients with disabilities is definitely something to look in to. There are so many things that our students could learn by using this technology. The article mentioned positives and negatives as far as the cerebral cortex is concerned, however, so that should be looked into more carefully. Overall, I really believe that Heavenly Father inspires certain people to create technologies for good, and if that is so, virtual reality for our students could be a very powerful teaching tool.
ReplyDeleteJust like we've seen in this class, there are many different types of technologies that can help different students. Here is one more to add to the bag of options. The students will have so many different and unique abilities and the more options we have the better. If this can be affordable, and it might work for someone, then awesome! It has to be more beneficial to them than if they didn't have it at all though. It would be easy to slip into thinking how cool it is and not focus on if it is the BEST option for the individual. I'm open to trying it, you never know how someone could react and if this is the step that could help them move onto something even better. I'm glad that we are not just sticking to the same pedagogies that have always been around. We need to keep trying new things, maybe this is the key for someone with TBI. It's worth a try.
ReplyDeleteI kind of have mixed emotions concerning using virtual reality to help individuals with TBI. I fully believe that in order to gain experience and learn from something you have to go directly to the source. With virtual reality, it’s as if one is ‘faking’ experience. On the other hand, I think it would also be a very good way of easing an individual with TBI into a real life experience without all the stress. It is very low risk and can do a lot of good. However, it concerns me that an individual using virtually reality to grow from might become so accustom to it that they are unable to function in the real setting. I’m all for giving it a chance. However, I feel that it needs to be monitored. A mix of using virtual reality and real life settings would probably be the most beneficial in my opinion. Overall, I am amazed at how incredible technology is! If used correctly, it could benefit and change many lives.
ReplyDeleteI believe virtual reality can be a great resource and could potentially really benefit those suffering from TBI. I would like to see more research and studies involving this technology when working with people with TBI. I also agree with the comments already made that this should not be the primary source of teaching. I like what Autumn said that when this technology is used it is critical to remember that incorporate generalization into it. Technology is such a wonderful tool and supplement to lessons, but we must remember we are the teachers not the technology we use.
ReplyDeleteI think that VR has great potential. It may be able to provide something to students with TBI that we as teachers cannot. It is important to look into various options, to keep an open mind, and to focus on our students and what is best for them.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that VR is not effective and efficient for students with TBI and it would definitely not be the best tool for every student. Like Corinne said, we should not run to the most exciting technology out there. It is probably very expensive; is it worth the cost? And like Michelle mentioned: "It’s the use of the technology and the appropriateness to the situation that make technology effective."
Since VR is still at the "forefront of research" as stated in the article,there is still not enough information to convince me of this treatment. However, I do think that it has great potential as Charisse stated above. I think that nowadays we have advanced technology which should be taken advantage of. Again, there is not enough information on this treatment right now of its effectiveness, but it is something that should be pursued and investigated more. I think this class we are in now, like Katie said earlier, has helped open our minds to all the different technologies that are out there for our use and benefit.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the cost and effectiveness of this treatment must be taken in to account, but for the most part I think it has a lot of potential. It may not be the best fit for every person who has TBI, but I am interested to see how effective and efficent VR can become in the near future.
As many others have stated I think that virtual reality could be a very good thing to use with students that have TBI. However, I think teachers must be confident that their students will be able to generalize the skills that they practice in the virtual reality. If students are not able to do that then it is pointless to use this technology. I also agree with others in the fact that this technology should not be the only thing that is used with the student. Real life experience is still going to be the most beneficial, but this could be a good supplemental strategy.
ReplyDeleteWhile it seems that virtual reality could be a valuable option for some individuals who suffer from traumatic brain injury, I find myself sharing some of Britany's sentiments regarding virtual reality used as the sole means of educating someone. Perhaps this is because I have heard one too many accounts of perfectly able people losing their real lives to simulated ones. While it does provide a comfortable environment for an individual to learn and practice skills, something like this should be used with caution. If an individual begins to feel too at home in a virtual world, hey could simultaneously be kept from branching out enough to function in the real world; that is the point of these virtual reality learning techniques--that they may lead real fulfilling lives with real relationships. If virtual techniques are not used only with this purpose mind, they could serve as more of a crutch than a help.
ReplyDeleteI too have mixed feelings about using VR as a treatment. Although VR would guarantee a safe environment (no chance of getting run over while crossing the street, no chance of getting burned while using the oven, etc.), there is no substitute for learning life skills in the real world. Perhaps it could be useful as a supplement, but I for one would be hesitant to use VR as a treatment option for my students.
ReplyDeleteI think that the future use of virtual reality in the rehabilitation of individuals with TBI is really exciting. Although the authors of the article state that there is no empirical evidence to prove or disprove the efficacy of VR as a rehabilitation technique, the article made it look as though this evidence will be soon to follow. I like the idea of allowing a simulated and controlled environment for students to practice special memory and attending. I think that there are a lot of losses that occur when a student tries to practice skills such as these in environments in which unexpected variables might occur. It would be great to eliminate distractions or other confounding variables from the practice sessions in order to prevent the student from failing due to these uncontrolled circumstances. Basically, it sounds like a great thing. I hope that it can actually be used in a real life setting.
ReplyDeleteWow, think of all the fun virtual reality games someone would be able to invent and try. In fact it sounds like one of the draw backs on this subject of Virtual Reality games is lack of trials and research with the programs; also the cost is pretty high.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to the question posted on the blog; do you think VR as a viable option of treatment for those with TBI? I believe VR would be a great option, especially as the product improves and studies show through research the success rate of a student’s interaction with such a device.
Another drawback would be the amount of money needed to invest in one of these devices. As history seems indicate; the VR machine is quite costly with the onset of the product. However, as time goes on, usually because of competition or upgraded ideas the cost should even out and consequently make the VR more available for others.
In the end I am most certainly supportive of trying the VP and continuing to work for improvements and research in helping those individuals with TBI improve their lives.
As i feel the same as it seems most people do with the fact that this technology advancement is really amazing and fasinating but at the same time this VR should be used at moderation and not serve as the primary replacement. I think there are so many other things that should be used to help TBI. Just like there is for so many other disabilities. I liked how it is low functioning and seems like it would work great for children or individuals with TBI but one has to be careful with how much they would rely on this on thing.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is truly an incredible thing. Although I am not much of a tech buff myself I definitely believe that we should use the advancements that we have made to their full advantage. Nothing can replace human interaction but there are a lot of things that can help or guide it along. I agree that VR should not be used as a replacement to therapy but if it helps those with TBI I would recommend they use it. Moderation in all things is key. This is really cool, great articles!
ReplyDeleteI truly feel that we are raising a virtual reality generation and it's issues like this that just get me rallied up! What ever happened to the old fashioned ways of treatment methods, honestly! The problem with this is that pretty soon, instead of overseeing the development and brain building of the individual, we are allowing a piece of computer do all of the work for that person. Something's gotta give.
ReplyDelete