We are delighted to announce our presence at the 34th European Congress of Pathology (ECP), to be held on 3 to 7th of September 2022 in Basel, Switzerland.
Cytomine will be also present in a poster on Blended Learning in Histology at the University of Geneva.
Topic of the poster :
Priscilla Soulié1, Jackie Perrin-Simonnot1, laurence borgs2, Renaud Hoyoux2, Grégoire Vincke2
1 : University of Geneva, Switzerland
2 : Cytomine, Belgium
Priscilla Souilé and Jackie Perrin-Simonnot, two collaborators at the Faculty of medicine of the University of Geneva, teach histology using a blended learning model alternating online virtual microscopy and on-site activities to enrich and complete the learnings outcomes.
The virtual microscopy practical work sessions are given using the open-source CYTOMINE software, integrated with the open-source MOODLE learning management system. The teaching assistants, supervised by the professors, are coaching the students using the virtual microscope and a chat space to exchange questions and answers. Fully online during the COVID pandemic, this pedagogical strategy now also includes face-to-face remediation.
To maintain quality of histology teaching during the COVID pandemic period would have been impossible with a classic model based only on practical sessions in face-to-face using microscopes. Beyond having taken up this challenge, and made it possible, this blended model based on web-based virtual microscopy allowed teachers and students to collaborate with more autonomy, transparency, and traceability, to ultimately having developed more persistent knowledges and skills. Alternating with face-to-face sessions after the pandemic allowed to keep the development of microscope related skills and develop more personalized remediation. This complementarity meets the objectives of both teachers and students.
The histology practical work sessions during the pandemic were quickly adapted to full e-learning based sessions thanks to virtual microscopy. Students, supervisors, and professors founded this virtual environment easy and intuitive, allowing them to quickly switch to new ways of teaching and learning, essential in these troubled times. In addition, it trains students to use tools that foreshadow what will be those they will use in their future career, in an easy and intuitive way.