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The Veterinary record2021; 188(10); e21; doi: 10.1002/vetr.21

Effect of gamified perceptual learning on visual detection and discrimination skills in equine gait assessment.

Abstract: Visual assessment of equine lameness is an everyday veterinary task suffering from poor diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of the perceptual learning game 'LamenessTrainer' on skill development. Thirty-six undergraduate veterinary students engaged in four game modules teaching the assessment of fore- and hindlimb lameness. Computer animations of horses in this game displayed 0% (sound) to 70% (moderately lame) vertical movement asymmetry of head and pelvis. Performance, learning effects, diagnostic accuracy, detection thresholds and survey responses were analysed. Following staircase learning, more than 80% of students reliably classified horses with ≥20% asymmetry for forelimb lameness, ≥40% asymmetry for simplified hindlimb lameness and ≥50% asymmetry for realistic hindlimb lameness. During random presentation, on average 82% of sound and 65% of lame horses were assessed correctly during forelimb lameness evaluation, dropping to 39% of sound and 56% of lame horses for hindlimb lameness. In less than two hours, systematic perceptual learning through deliberate practice can develop visual assessment skills to an accuracy level comparable to expert assessors scoring the same animations. Skills should be developed further to improve misclassifications of sound and mildly lame horses, especially for hindlimb lameness evaluation.
© 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.
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Publication Date: 2021-03-01 PubMed ID: 33645837DOI: 10.1002/vetr.21Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article talks about a study that looked at how effectively a game-based learning tool, ‘LamenessTrainer’, can improve veterinary students’ skills in assessing equine lameness, a common and important diagnostic task in veterinary medicine. The study found that using the tool, students were able to develop assessment skills comparable to expert assessors within a short span of time.

Overview of the research

  • The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a perception training game called ‘LamenessTrainer’ in improving students’ ability to diagnose lameness in horses.
  • The study was conducted with 36 undergraduate students from the field of veterinary medicine.
  • The game consisted of four modules that provided instructions and tests on assessing lameness in the forelimbs and hindlimbs of horses.

Methodology

  • Horses were visually represented in the game with varied levels of movement asymmetry, ranging from 0% (indicating a sound, or healthy horse) to 70% (indicating moderate lameness).
  • The students’ performance was measured and analyzed across multiple parameters like learning effects, diagnostic accuracy, and detection thresholds.

Findings

  • The effectiveness of student learning was observed to be influenced by the type and degree of lameness depicted in the game.
  • After completing the learning modules, over 80% of the students were accurately able to classify horses with 20% or higher asymmetry as having forelimb lameness and with 40% or higher asymmetry for simplified hindlimb lameness.
  • Despite the simplicity and short duration of less than two hours, the game-based learning tool was able to bring most students’ assessment skills to a level comparable to those of expert assessors.

Conclusions

  • The research revealed that systematic perceptual training using the LamenessTrainer tool can effectively develop students’ visual assessment skills for diagnosing lameness in horses.
  • However, there remain certain areas where skill improvement is necessary, especially with regard to detecting milder cases of lameness and hindlimb lameness.

Cite This Article

APA
Starke SD, Miles GC, Channon SB, May SA. (2021). Effect of gamified perceptual learning on visual detection and discrimination skills in equine gait assessment. Vet Rec, 188(10), e21. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.21

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 188
Issue: 10
Pages: e21

Researcher Affiliations

Starke, Sandra D
  • Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
  • Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK.
Miles, Gregory C
  • Professional Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK.
Channon, Sarah B
  • Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK.
May, Stephen A
  • Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Clinical Competence / statistics & numerical data
  • Education, Veterinary / methods
  • Gait / physiology
  • Games, Experimental
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Lameness, Animal / diagnosis
  • Learning
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Students, Medical / psychology

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Leclercq A, Byström A, Söderlind M, Persson E, Rhodin M, Engell MT, Hernlund E. Evaluation of feedback methods for improved detection of hindlimb lameness in horses among riding instructors and trainers. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:992954.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.992954pubmed: 36299634google scholar: lookup
  2. Byström A, Hardeman AM, Engell MT, Swagemakers JH, Koene MHW, Serra-Bragança FM, Rhodin M, Hernlund E. Normal variation in pelvic roll motion pattern during straight-line trot in hand in warmblood horses. Sci Rep 2023 Oct 10;13(1):17117.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-44223-2pubmed: 37816848google scholar: lookup
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