This webinar will begin with an overview of educational games and their benefits. Rina Wehbe, University of Waterloo, will speak about her research and recent game “Above Water” which informs people about strategies for coping with anxiety. Zeb Mathews, University of Tennessee, will speak about his game, “PubWizard” which quizzes graduate level informatics students' knowledge of primary and secondary sources. This will be followed by an interactive exercise of exploring some of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) & National Library of Medicine (NLM) endorsed games. A Q&A session will follow. Are you interested in creating a game? We’ll have an exit survey to discuss hosting a game creation course. The learning objectives currently include the following: - Understand how educational games and gamification are unique - Learn about the possible benefits and advantages of learning with games - Better general understanding of the process of creating an educational game - Become acquainted with 2 educational games that intersect with the health sciences - Understand how basic game design elements are significant in educational games - Become familiar with some NIH & NLM endorsed games Outline: Introduction/Overview: 5-10 min. Rina Wehbe (Above Water): 20 min. Zeb Mathews (PubWizard): 20 min. Game Exercise: 15-20 min. Q&A & Survey: 5–10 min.

There's a change occurring in the delivery of scientific content. The development and application of virtual reality and augmented reality is changing research in nearly every field, from the life sciences to engineering. As a result, scholarly content is also changing its direction from print centric to fully submersed digital. Historically, scientific content has been simple text and figures. To create higher quality, more intuitive and engaging content, scholarly communication has witnessed a shift to video and, most recently, researchers have begun to include data to create next generation content types that supplement and enrich their works. Scholarly communication will continue this trend, requiring the delivery of content that is more innovative and interactive. However, in a world where the PDF has dominated the industry for years, new skills and technologies will be needed to ensure reader use and engagement remain stable as the information services industry shifts to accommodate new forms of content and articles enhanced by virtual and augmented reality. Implementing and delivering on augmented or virtual reality supplemental material, and supporting them with the necessary tools for engagement, is no easy task. For as much as interest, discussion and innovation are occurring-as with all disruptive entrants-questions will need to be answered, issues addressed, and best practices established so that publisher, author and end-user can benefit from the results of deeper content engagement. For publishers who work directly with scholars and researchers, this pivot means they must re-examine the needs of their customers, understand what they need delivered, where they expect to find that information, and how they want to interact with it. This will require publishers to update their current infrastructures, submission practices and guidelines, as well as develop or license software to keep pace and meet the needs of their authors and readers. This session will help to define the challenges and strengths related to digital realities, data, and the role researchers play in shaping mixed content types in a more data drive, digital environment. Discussion includes: What are some of the pros and cons associated with data and digital reality research? How are these different content types being used as supplemental material and will they be shifting to be seen as a more integral part of the scholarly record? In the future, what role will libraries play in this shift in providing users what they want, and in a format conducive to their work and research?

There are plenty of new and emerging technologies that are revolutionizing the health sciences. These webinars explore the applications of reality technologies including augmented reality, virtual reality, multi-reality, mixed reality, and more! From hands-on training, to human simulation software, there is a lot for us to learn about health and technology. Join us for an exploration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, with special attention given to their significance in the health sciences. Also learn how you can start and fund your own AR or VR health sciences project with NNLM Technology funding opportunities. This webinar is appropriate for everyone, regardless of how much you know about augmented or virtual reality. Speakers include: Zeb Mathews – University of Tennessee Health Science Center Corina Bustillos – Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Allison Herrera – University of Massachusetts Medical School Marilyn Gugliucci - University of New England Outline: AR and VR - Introduction & Overview Augmented Reality & Health Virtual Reality & Health Technology Funding Opportunities University of New England VR Project