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Center for Innovative Learning & Teaching (CILT)

Improved student learning and advanced teaching techniques are at the heart of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CILT).

CILT Overview

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CILT) aims to maximize both student and instructor performance through five primary areas:

CILT collaborates with academic programs to support student success through programs, services, individual assistance, and resources designed to enhance faculty development. This includes assessing and prioritizing needs, setting goals, and working towards accomplishing the goals.

Clinical Skills Center

You learn by doing in our Clinical Skills Center. The center offers both in-person and telehealth Standardized Patient (SP) encounters, which allows students to hone critical clinical skills in a controlled environment. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) software captures each student OSCE encounter with video and sound.

Standardized Patient (SP) interactions can be designed to reflect:

  • Single and multi-station OSCE’s (remote Telehealth and Clinic in person)
  • Small group interactive workshops
  • Recurring patient lab encounters
  • Case demonstrations
  • Live case studies
  • Inter professional group interviews

Simulation exam rooms

Simulation examination rooms are all outfitted to mirror a real-world clinical setting, including being equipped with:

  • Hand sanitizer
  • Canisters with tongue blades and long cotton-tipped swabs
  • Reflex hammer
  • Tuning fork
  • Paper drapes
  • Pillow
  • Rolling clinician stool
  • Step stool
  • Eye chart
  • Optional seating for small groups
  • Exam lamps

Simulation Center

Similar to the Clinical Skills Center, the Simulation Center, or "Sim Lab" is designed to mirror an Emergency Room/ICU setting to give students a realistic clinical experience. This simulated ICU/ER setting and high-fidelity patient simulators with instant video replay for debriefing and feedback help students of varying clinical programs.

Students of nursing, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, and public health collaborate in realistic, varied scenarios designed for collective competency in patient safety.

Our life-sized mannequins approximate the size and weight of real patients. Through computer assistance, these mannequins also respond in a realistic way to different treatments and medications administered by students so they can see in real time how their choices affect patient care.

They breathe, bleed, sweat, cry, froth, convulse, and one of them even gives birth. They can respond to emergency interventions like tracheostomy, needle decompression, chest drainage, or defibrillation. CPR and cardio versions may not only revive or stabilize a crashing simulator but also generate real-time analytics to help learners optimize performance.

Equipment

Equipment in the Simulation Center includes:

  • High-Fidelity Patient Simulator (emergency care & trauma model) – Team assessment and rapid response.
  • High-Fidelity Patient Simulator (birthing model) – Birthing scenarios, emergency scenarios, team assessment.
  • Preterm Infant Trainer – Assessment and resuscitation.
  • Full-term Infant Trainer – Assessment and resuscitation.
  • Pediatric CPR Trainer – Manikin head & torso with real-time CPR feedback.
  • Abdominal Examination Trainer – Palpable abnormal findings with diaphragm compression.
  • Venipuncture Trainers (x2) – IV placement and blood draws.
  • Standardized Patients – Actors trained to portray patients & medical professionals within a given context.
  • Moulage – Makeup and modules to simulate symptoms and traumas.
  • Patient Monitors (x2) – ECG, SpO2, CO2, ABP, CVP, ICP, Anesthetic Agent, PH, PTC, PAP, PCWP, NIBP, TOF

Media Recording Studio

The Media Recording Studio brings professional quality video production to allow students and faculty to record a variety of educational promotional video presentations for use in numerous applications.

These services include:

Video Production

  • On-site video production
  • Green screen / Chroma Key
  • Project consultation (pre-production)
  • Directing
  • Producing / Production
  • Videography
  • Lighting
  • Principal photography
  • Project management

Post-Production

  • Audio engineering
  • Video editing
  • Motion graphics
  • Color correction
  • Sequence export to a file
  • Distribution of exported projects to project initiator via BOX
  • Voice Over Narration
  • Voice Over Intros and Extros

Immersive Technology Learning Center

Located in the Farragut Inn, it includes both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) hardware and software including some of the most up-to-date and powerful equipment. Students, faculty, and staff may check out AR and VR headsets as well as consult with CILT staff to receive specific instruction in the use of the equipment.

Consulting services from CILT staff are also available to assist faculty, staff, and students with various immersive technology applications used to improve academic performance or to develop curricular projects.

Faculty & Staff Development

Through CILT includes face-to-face and virtual workshops and webinars addressing important aspects of effective teaching and learning. CILT partners with Touro New York's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) to offer Touro systemwide presentations on a wide variety of topics focusing on the improvement of teaching across all Touro programs.

CILT also provides various courses and other materials to faculty and staff to ensure that high-quality teaching remains a top priority for Touro University California (TUC) and Touro University Nevada (TUN). Weekly emails, which include topical articles and resources, are provided to faculty, staff, and sometimes students at both TUC and TUN.

Leadership

Jim O'Connor, Ph.D.
Director of the Center for Innovative Learning and Teaching, Western Division
Professor and Founding Dean Emeritus of the College of Education and Health Sciences, Touro University California

1310 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
joconnor3@touro.edu

Contact Us

Clinical Skills Center

Cee Harrelson
OSCE Director
charrels@touro.edu
(707) 638-5869

Rebecca A Howard
Standardized Patient Trainer
rhoward@touro.edu
(707) 638-5258

Simulation Center

Kim C Codella
Simulation Manager/Tech
kcodella@touro.edu
(707) 638-5401

Media Production Studio

Aaron P McMath
Manager
amcmath@touro.edu
(707) 590-0096