Optimising Participant Learning: theoretical perspectives in the design and delivery of Simulation Based Education.

Simulation based education (SBE) is playing an increasingly vital role in the education of all healthcare professionals. Whether this is within a University, Hospital or simulation centre the growth and significance of SBE as a learning and teaching methodology has been fuelled by the patient safety agenda and the recognition of the importance of SBE in providing safe and effective patient care. A major imperative of the simulation community is to support this drive through the development of high quality evidence that demonstrates the impact of SBE on patient outcomes. A crucial element in achieving this high quality evidence is the need to optimise the learning of participants during SBE activities. Fundamental to this is the need for high quality pedagogic evidence to support and guide the design and delivery of SBE as a learning and teaching methodology. This presentation will introduce and discuss a number of theoretical concepts such as cognitive load theory that are gaining increasing prominence in the SBE community and that have the potential to have a significant impact on how we design and deliver SBE programmes.