Center for Innovative Learning & Teaching (CILT)

CILT Overview

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

• Clinical Skills Center
• Simulation Center
• Media Recording Studio
• Immersive Technology Learning Center
• Faculty & Staff Development

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.

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.

Vision

The vision of the Touro California Simulation Center is to empower learners by increasing their clinical skills knowledge and helping them achieve mastery through simulation.

Mission

The mission of the Touro California Simulation Center is to develop, deliver, and evaluate pre-clinical, graduate, and interprofessional healthcare simulation education and training activities for students, faculty, and staff through simulation techniques, training technology, and practice assessment to enhance competencies and strengthen collaborative practice. 

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

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.

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