Designing Pedagogically Constrained Haptic Simulation for Positive and Authentic Skill Transfer in Dental Education

Project details

First supervisor: Dr Jonathan San Diego

Duration: 3 years

Mode of study: Full-time

Funding: Self-funded. Students will need to self-fund or secure sponsorship for non-clinical PhD annual fees shown at this page.

Eligibility: Home and Overseas applicants

Application deadline: Open until a suitable candidate is found

Reference number: 2026/JSD/Hap

Project description

Haptic simulation technologies are increasingly embedded within dental education, offering immersive environments that combine visualisation, tactile feedback, and interactive features to support early skill acquisition. However, these systems introduce novel affordances—such as unrestricted zoom, enhanced visual clarity, altered colour contrast, absence of patient interaction, lack of water spray, and reduced reliance on finger rests—that may encourage non-authentic behaviours unlikely to transfer to real clinical settings.

This PhD project will investigate how such affordances shape learner behaviour and, critically, how they may promote negative transfer when students transition to phantom head or live patient care. Drawing on theories of transfer of learning, ecological validity, and affordances and constraints, the research will systematically identify discrepancies between simulated and real-world practice, including perceptual, motor, and cognitive differences.

Using a mixed-methods design, the project will examine how learners engage with tactile and visual cues across environments, and will identify simulation-enabled strategies that deviate from authentic clinical practice. Based on these findings, the candidate will design and implement pedagogically constrained interventions—such as limiting visual augmentation (e.g., zoom), reintroducing procedural realism (e.g., simulated water spray), scaffolded reduction of system support, and explicit metacognitive instruction regarding appropriate tool use.

The effectiveness of these design interventions will be evaluated in relation to students' performance, clinical reasoning, and skill transfer to more authentic settings. The project will generate evidence-based design principles and teaching strategies to guide educators, curriculum developers, and simulation technology designers in optimising haptic simulation for meaningful learning transfer.

Research training

• Advanced educational research methods (mixed-methods design, experimental and quasi-experimental studies)
• Human-computer interaction and simulation-based learning research
• Affordance and constraint analysis in digital learning environments
• Design-based research and intervention development
• Qualitative methods (observations, think-aloud protocols, interviews)
• Quantitative analysis and statistical modelling of learning outcomes
• Motor skill acquisition and perceptual-cognitive learning theory
• Curriculum design and evaluation in health professions education
• User-centred design and usability testing
• Academic writing, publication, and conference dissemination
• Project management and independent research skills
• Understanding of digital pedagogy and innovation in clinical training

The candidate will gain highly transferable skills relevant to careers in academia, simulation-based education, educational technology development, and clinical training leadership.

Person specification

Any applicants with an interest in Dental Education, Simulation-Based Learning, Learning Technology, Educational Research, or Health Professions Education. To view entry requirements and further information, see the Dental and Health Sciences Research MPhil/PhD.

Next steps

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss the project with the first supervisor prior to submitting an application.

Please apply online at apply.kcl.ac.uk following these steps:

1. Register a new account/login.
2. Once logged in, select Create a new application.
3. Enter Dental and Health Sciences Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time) under Choose a programme.
4. Select a start date from the list under Entry requirements on this webpage.
5. Include the project reference number 2026/JSD/Hap in the Research Proposal section of the application.

Contact for further information

Dr Jonathan San Diego (jonathan.p.san_diego@kcl.ac.uk)

For further information on education research, see Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences.

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