Game On! Lessons Learned from Joint Development and Production of Health Games

Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands

Introduction

Harro Leupen & Rob Willems,o Coordinator & Lecturer: Game On!o School of Communication, Media & ITo Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, the

Netherlands.

Overview

Health games: games developed by students of a 20 weeks elective program. • Students’ development process• Projects, impressions of games• Effectiveness• Lessons learned• Move on….?

Health games: development process

Theory:o Psychology & developing game conceptso Cultural differences and sensitivitieso Artworko Programming/Scripting o Kaleidoscope (meet and discuss with experts from a domain, e.g. malaria,

game design)o Researching effectiveness: test the games

Design & Production:o Orientation/Blueprint/Design phase: research target audience, game

concept -> Game Design Documento Preparation/production/finalization: programming, artwork, playtest

prototypes -> final game.

Development model

Raise awareness for disabled children

South Sudan Introduction topics of gender relations

Sri Lanka

• Malaria prevention & treatment

• Hiv/aids prevention & treatment

• Personal Hygiene

Kenya

• Reproductive health

• Personal Hygiene

Ghana

Reproductive health

Senegal

Personal Hygiene

Indonesia

Projects

Showcase – PC games

Showcase – mobile games

Play - testing

Evaluation of health games?

Health games on subject of malaria:• Single and multi-player games evaluated on learning and

behaviour outcomes related to the subject of malaria as compared to textbook based learning

• Secondly, whether there was a difference in effect between the two types of games on these outcomes.

• Set up: 90 pupils, aged 10 - 14 years, of three Kenyan primary schools assigned to 3 experimental conditions: a textbook condition, a single player and a multi player condition.

Results

• Textbook vs games: The results showed no improvements on learning and behaviour outcomes in the gaming conditions as compared to the textbook. Pupils in the textbook condition performed better as compared to the single-player game and had similar results as compared to children in the multi-player condition.

• Participants playing the multi-player game showed an increase in level of knowledge of malaria as compared to participants in the single player condition.

• On the behaviour dimension, participants in the multi-player condition reported to have taken more prevention measures than those playing the single player game.

Conclusions

• Game based learning didn’t show any improvement on the dimensions measured as compared to text book learning;

• However, when using game based learning, incorporate a social interaction component in games to make them more effective!

Lessons learned

• The importance of an agile game development method that allows for regular testing, feedback moments and changes.

• Cultural awareness in game design and development: consider and adapt to the values and beliefs of the target audience.

• Collaboration and co-creation with local representatives in game development adds to game acceptance/effectiveness.

• A very positive attitude towards the use of computers in education in the targeted areas.

• Target behaviour determinants.• Longitudinal research into effects• One given problem, multiple solutions (not only games)

How to improve on impact?

Improve by…

• Localized collaboration• Multi-disciplinary teams• A given problem has different solutions >

multi-solution approach, i.e not only games but….

How to improve?

Multiple solutions?

E.g: develop workshops

E.g: video documentary

E.g: communication campaign

E.g: serious game

A problemCollaborating Universities

Questions…

• Model feasible and a starting point for international collaboration?

• If so..how to further develop?• No funding initially…

Co-authors

• George Onyango (HelpHeal Trust, Kenya)• Peter Odongo (HelpHeal Trust, Kenya)

http://www.helphealtrust.org/

Contact: Harro LeupenHanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, the NetherlandsEmail: h.m.leupen@pl.hanze.nl