The Effectiveness of an Educational Game for Teaching Optometry Students Basic and Applied Science.

Area of Science:

• Optometry Education
• Medical Simulation
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Traditional didactic instruction is a cornerstone of optometry education.
• Innovative teaching methods are being explored to enhance student engagement and knowledge retention.
• Evaluating the efficacy of alternative educational tools is crucial for curriculum advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of an educational board game versus interactive didactic instruction.
• To assess knowledge acquisition in optometry students using these two teaching modalities.
• To evaluate student attitudes towards game-based learning versus traditional lectures.

Main Methods:

• Forty-two optometry students were divided into two GPA-matched groups.
• One group received 12 hours of gameplay using an original board game.
• The other group received 12 hours of interactive didactic instruction covering the same core curriculum material.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pre- or post-intervention test scores between the game and lecture groups.
• Both groups demonstrated significant knowledge gains from baseline (29.3% for game, 31.5% for lecture).
• Post-intervention attitude surveys showed no significant differences in student engagement or enjoyment between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Educational board games and interactive didactic instruction are equally effective for teaching optometry students.
• Both teaching methods offer comparable potential for engaging and enjoyable learning experiences.
• Game-based learning presents a viable alternative or supplement to traditional didactic methods in optometry.