Large-scale, mobile and technology-enhanced serious game for interprofessional education: pilot study and lessons...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for healthcare teamwork.
• Developing scalable IPE activities presents significant challenges for institutions.
• Serious gaming offers a novel approach to engaging students in IPE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the design and pilot testing of a large-scale, mobile, technology-enhanced serious game for IPE.
• To evaluate student engagement and learning experiences within the game.
• To identify areas for improvement in game design and implementation for future IPE initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A mobile, technology-enhanced serious game was developed and embedded in the IPE curriculum.
• 582 undergraduate students from seven health disciplines participated in teams.
• Students navigated 10 stations, engaging in learning and game activities to solve a patient mystery.
• Surveys and qualitative feedback were collected to assess the experience.

Main Results:

• A majority of students valued the serious game, particularly the collaborative learning aspect.
• Active learning within autonomous teams was highly appreciated by participants.
• Qualitative feedback highlighted the need to simplify the storyline and optimize student flow.

Conclusions:

• Mobile, technology-enhanced serious gaming is a viable and valuable strategy for large-scale IPE.
• The game successfully promoted collaborative learning and engagement among diverse healthcare students.
• Further refinement of game narrative and logistics can enhance future implementations of serious gaming in IPE.