BACKGROUND: Playing Escape from DIAB (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO), epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance. 95-100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition. AIM: This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games. A secondary purpose was to explore the experience of children while playing the games. METHOD: The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition, PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games. RESULTS: Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging. Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes.
BACKGROUND: Playing Escape from DIAB (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO), epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance. 95-100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition. AIM: This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games. A secondary purpose was to explore the experience of children while playing the games. METHOD: The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition, PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games. RESULTS: Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging. Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes.
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Keywords:
Type II Diabetes; behavioral nutrition; challenge; debriefing; design; diet; energy balance; experience; game design; health; healthy behavior; intervention design; knowledge; mastery learning; mini-game; obesity; physical activity; social cognitive theory; video game
Authors: Debbe Thompson; Tom Baranowski; Richard Buday; Janice Baranowski; Victoria Thompson; Russell Jago; Melissa Juliano Griffith Journal: Simul Gaming Date: 2010-08-01
Authors: Elaine R Cohen; Jeffrey H Barsuk; Farzad Moazed; Timothy Caprio; Aashish Didwania; William C McGaghie; Diane B Wayne Journal: Acad Med Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 6.893