Conference presentation about the development and effectiveness of Health games..

1. Game On! Lessons Learned from Joint
Development and Production of Health Games
Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands

2. Introduction
Harro Leupen & Rob Willems,
o Coordinator & Lecturer: Game On!
o School of Communication, Media & IT
o Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, the
Netherlands.

3. 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….?

4. Health games: development process
Theory:
o Psychology & developing game concepts
o Cultural differences and sensitivities
o Artwork
o 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 Document
o Preparation/production/finalization: programming, artwork, playtest
prototypes -> final game.

5. Development model

6. 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

7. Showcase – PC games

8. Showcase – mobile games

9. Play - testing

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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!

13. 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)

14. How to improve on impact?

15. Improve by…
• Localized collaboration
• Multi-disciplinary teams
• A given problem has different solutions
> multi-solution approach, i.e not only
games but….

16. How to improve?

17. Multiple solutions?
E.g: develop workshops
E.g: video documentary
E.g: communication campaign
E.g: serious game
A problem
Collaborating Universities

18. Questions…
• Model feasible and a starting point for
international collaboration?
• If so..how to further develop?
• No funding initially…

19. Co-authors
• George Onyango (HelpHeal Trust, Kenya)
• Peter Odongo (HelpHeal Trust, Kenya)
http://www.helphealtrust.org/

20. Contact: Harro Leupen
Hanze University of Applied
Sciences, Groningen,
the Netherlands
Email:
h.m.leupen@pl.hanze.nl