An Exploratory Digital Board Game Approach to the Review and Reinforcement of Complex Medical Subjects Like Anatomical Education: Cross-sectional and Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Serious games have the potential to resolve educational problems faced by medical students, such as insufficient rehearsal due to boredom and lack of motivation. However, serious games relatively novel concepts to science and many genres of games common in recreation remain under-researched in the literature. Boardgames are one such genre that, despite their potential, affordability, and flexibility, are rarely designed for medical students and little is known of student perceptions of them, and their compatibility with rehearsal. OBJECTIVE The study sought to elicit, via an exploratory study, student perceptions of a digital serious boardgame specifically designed for the gamified rehearsal of complex medical subjects, with the chosen topic of anatomy. METHODS A digital serious boardgame, based off Self-Determination Theory was first designed and developed to facilitate rehearsal of anatomy. Student subjects were then recruited to partake in the intervention and split in three teams of two per game session, after which they were administered the Flow Short Scale (7-point Likert scale from 1 [Not at all] to 7 [Very much]) survey, and then a focus group discussion to elicit their perceptions on the game. RESULTS A total of 12 undergraduate Year 2 medical students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine participated in the study. Flow Short Scale results indicated a moderate level of overall flow (M = 4.94, SD = 1.07) via the subdomains of fluency (M = 4.77, SD = 1.13) and absorption (M = 5.21, SD = 1.1). Students perceived the game as fun, enjoyable, engaging, and appropriate for a rehearsal tool that alleviated the monotony of traditional methods of rehearsal. CONCLUSIONS Digital boardgame-based rehearsal tool, when based off Self-Determination Theory, appear to suitable for gamified rehearsal in a fun and enjoyable environment due to its facilitation of intrinsic motivation in its players.