Serious gaming as an active method of learning applied antibiotherapy in swine veterinary medicine

Abstract

Original Research intRoDuction Gamification and serious gaming might have been used interchangeably in the literature; however, their definitions are slightly different. Gamification refers to "the application of the characteristics and benefits of games to real-world processes or problems." [1] With gamification, partial game structure is used to increase motivation or improve users' experience. Points, badges, leaderboards, and avatars are among the most common game elements to be implemented. Examples are numerous in modern, day-today life from coffee reward programs to language learning applications on smartphones. Gamification needs to be differentiated from serious gaming which encompasses games designed with the intent to provide users with education. Serious gaming was originally described as video games "for which the original intention is to combine with consistency, both serious aspects such as [...] teaching, learning, communication, or the information, with playful springs from the video game." [2] The definition has since then been extended to other types of games such as board and card games. [1] Serious games are both standalone learning objects and fully developed games with their own setup, gameplay, and conditions for victory. Background: Serious games have been increasing in popularity within health sciences education. Games can improve learning by increasing students' engagement and by developing their analytical, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a board game to teach applied swine antibiotherapy to veterinary students in their clinical year. Methods: Students were quizzed pre-and postclass to evaluate their knowledge retention. An anonymous seven-question survey was given to the students at the end of class to assess their satisfaction with the board game. Results: Students' quiz scores increased by 1.34 points on average between the beginning and end of class (P = 0.03). Students unanimously enjoyed playing the board game and recommended that it continued to be used in the next iteration of the course. Discussion: Using serious gaming proved to be an enjoyable method of reviewing antibiotherapy and applying it to swine clinical cases in this population of veterinary students. Implementing serious gaming in health sciences education requires a time investment for preparation but provides a richer experience for students and faculty alike.