Presentation given at American Library Association 2014 Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV. June 29, 2014

1. LEARNINGWITHGAMES
IN MEDICINEANDHEALTHCARE
Bohyun Kim
Associate Director, Library Systems and Knowledge Applications
University of Maryland, Baltimore, HS/HSL
@bohyunkim | http://bohyunkim.net
Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/bohyunkim/ala2014-game-ig
American Library Association 2014 Annual Conference, LasVegas,
NV. June 29, 2014

2. Gameas aPedagogicalTool
• How effective are games in helping people
in acquiring knowledge and skills that are
difficult to obtain, rather than in pursuing
sensory stimulation and fun?
• Chapter (9): Bohyun Kim, “Learning with
Games in Medicine and Healthcare and the
Potential Role of Libraries,” in Games in
Libraries: Essays onUsing Play to Connect
and Instruct., edited by Breanne Kirsch,
McFarland, 2014. pp. 152-170.

3. EducationalGame in Medicine
• = Serious game
• = Edutainment
• = Game-based learning
• = Digital game-based learning
• An educational game is an attempt to enhance students’
experience and learning outcomes by applying the gaming
elements and mechanisms to instruction.
• Medicine and healthcare have been the early adopters of
game-based learning.

4. Reception& PedagogicalEfficacy
• Students and practitioners in health sciences and healthcare
find games appealing. (Also patients)
• Games appear to have a positive impact on the students’
perceptions of and attitudes towards a subject studied.
• Games generally enhance student enjoyment and may
improve long-term retention of information.
• More methodically rigorous studies (RCTs) are necessary to
properly assess the effectiveness of games in comparison to
traditional lecture method.

5. Designingthe‘Flow’experience
• Fully immersed in activities with a feeling of energized focus,
full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
(- Mihály Csíkszentmihályi)
• Control, task, feedback, improvement, progress
• Usability
• Logistics (Support of instructors)
• Not all serious games in medicine and health sciences are
technologically sophisticated or graphically elaborate like
many popular commercial video games.
• Social element

6. Variables
foraGame’sPedagogicalEfficacy
• Types of a game
• Arcade – visual processing, speed of response
• Adventure – Narrative-driven open-learning with hypothesis testing and
problem solving
• Simulation – motor skills
• RPG - stragety
• Jeopardy, board, card, … etc.
• Content of learning
• Level of learning
• Types of a student

7. ChallengesinGamification
• Is the aspect of classroom/library experience in question
suitable for gamification?
• Is the resulting game experience something the target group
would enjoy?
• What is the ultimate goal of gamifying this particular aspect of
classroom/library experience?
• What are the logistical needs that should be met to ensure the
success of your gamification project?

8. ControversyaboutGamificationRewards
• Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
• How to channel motivation into meaning?
• Example:
Andrew Agassi from Game Frame by Aaron Dignan

9. Importanceof Execution
• Gamification alone does not guarantee student engagement
or learning.
• A clear goal, careful planning, and skillful execution are
necessary for the success of a gamification project.
• More research is needed about how and when to best use
games to improve instructional outcomes and motivation.

10. Moreinformationandbibliography
• See the book chapter. Chapter (9):
Bohyun Kim, “Learning with Games in
Medicine and Healthcare and the
Potential Role of Libraries,” in Games
in Libraries: Essays onUsing Play to
Connect and Instruct., edited by
Breanne Kirsch, McFarland, 2014. pp.
152-170.
• http://books.google.com/books?id=XV
WoAgAAQBAJ&lpg=PA1&ots=CP4Ml
mfe9Q&pg=PA152#v=onepage&q&f=f
alse (Google Books)

11. Questions?
Tally, the cat-like husky. Source: http://imgur.com/a/0KoeX