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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Authors Institution
Li Tao Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Theme
eLearning
Microbe Invader: Teaching microbiology through a computer role playing game
Background

Microbiology education during pre-clinical years involves learning many facts relating to pathogens, diagnostic tests, and treatments.  In absence of direct experience, students must learn by rote memorization.  Without the experience of using and applying this knowledge, students may have difficulty retaining the material.  Computer games can offer a more engaging method to learn such abstract material.  I have created Microbe Invader, an interactive role-playing game to teach and review microbiology facts and concepts.

 

Specific goals include:

  • Reinforce principles of microbiology, specifically regarding risk factors/exposures, clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, and management of different clinically-important infectious diseases.
  • Allow students to apply knowledge of microbiology in simulated conditions to make diagnoses and treat diseases.
  • Provide incentives for learning to make the game enjoyable to play and lengthen students' tolerance for learning.
Summary of Work

Microbe Invader places players in the role of a medical student seeing patients consulted by the fictional hospital's Infectious Diseases service. Students diagnose patients by ordering appropriate lab tests and matching history and symptoms to pathogens that fit the clinical picture. Next, students treat patients using appropriate medications considering potential side effects and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. As students successfully diagnose and treat diseases, they receive virtual achievement badges and progress farther in the story. The game covers material for bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites at a level relevant to preclinical students. The game is publicly available online and includes a forum to share comments.

 

Development

Microbe Invader was developed and written in Adobe Flash Actionscript.  It is currently hosted online at http://www.microbeinvader.com.  The content is stored as editable text files within the application.

 

Curriculum

The material covers 91 different bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases at a level relevant primarily for preclinical students, focusing on pathophysiology rather than current clinical practice.  This includes tests used primarily in the microbiology lab (growth on specific media, etc) in addition to those ordered by the clinician (urinalysis, imaging, etc).  In addition consideration of drug resistance, interactions, and side effects will be introduced but with primary focus on mechanisms.

 

Gameplay

- The player is a medical student seeing patients consulted by the local hospital's Infectious Disease service (Figure 1).

- Students “diagnose” patients by ordering lab tests and matching the symptoms and history to bacteria that fit the clinical presentation (Figure 2).

- Afterwards, the student “treats” the disease with antibiotics, paying special attention to side effects and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance (Figure 3).

- The student encounters diseases through activities or environmental exposures: eating tainted food, walking through woods, or through infected animals (Figure 4).

Summary of Results

The game was received well by users, who were primarily medical students in pre-clinical years.  Users praised the enjoyability of the game and the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a virtual setting.  Users remained engaged, returning to the web site and attempting to complete achievement badges.  In addition, many users actively shared suggestions and corrections to the content of the game during development.

 

User feedback

  • Within two weeks of sharing to facebook, the site received 3195 unique visitors, averaging 382 page visits per day, 35% of them returning visitors.  The site has continued to receive many daily visitors.
  • Visitors primarily from the US, also Canada, Ireland, Australia, UK, etc.  Most appear to be medical students.
  • User feedback has been positive, comments cited enjoyability and educational features in particular.
Conclusion

Many students found role-playing useful in learning and retaining microbiology facts. Virtual incentives and a narrative story also improved students' enjoyment and engagement.

Take-home Messages
References

1. Barclay SM, Jeffres MN, Bhakta R.  Educational card games to teach pharmacotherapeutics in an advanced pharmacy practice experience.  Am J Pharm Educ. 2011 Mar 10;75(2):33.

2. Beylefeld AA, Struwig MC.  A gaming approach to learning medical microbiology: students' experiences of flow.  Med Teach. 2007 Nov;29(9):933-40.

Acknowledgement

This presentation was made possible, in part, through financial support from the School of Graduate Studies at Case Western Reserve University.  Guidance with developing the educational goals and curriculum was provided by Dr. Amy Wilson-Delfosse and Dr. Daniel Wolpaw at CWRU School of Medicine.

Designed & Managed by Innovative Technology®
Background
Summary of Work

Figure 1 – The player is a medical student seeing patients consulted by the hospital’s Infectious Disease service.

 

Figure 2 – Students diagnose patients based on past medical history, signs /symptoms, and lab tests.

 

Figure 3 – Pathogens can be treated with the appropriate antibiotics, taking resistance and side effects into account.

 

Figure 4 – The student may encounter pathogens through environmental exposures.

Summary of Results

Figure 5. Microbes included in the game.

Conclusion
Take-home Messages

Game is available at http://www.microbeinvader.com

References
Acknowledgement
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