Serious Games About Climate Change: An evaluation on an Online Goal Based Scenario

All public health education involves some sort of problem solving; from mathematical calculations (What does this equal?), to scientific experiments (How does this happen?) to analyzing an input (What does this mean?) It is the primary aim of most public health educators to show learners how to answer questions and solve problems. Yet, when educators begin providing facts and procedures to learners without providing a chance for them to develop their own investigations, learners are likely to memorize the material without fully understanding it. Interactive computer technologies can often provide new ways to improve problem solving capabilities through the introduction of stories or case study simulations in which the learner is an active participant. Consequently, learners can practice at their own pace, visualize information in new ways, access the content asynchronously, while also engaging in simulated tasks. Such course designs are often called goal based scenarios.

This study examines data collected from an online goal based scenario distributed to more than 2,000 U.S. public health workers. The online course, developed at Columbia University's Regional Learning Center, includes a pre-test, a one hour fictional interactive simulation dealing with climate change and new cases of Dengue Fever in the U.S. Southeast, and a post test. An evaluation of the pre / post test assessment indicates that there has been a significant increase in the participants' understanding of climate change and its inter-relationship with Dengue Fever. Findings also indicate that this interactive goal based scenario has been an effective pedagogical tool for generating new understandings about climate change. The authors also assert that goal based scenarios can be highly effective forms of learning for the public health workforce, particularly when incorporated into face-to-face trainings.