Using steam and online reviews to expand applied revision gaming for community education

Many Health Science and Medical education programs have been greatly enhanced through the use of serious games. From the virtual application of clinical scenarios, gamified simulations, and technology-enhanced learning, students are able to be more engaged and enthused in the learning experience. In our university, gamified learning was initially embedded within the curricula to encourage revision. The sheer volume of information provided each week in a health sciences and medical course meant that students had to rapidly acquire time management techniques to manage it all. Also, in the race to keep up with this content, students were finding it challenging to put aside time to reflect on learnt material or focus on revision activities, which are important endeavors to facilitate long-term learning retention. In response, within our Health Sciences and Medical course, an adventure game, “The Kings Request” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkCsxEiWf8I), was created to guide students through a series of formative assessment activities within the discipline of physiology. Students reported that it was a unique experience, enjoying the interactive nature of the program.

There is an increasing call for university academics to expand their teaching beyond lecture theatre, and use their expertise to assist the community. In Science, this drive has been towards Science Communication, where academics have been increasingly contributing to social media, newspapers and free online resources. However, it was unclear which of the more non-traditional and modern resources or teaching tools would be well-received by the community. The King’s Request: Physiology and Anatomy Revision Game”, was released on Steam, Google Play, and the Microsoft Store for free (with no adds or monetisation at all), and community perceptions recorded through online reviews and feedback. Over 150 reviews were provided on Steam alone, with 50,000 plays and downloads in the first few months of release. This qualitative feedback will be processed with thematic analyses and taken into consideration for future updates to help develop the gamified curricula used within the Health Sciences and Medical program. Ideally, academics could consider creating teaching initiatives which could not only benefit their students, but also suit a broader audience and impact others beyond the ivory tower.