Metrics Matter

Games for entertainment have various measures of success. Do the same metrics apply for serious games?
A number of premises underlie the use of simulation and games. A few of these:
  • Reach A game reaches a larger audience than conventional instructions
  • Experiential Learning Because it operates within a realistic environment, a game should facilitate learning through direct experience
  • What-if Learning Conventional learning environments tend to be weak in what-if learning because scenario rehearsal time is prohibitive in group learning settings
  • Improved Transference Game environments may facilitate transference of learning from the game setting to real life, because of the intentional similarity of cues
  • Community Facilitation Multiplayer games, even when played at different times or over great distances, can create large subcommunities. The subcommunity can provide motivational support for whatever learning takes place within the game.
That said, those employing serious games in serious settings must situate game learning within a larger learning context. Many health care professionals already participate in continuing education and recertification activities. Simulations must prove their worth with solid metrics that demonstrate pre-post performance improvements.

To measure is noble To measure is noble
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