Process and educational impact of working on a student-developed, faculty-led interdisciplinary educational video game

Abstract

Research has shown that college freshmen do not find existing alcohol education programs engaging. Literature review indicates that narrative communication is more effective at producing positive changes in perceived social norms and behavioral intention than non-narrative communication. In addition, game-based learning has shown effectiveness in changing people’s health behaviors, including improving sexual health attitudes and knowledge, promoting learning about pain management, and reducing consumption of unhealthy foods. We therefore designed a narrative-based interactive video game that allows college freshmen to play through different scenarios, each of which represents something players might come across in their first year of college life. As we developed scenarios, we also aimed for cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. Our goal is to engage players and prepare them to make healthy decisions related to alcohol consumption. Rather than promoting sobriety, we aim to teach mindful drinking techniques and related knowledge. The game, tentatively titled "Fresh Start", has been in development for over a year, and over that time we’ve gone through multiple art styles, longer and shorter narratives, different attempts at mini-games, and discussed multiple possible methods of studying the game’s effectiveness as a health intervention. In addition, more than ten students have worked on the project, with some leaving the project as they graduated or studied abroad and others joining as they learned about the project and expressed interest in working on it. Interdisciplinary collaboration is at the heart of our product and our process. It has involved our collaboration as faculty but also students in a variety of majors: Communication Studies, Interactive Multimedia, Computer Science, Public Health, Interdisciplinary Business, and Health and Exercise Science. Even as individual students’ strengths and roles become more clearly defined, we still make key decisions as a team with our goals and research literature in mind. With our presentation, we proposed to discuss, broadly, the story of the project and what we’ve learned as we developed our interdisciplinary process. Along with our students, we will discuss the origins of the collaboration, the impact on the participating faculty, and the impact on the participating students, including their attitudes about collaboration, research interests, views of other disciplines, and future careers.