A web-based serious game about self-protection for COVID-19 prevention: Development and usability testing

 Jun-Ming Su, National University of Tainan (Taiwan)

 Yi-Ching Yang, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University (Taiwan)

 Tzu-Nin Weng, Ditmanson Medical Foundation (Taiwan)

 Meng-Jhen Li, National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan)

 Chi-Jane Wang, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University (Taiwan)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C69-2021-08

Keywords

COVID-19, serious game, usability, interactive scenario, situated-based learning, self-protection

Abstract

The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise rapidly in many countries despite vaccination. The best way to counter the spread of COVID-19 is self-protection. This study documents the development of a web-based serious game (WSG-COVID-19.SP) to promote effective learning strategies for self-protection against COVID-19 and to test the game’s content validity and usability. WSG-COVID-19.SP was developed using situated learning theory and diagnostic feedback mechanism. The game includes six situation storylines with 17 learning objectives. It uses a problem-solving approach to foster practices such as wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing. Portfolio analysis was used to diagnose learning problems and report on the learning process. An overall summary index—the scale-level content validity index (S-CVI)—was used to evaluate content validity. Usability was tested through a website survey from 71 students from one university to gauge their technological acceptance and the game’s capability to promote future self-protection behaviors. The S-CVI was 0.81. Usability and acceptability were neither related to the users’ college major (whether it is information technology-related) nor to gender. Among the respondents, 84.5% agreed to continue with the self-protection practice as they were motivated by the real-time diagnostic function. The WSG-COVID-19.SP game system has adequate content validity and a high user satisfaction rating.

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Fundref

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under the number of MOST 109-2511-H-006-004-MY3 and MOST 109-2511-H-024-001-MY2.

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Technical information

Received: 14-02-2021

Revised: 02-03-2021

Accepted: 28-04-2021

OnlineFirst: 15-06-2021

Publication date: 01-10-2021

Article revision time: 16 days | Average time revision issue 69: 30 days

Article acceptance time: 73 days | Average time of acceptance issue 69: 69 days

Preprint editing time: 184 days | Average editing time preprint issue 69: 181 days

Article editing time: 229 days | Average editing time issue 69: 226 days

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