Effects of a Game‐Based e‐Learning Module on Undergraduate Food Science Students’ Planned Behaviors Concerning Good Manufacturing Practices

Abstract

Understanding the role of food science education in developing undergraduate students' intentions to implement Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) may be a key strategy in developing the workforce's implementation of GMPs and other food safety programs. Previous research has demonstrated the effects of educational interventions on planned food safety behaviors in various settings; however, none have studied GMPs interventions and college students. This study applied the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to evaluate the effects of a game-based e-learning module on undergraduate students' planned behaviors concerning GMPs. Forty-four participants were recruited from 42 food science clubs across the United States to complete a game-based e-learning module and pre-and posttest survey instruments. We compared changes in pre-and posttest scores using paired Wilcoxon signed rank tests and explored the role of GMP-related knowledge and TPB constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls) in predicting students' intentions to implement GMPs using multiple linear regression. We modeled pretest scores, posttest scores, and changes in scores while controlling for student demographic factors (for example, year in college, gender, and so on). Only participants' knowledge and perceived behavioral controls significantly increased (P < 0.05) after completing the game-based e-learning module. Posttest regression models explained twice as much variance than pretest models (up to 54% total). Changes in intentions to implement GMPs were predicted by changes in subjective norms, perceived behavioral controls, and knowledge, as well as previous enrollment in food safety courses and interest in working in the food industry. The only predictive variables for both pre-and posttest scores were subjective norms, previous enrollment in food safety courses and interest in working in the food industry (P < 0.05). A discussion of how these results provide insights for food safety educators to optimize their teaching impacts was presented.

Development and Evaluation of an Online Food Safety Course for Artisan Cheesemakers in the United States

“…Hinsz and Nickell (17) and Phillip and Anita (29) also reported that attitudes predicted food safety intentions of workers in their studies at a poultry processing facility and food handlers in hospitality settings, respectively. However, undergraduate students' attitudes did not predict their food safety intentions in two other studies (24,33), which may perhaps be explained by an apparent social desirability bias (28).…”

“…However, Hinsz and Nickell (17) reported the opposite. Mullan and Wong (24) reported that perceived behavioral control was a significant predictor of college students' food safety intentions, but in contrast Stevenson et al (33) reported that perceived behavioral control was a significant predictor of college students' intentions only after a food safety educational intervention and not before. These results corroborate an observation from a meta-analysis of behavioral studies that perceived behavioral control irregularly predicts intentions (3).…”

Students’ perceptions of a food safety and quality e-learning course: a CASE study for a MSC in food consumption

“…Also other improvement can be implemented to enhance the learning process in this course, for example, the implementation of gamebased e-learning activity about food additives or other contents within the course. Gaming have been shown a significantly increased college students' knowledge, for example about Good Manufacturing Practices (Stevenson et al, 2018). Eventually, stories may also be part of games, and, in the field of education, the application of games supporting learning processes has been developed into an increasing body of research (Bidarra et al, 2013).…”

Gamification in E-Learning and Sustainability: A Theoretical Framework

“…Many researchers strongly believe in gamification to drive learning, interaction, collaboration, skill acquisition, understanding content, and changing attitude or behavior. Compared to traditional practices, they support effectiveness in engagement, motivation, stimulating curiosity, autonomy, and satisfaction [5,6,34,38,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48].…”