The utility of a board game for dengue haemorrhagic fever health education

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of an educational board game for increasing knowledge, positive attitudes-beliefs, and self-efficacy for dengue prevention in a sample of Philippine school children and adolescents. Effective board games are more advantageous than lectures because they are adaptable, inexpensive and foster learning independently of teachers or lecturers. Also tested were relationships between perceived fun by students playing the game and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach -A school-based pre-test/post-test experimentally controlled design was employed in a Filipino primary and secondary school population. Findings -The lecture was more effective in increasing knowledge. But neither was more effective than the other in increasing positive attitudes-beliefs and self-efficacy. Both modes produced specifically significant increases in knowledge and self-efficacy; only the lecture produced significant increases in attitudes-beliefs. Also, there was a significant relationship between fun and self-efficacy in the game group at the reduced regression model level but not in the presence of all study variables. Research limitations/implications -No long term outcomes or behavioral change outcomes were measured. However, an educational game may increase knowledge and self-efficacy about the dengue fever without the assistance of a teacher or other pre-game instructional aids. In addition, the board game technique is flexible and easily adapted to other community or school health issues. Originality/value -This was the first experimentally controlled study on the use of a game with the topic of dengue. The study on the use of a game was the first to demonstrate a significant increase in self-efficacy as a result of the play of a board game. Original instruments measured self-efficacy related to dengue control and also the variable of fun.

A Comparison Between an Individual and a Collaborative Versions of a Serious Game to Learn About Dengue Fever

“…The results shown the group that took just classes had better knowledge results, both groups had insignificant raise in attitudes-beliefs index, and the self-efficacy had a significant grow in both groups. Despite the knowledge results has shown better improvement on the group that took just classes, Lennon and Coombs (2006) argues that this group performance depends on lecturers skills and experiences, and for this study, the best teacher among the student teacher population was chosen as lecturer.…”

“…Lennon and Coombs (2006) studied the influence of gaming in the dengue's learning process in The Philippines, but with a board game (Goodbye-to-Dengue); they claim the board games are adaptable, cheap, and promotes independent learning. The game uses interactive cards to present dengue's content, addressing the mosquito characteristics, disease control, treatment, disease signs and symptoms, and the reinforcement is obtained through the answers to the game's questions.…”

“…The game uses interactive cards to present dengue's content, addressing the mosquito characteristics, disease control, treatment, disease signs and symptoms, and the reinforcement is obtained through the answers to the game's questions. Lennon and Coombs (2006) analyzed the learning efficacy in knowledge, attitudes-beliefs, and self-efficacy, in a group of 168 children and teenager from private schools in The Philippines. The experiment used between subjects design, where the students were split into two groups: one that just used the game and other that just took classes about the subject.…”

Using the new board game SeCZ TaLK to stimulate the communication on sexual health for adolescents with chronic conditions

“…Self-efficacy was measured by a questionnaire. Adolescents showed more confidence in performing tasks related to dengue fever control measures [35].…”

Aplicación de un juego de mesa para enseñar conceptos de nutrición y actividad física a niños de escuela primaria y secundaria

“…En particular los juegos de mesa que se pueden implementar dentro y fuera de clases son apropiados para lograr un nivel cognitivo en los estudiantes de educación básica al proporcionar un medio de aprendizaje divertido. Se ha citado el concepto de juegos serios (serious games), donde la educación, en sus diversas formas, es el principal objetivo, ya que fomenta el aprendizaje y los cambios conductuales que promuevan a su vez estilos de vida saludables e influyen en el comportamiento alimentario en la infancia (Arismendi-Bustamante et al, 2016;Lennon y Coombs, 2007).…”