Improving Oral Health with Serious Games

描述(由申请者提供)：这项SBIR快速通道研究的总体目标是测试一套5款严肃的电脑游戏对提高口腔健康素养的技术和科学可行性以及教育效果。在英语和西班牙语中，这些游戏旨在改善面临严重龋齿风险的美国年轻人的口腔健康生活质量。在美国，口腔健康素养水平低是有据可查的，大多数问题集中在少数群体和经济上处于不利地位的亚群体，人们越来越重视严肃的游戏，将其作为接触儿童的一种手段，使其获得符合其学习风格和兴趣的学习机会。这项研究将由Firsthand Technology和华盛顿大学合作完成，社区合作伙伴包括太平洋科学中心和西雅图公立学校。第一阶段活动通过定义口腔健康内容和详细的游戏设计，为构建高接受度的有效游戏奠定了基础。第二阶段将把游戏从原型转移到可测试的产品。所有游戏设计和开发将通过标准的行业可用性测试实践，在整个过程的所有阶段进行监控和验证。将进行随机试验(N=160名8-14岁儿童)，以测试该套游戏的教育效果，并将进行实地研究(N=2160)，评估展品配置和其他参数。数据将在实验室环境和博物馆展览环境中，为项目的开发和验收以及六个月期间的测试项目效果提供信息。收集的数据将包括关于儿童口腔健康结果的人口统计信息和前后测信息，包括自我效能、情感、行为(自我报告)和基于课程的知识。这些数据将通过随机对照试验的亲子访谈记录下来，然后通过口头说明和现场研究的按钮选择以电子方式记录。公共卫生相关性：这项SBIR快速通道研究的总体目标是测试一套5款严肃的电脑游戏在提高口腔健康素养方面的技术和科学可行性以及教育效果。在英语和西班牙语中，这些游戏旨在改善面临严重龋齿风险的美国年轻人的口腔健康生活质量。这项研究将由Firsthand Technology和华盛顿大学合作完成，社区合作伙伴包括太平洋科学中心和西雅图公立学校。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall objective of this SBIR Fast Track research is to test the technical and scientific feasibility and educational efficacy of a suite of 5 serious computer games for improving oral health literacy. In English and Spanish, the games are designed to improve the oral health quality of life of young Americans at risk for severe tooth decay. Low levels of oral health literacy are well documented in the United States, with a disproportionate percentage of the problems concentrated in minority and economically disadvantaged sub-populations and there is increasing attention being paid to serious games as a means to reach children with learning opportunities that meet their learning styles and interests. The research will be accomplished by a collaboration of Firsthand Technology and the University of Washington, working with community partners that include the Pacific Science Center and the Seattle Public Schools. Phase I activities lay the groundwork for building an effective game with high acceptance by defining the oral health content and detailed game design. Phase II will move the game from prototype to a testable product. All game designs and development will be monitored and validated throughout all stages of the process with standard industry y usability testing practices. A randomized trial (N=160 children 8-14 years old) will be conducted to test the educational efficacy of the suite of games and a field study (N=2160) will assess the exhibit configuration and other parameters. Data will inform the development and acceptance of the program as well as test program effects over six-month periods, both in a laboratory setting and within a museum exhibit context. Data collected will include demographic information and pretest-posttest information about children's oral health outcomes, including self-efficacy, affect, behavior (self-report), and curriculum-based knowledge. These data will be recorded via parent-child interview for the randomized- controlled trial, and then electronically via verbal instructions and button selection for the field study. Public Health Relevance: The overall objective of this SBIR Fast Track research is to test the technical and scientific feasibility and educational efficacy of a suite of 5 serious computer games for increasing oral health literacy. In English and Spanish, the games are designed to improve the oral health quality of life of young Americans at risk for severe tooth decay. The research will be accomplished by a collaboration of Firsthand Technology and the University of Washington, working with community partners that include the Pacific Science Center and the Seattle Public Schools.