The development and feasibility of gamified digital intervention aiming to promote physical activity in early childhood

This study aimed to develop a gamified digital intervention aiming to promote physical activity in early childhood. A further aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the intervention among the target group in child health clinics. The study consists of two phases. The development phase – a cross-sectional correlational study explored developmental factors associated with active play behaviour of 2.5-year-old toddlers (n = 717). Data were collected in child health clinics and consisted of the assessment of child’s neurological development and preference to participate in active play. Data were analyzed statistically. The results showed that delayed gross motor skills, self-help skills and auditory perception were negatively associated with a child’s preference to participate in physically active play. A quantitative systematic review explored previous gamified digital interventions that enhanced the physical activity self-efficacy of children. Data were collected from five electronic databases and analyzed narratively and statistically. The results showed that the gamified digital interventions are effective in enhancing the physical activity self-efficacy of children. The results from a correlational study and systematic review, together with National Physical Activity Recommendations, contributed to the development of the intervention. The feasibility and piloting phase – a mixed-method post-test feasibility study – evaluated the usability and acceptability of the intervention from the perspective of public health nurses (n = 5) and families with a child either 1.5 or 4 years old (n = 15). Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews, and analyzed statistically and with deductive qualitative content analyses. The results showed that the intervention was usable and acceptable. Suggestions for further development of the intervention consisted of simplifying the intervention, adding more gamified elements to be more attractive to children and adding more precise feedback for the parents. Based on these results, the intervention was modified and a cluster-randomized controlled study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.Varhaislapsuuden fyysistä aktiivisuutta edistävän pelillisen digitaalisen intervention kehittäminen ja soveltuvuus Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää pelillisyyttä hyödyntävä digitaalinen interventio lasten fyysisen aktiivisuuden edistämiseen lastenneuvoloissa, sekä arvioida intervention soveltuvuutta lasten, perheiden ja terveydenhoitajien näkökulmasta. Tutkimus koostuu kahdesta vaiheesta. Kehittämisen vaiheessa, korrelatiivinen poikkileikkaustutkimus tutki 2,5-vuotiaiden lasten (n=717) kehityksen ja liikunnallisen leikin välisiä yhteyksiä. Aineisto kerättiin lastenneuvoloissa ja se koostui lasten neurologisen kehityksen arvioinneista ja liikunnalliseen leikkiin osallistumisen arvioinneista. Aineisto analysoitiin tilastollisin menetelmin. Tulosten mukaan motorinen kehitys, omatoimisuus ja kuullun ymmärtäminen olivat yhteydessä lapsen liikunnalliseen leikkiin osallistumiseen. Kvantitatiivisen systemaattisen katsauksen tarkoituksena oli tarkastella aiempia pelillisiä interventioita lasten fyysisen aktiivisuuden minäpystyvyyden edistämisen näkökulmasta. Aineisto kerätiin viidestä sähköisestä tietokannasta ja analysoitiin narratiivisesti ja tilastollisin menetelmin. Tulosten mukaan peli-interventiot ovat tehokkaita lasten fyysisen aktiivisuuden minäpystyvyyden edistämisessä. Korrelatiivisen tutkimuksen ja katsauksen tulokset sekä kansalliset lasten liikunnan suositukset toimivat intervention kehittämisen pohjana.  Soveltuvuuden ja pilotoinnin vaiheessa, monimenetelmäinen soveltuvuustutkimus arvioi intervention käytettävyyttä ja hyväksyttävyyttä terveydenhoitajien (n=5) sekä 1,5- ja 4-vuotiaiden lasten ja heidän perheidensä (n=15) näkökulmasta. Aineisto kerättiin kyselyin ja haastatteluin sekä analysoitiin tilastollisin menetelmin ja laadullisella deduktiivisella sisällön analyysilla. Tulosten mukaan interventio oli käytettävä ja hyväksyttävä. Tutkittavat toivat esiin intervention parantamisehdotuksia, jotka liittyivät intervention sujuvuuden ja pelillisten elementtien lisäämiseen sekä vanhemmille osoitetun yksityiskohtaisemman palautesysteemin luomiseen. Soveltuvuustutkimuksen tulosten perusteella interventiota muokattiin ja intervention vaikuttavuuden tutkimus suunniteltiin satunnaistettuna kontrolloituna tutkimuksena

Healthy Competition: Multiplayer Digital Games in Health Education

The focus of this dissertation is on the role of multiplayer digital games in adult education, with a particular emphasis on health education. Although interest in the use of digital games for serious applications has been increasing since the early 2000s, there is a significant gap in understanding on the use of multiplayer digital games in adult education. In the context of health education, there has been a large amount of research conducted in to the use of repurposed commercial games for predicting performance of trainees and health students on surgical simulators. However, beyond this niche research into game based learning is notably less cohesive. There has been some research into the use of digital games in areas such as for delivering insulin management training, but understanding of the processes for widespread application of games based learning in the health sector is limited. Additionally, almost no research has been undertaken into the use of multiplayer digital games in health education, whether it be for tertiary or adult learners. In this dissertation two digital games were developed, implemented and evaluated to explore the value of multiplayer games for supporting cooperation and collaboration in health education. The first game, They Know: Anatomy, was a real time team based strategy game designed to support anatomy revision by second year medical students. The second game, the Qstream: Cancer Cup Challenge, was a team based asynchronous online program designed to reinforce understanding of how to identify and manage adverse events by oncology registrars. A design research framework informed the methodology used in this dissertation. This framework emphasises the need to use multiple iteration cycles to develop a comprehensive understanding of player experiences with the digital games they encountered. Data on participant experiences with the digital games was collected using qualitative methods, including post-game surveys and semi-structured interviews. Between iterative cycles data on participant experiences with the digital games were analysed so that future implementations of the game could be modified to maximise cooperation and collaboration between players. At the conclusion of the study period data collected across all implementations of the digital games were analysed to increase understanding of how multiplayer digital games supported cooperation and collaboration between learners. Findings from this dissertation demonstrate that multiplayer digital games can be used to engage medical students in anatomy revision and medical oncologists in adverse events retraining. This is the first study to look at the use of digital games for either of these demographics. Additionally, this dissertation identified four ways through which multiplayer digital games foster collaboration between players: through the development of a team strategy to win the game, by facilitating !iii shared decision making, by working towards a shared goal, and by creating a sense of investment in a team. Finally, findings from this dissertation contribute to the literature on the implementation of game based learning in adult education. This is an under researched area, but one that warrants further focus in future if game based learning is going to be successfully incorporated into curricula and training activities for adult learners. This dissertation adds to the literature by presenting new knowledge on how and why multiplayer games support collaboration between learners. Additionally, it appears that multiplayer digital games offer diverse, flexible and immersive experiences to adult learners in a way that single player digital games may not. Finally, multiplayer digital games provide new avenues for support self-directed learning by encouraging cooperation between large groups of students in a manner that is not normally achieved in online learning environment

The impacts of the North Carolina Arboretum's ecoEXPLORE program on children's connection to nature

Outdoor experiences are a vital component in child development and wellness; however, more and more children spend less time outside. This phenomenon became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, with device usage among children increasing drastically around the world. Lack of time outdoors and increased device usage may inhibit the cultivation of connection to nature (CTN) and lead to poor conservation ethics and negative environmental attitudes. However, one program, ecoEXPLORE, embraced technology as a way to foster outdoor exploration and teach children about their local environment. EcoEXPLORE, founded in 2016, is a predominantly online program that mediates outdoor experiences for North Carolina children through citizen science and online resources. In this current age, devices are not going anywhere, and this mixed-methods study on ecoEXPLORE discovered an online, science program that increased CTN among program users

English Language Learner Teachers’ Perceptions Of Digital Games On Student Learning

This body of work contains three articles that examine the intersectionality between English Language Learner (ELL) teachers and digital games. The purpose of the study is to qualitatively explore the perception of ELL teachers’ use of digital games as educational tools and whether they realize the potential to promote language learning for ELLs. This study aims to understand the lived experiences of ELL teachers to identify their viewpoint of language learning through gaming. The work focuses particularly on the teacher in an effort to contribute empirical work that supports the need for a more holistic approach to digital games in teacher education programs. This dissertation sought to answer four main questions: 1) What is the perception and lived experiences of ELL teachers use of digital games as educational tools?; 2) What are the perceived challenges facing ELL teachers in incorporating digital games?; 3) How does ELL teacher’s perception of digital games influence their use and incorporation?; 4) How do ELL teachers define best practices for digital games in order to promote language learning? I employed qualitative case study methods with a phenomenological lens to analyze the data. I interviewed six ELL teachers in the upper Midwest of the United States. The outcome of this study has the potential to enable teachers to use digital games effectively and to ultimately improve teaching and learning. Today, almost every aspect of society requires the use of technology. Therefore, the incorporation of technology into lesson plans is aligned with the needs of society in the 21st century. By adding digital games into classroom learning, educators may be able to better prepare students for their future careers. This preparation can be achieved because digital games have the potential to increase students’ problem-solving skills, as well as spatial and logical reasoning. The upward mobility and learning opportunities in digital games for ELLs are multiplied in fun and engaging ways

Mastery Motivation and Executive Functions as School Readiness Factors: Enhancement of School Readiness in Kenya

The overall goal of this study is to enhance school readiness assessment in Kenya by developing an easy-to-use tablet-based android app that can support teachers and learners during the assessment of Pre-academic skills, Mastery Motivation (MM) and Executive Functions (EF) in the Kenyan context. We operationalised MM and EF as components of Approaches to Learning (ATL): one of the poorly assessed domains of school readiness. This research was based on the theory of ATL and followed a non-experimental longitudinal research design. One study was a Scoping Review that identified the gap in the literature in the assessment of School Readiness domains using game-like apps. This study formed the basis for developing Finding Out Children's Unique Strengths (FOCUS) app for Kenya following Education Design Research Approach. Two studies tested and evaluated the psychometric properties of the FOCUS app in the Kenyan context. Another two empirical studies focused on adapting the Preschool Dimension of Mastery Questionnaire 18 (DMQ 18) and the Childhood Executive Functioning (CHEXI) to complement the assessment of MM and EF, respectively. In addition, one study addressed the role played by MM and EF on school academic performance. A total of 40 teachers, 497 preschool and 535 grade 1 children were involved in this study. Both parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses were used to analyse the generated data. The FOCUS app, CHEXI and DMQ 18 fit well with the data and exhibited strong psychometric properties, thus being suitable for the Kenyan context. Furthermore, both MM and EF were directly and indirectly, involved in grade one children's academic performance. FOCUS app tasks, pre-academic skills, and number and letter search tasks at preprimary II strongly predicted preschool and grade one academic performance. MM assessed using the FOCUS app as a better predictor of academic performance than the DMQ 18. Interventions to improve MM and EF promise to enhance School Readiness in the Kenyan context. The FOCUS app can greatly complement Kenya School Readiness Test to give teachers and parents a broader spectrum to make correct decisions concerning the child

ATHENA Research Book, Volume 2

ATHENA European University is an association of nine higher education institutions with the mission of promoting excellence in research and innovation by enabling international cooperation. The acronym ATHENA stands for Association of Advanced Technologies in Higher Education. Partner institutions are from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal and Slovenia: University of Orléans, University of Siegen, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Niccolò Cusano University, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Polytechnic Institute of Porto and University of Maribor. In 2022, two institutions joined the alliance: the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University from Poland and the University of Vigo from Spain. Also in 2022, an institution from Austria joined the alliance as an associate member: Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. This research book presents a selection of the research activities of ATHENA University's partners. It contains an overview of the research activities of individual members, a selection of the most important bibliographic works of members, peer-reviewed student theses, a descriptive list of ATHENA lectures and reports from individual working sections of the ATHENA project. The ATHENA Research Book provides a platform that encourages collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects by advanced and early career researchers