From Theory to Practice: Serious Game Education in Singapore and Canada

TL;DR

This paper describes two university courses in Canada and Singapore that teach students how to design and use serious games for medical education.

Contribution

The paper introduces interdisciplinary courses focused on immersive virtual learning environments and serious games in medical education.

Findings

The courses aim to bridge the gap in educators' understanding of immersive virtual learning environments.

Recommendations are provided for implementing similar courses based on the authors' experience.

The courses are part of broader programs in game development and biomedical engineering.

Abstract

Immersive virtual learning environments (iVLEs) are increasingly used in education, yet their effectiveness is often hindered by educators’ limited knowledge of the design and application of these environments. This chapter thoroughly details two interdisciplinary undergraduate courses whose aim was to introduce students to iVLEs and serious games (SGs) tailored to medical education. One of the courses falls within the Game Development and Interactive Media (GDIM) program at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Canada, while the other course falls within the Department of Biomedical Engineering, within the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore in Singapore, and is available to students within the college. This technical report aims to highlight the importance of the design, development, limitations, and use of SGs while sharing our knowledge and experience through a set of recommendations for those wishing to implement and offer similar courses.

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