Harnessing Gamification Methods in an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Capstone Course
Poster Number
9
Introduction/Abstract
Pharmacy students in their last year of school are sent to pharmacies to gain real world experience. During this time, the students must take a one unit, in class course to help prepare them for the real world and for their pharmacy board exam. During this course teachers utilized games to help teach and assess the students knowledge. We call this style of teaching gamification. Gamification is the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (as a task) so as to encourage participation. Evidence exists of the effectiveness of gamification methods in teaching and learning. But, there is little gamification research for pharmacy students who are in their last year of pharmacy school. This study aims to engage students during their last year of pharmacy school through application of gamification strategies to encourage participation and active learning
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to assess pharmacy students perception of utilizing gamification in the classroom.
Method
Five researchers, 3 first year pharmacy students and 2 Pacific Professors designed 6 serious games to utilize during students last year of pharmacy school. The researchers created a survey to be used before the students last year of pharmacy school. The same survey was then given to the students after they completed pharmacy school. The survey questions were based on a Likert Scale from 1 - 5. Total number of students reached 33. The two sets of surveys were compared to evaluate any changes in students’ perception of utilizing games in a classroom setting and were analyzed with the wilcoxon rank sum test using SPSS. All students who participated in the study, volunteered and were not given any compensation to be a participant. The researchers did not collect the students names when collecting data.
Results
All 6 survey questions showed a more agreeable answer in the post survey. Four of the 6 questions asked in the survey saw a significant difference, questions 1, 3, 5, and 6. The survey questions are below.
1)Using games in the classroom will help or helps improve my quiz scores. 2)Using games in the classroom will help or helps improve my thinking skills. 3)Using games in the classroom will help or helps me to self-assess areas of weakness (areas that I need to study more). 4)Using games in the classroom will help or helped me improve my understanding of the assigned topics. 5)Using games in the classroom will help or helps me to improve my clinical skills at my practice site. 6)Do you find competing against others is a motivating way to participate in a learning game?Significance
Overall, after implementing gamification methods during the last year of pharmacy school, the students believed that playing pharmacy knowledge based games would improve their quiz scores, helped assess areas of weakness, and improve their clinical skills. They also found that working together for a common goal was a motivating way to participate in the game.
Further Studies should assess whether or not students test scores and board exam scores improve when gamification is utilized.
Location
DeRosa University Center
Format
Poster Presentation
Poster Session
Afternoon
Harnessing Gamification Methods in an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Capstone Course
DeRosa University Center
Pharmacy students in their last year of school are sent to pharmacies to gain real world experience. During this time, the students must take a one unit, in class course to help prepare them for the real world and for their pharmacy board exam. During this course teachers utilized games to help teach and assess the students knowledge. We call this style of teaching gamification. Gamification is the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (as a task) so as to encourage participation. Evidence exists of the effectiveness of gamification methods in teaching and learning. But, there is little gamification research for pharmacy students who are in their last year of pharmacy school. This study aims to engage students during their last year of pharmacy school through application of gamification strategies to encourage participation and active learning
