Session 4: Sim Game Analysis: Blood Typing

Sim Game Analysis: Blood Typing

The BloodTyping game is based on the 1930 Nobel Prize of Physiology of Medicine. The game was created to be educational and was made within the AstraZeneca Nobel Medicine initiative to spread the word of Nobel Prize achievements to those who are younger. A better review behind the making and information of this game can be found at www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/bloodtypinggame/  To play the game you may go to http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/bloodtypinggame/game/index.html

            The Blood Typing game was very fun to play and extremely educational. The game is played by selecting patients and drawing blood from them in the game. Once you have drawn the blood you then but it into three vials that are on the screen to test for blood type and RH factor. The awesome part about this game is that it gives you tutorials to gain background knowledge on everything you need to know to fully complete the game. Once you have tested the blood it is then your responsibility to give the patient the appropriate blood in a blood transfusion.  The patient then responds as to whether or not you gave the correct transfusion or not. Based on how well you give the patients their transfusions depends on how many “drips” of blood or points your receive at the end of the game.

            This game really meets the simulation of a real world situation because this is information and work that someone who works in the medical field must now and perform on a daily basis. Now just because someone plays this game does not mean that they are readily able to go out and give blood transfusions to patients. Playing this game, though, does give the player the simulation of what it would be like to have a job that involved this and give the player the sense of urgency that is placed in their hands to make sure the patient it taken care of and made better.

            The target learning group that I chose would best be accommodated by this game, according to Kolb’s Learning Styles, would have to be the accommodating group. I believe the accommodating group best fits here because they are in what Kolb refers to as the “feeling and doing” component and this game definitely requires the doing aspect. The accommodating group also encompasses the processing component, that would be included in the tutorial aspect that this game presents and it also allows for experimentation too. I have been able to come up with an objective for each of Bloom’s labels on the pyramid except for one, that one being creating. Creating is at the top of Bloom’s list and depending on how students took to playing this game would depend heavily on what I would have them create to demonstrate their knowledge. For the other components of Bloom’s Taxonomy I have come up the following objectives:

-          Students will evaluate this game through answering a series of questions related to their experience and it will reflect their overall attitude towards the game.

o   By forcing students to evaluate something based on questions it much more involved than simple yes or no questionnaires and when set up correctly serves as an evaluation tool to help the teacher gauge future use of the learning tool, in this case, the game.

-          Student will analyze their answers to their questions and justify why the answer that they chose was right or why it was wrong.

o   By having students analyze why their answers were correct or why they were wrong will help them to further understand the concepts being taught throughout the game and will also require them to use information gained throughout their tutorials too.

-          Students will be able to apply their knowledge from the tutorials from towards the success in winning the game.

o   For a students to successfully be able to play this game they must utilize the tutorials that are given to better understand and play the game.

-          Students will be able to understand how their choices throughout the game is directly tied to the patient they are taking care of.

o   If a students does not utilize the information correctly their patients care is in their hands, just like in real life, and the patients outcome is up to them.

-          Student will be able to remember what the variations of blood types are used throughout the game.

o   To play this game students will have to use their memory with the concepts that are used over and over again in order to play the game effectively.

The definition of a game to me is as follows, “A game, to my definition, is made up of an established set of organized rules in which people seek to find fun or enjoyment while playing. A game consists of interaction to some extent, whether that interaction is within the game or with others through the game. Most generally games are goal oriented and seek some sort of final outcome. Somewhere along the way the players of the game must encounter certain degrees of conflict or luck in order to determine the winner which is left to chance. “The components of a game, based on my definition, that was present during the game were rules were involved, enjoyment was established, there was interaction, goals were present,  and there was a final outcome. This game actually ended up meeting all of the component of my definition. The rules of the game were to be sure that you knew what the right blood type was to give the person, if you did not give the patient the right type of blood you were not following the rules. The game sought to bring enjoyment, I felt this component would be best suited as a game of enjoyment for those wanting to gain more knowledge through this field. The interaction existed between the player and the computer. Last of all the final outcome of the game was to win and get the most blood drops.

            I look forward implementing this game into my class when we talk about investigating careers. I constantly have students wanting to pursue something in the medical field so what better game for them to play when doing their research but this one! This game would really help the understand what is involved in a career such as this. Since this game meant all of my definition components of what a game was I believe that it easily helps me to meet my above mentioned learning objectives.