Gamification in Neurosurgery Education

Abstract

Nowadays, gamification is becoming popular as a new form of education in healthcare applications, due to the need of creating more effective educational practices. Educators in healthcare field are currently applying strategies used in popular games to create more engaging learning environments. Studies in the literature show that, creating learning environments by using gamification leads to better improved learning. The main goal of this approach is to increase the motivation of the participant. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the effect of gamification on learning in neurosurgery education. In order to better understand this effect of gamification on learning, a surgical simulation game "Wire Haptic in Dark" is developed in two versions by applying gamification techniques as a part of Endoneurosurgery Education Project (ECE). The scenario is developed in two versions: one containing some gamification attributes and the other one not including any gamification attributes. The gamification version of the scenario is designed by showing the time passed to perform the task successful, the score of the participant on the screen while playing the game and including sounds in case of the collision during the game, whereas the other version is created without sound, time and score information. The experimental results of this study reveal that gamification enhances the performance as well as the motivation of the participant. As motivation increases, participant performance in a given game task becomes more effective. The results of this study aimed to help the surgical educators and the instructional system designers to improve the benefits of using gamification in learning environments for the surgical education programs.