Game-Based Teaching for Your Health: Testing a Board Game, Monster Appetite, for Classroom Implementation

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Designing Effective Learning Environments I

Abstract

This exploratory pilot tested if Monster Appetite (MA), a board game, would be well received by educators regarding four dependent variables: fun and engagement; social interactions; knowledge gain; and re-playability in classrooms. In testing MA, 16 educators responded well to the fact that the game was entertaining rather than didactic. The subversive approach (i.e., making one player’s monster avatar big by choosing high-caloric food cards), led to interesting social interactions that helped maintain the high levels of fun and engagement. All participants also showed increase in their knowledge of identifying high versus low-caloric food items after the gameplay and revealed that they could see themselves playing this again in the future either in their classrooms or other relevant learning environments.

Author

• Maria Lara Hwang, Teachers College, Columbia University