The word “drug calculation” to a Norwegian nursing student is a difficult subject that students have to master it to perfection. A single mistake in the examination leads to fail, which again bars you from working as a nurse, because wrong dosages of medication can be fatal.

At the University of Stavanger the students have three goes at handing in an exam paper without mistakes. In the last few years the fails have been between 36-39%, both first and second attempts. Nationwide results vary, but some colleges see up to 50% of students fail. The problem has been discussed at several national conferences.



Now the University’s unit for web-based studies, NettOp, is testing a completely new teaching aid – a computer game to help the students. “This has been a problem for many years. We think it is high time to try something new,” says Atle Løkken (right) director of NettOp.

Doctoral student Lars Rune Sterdal teaches medication calculation and participates in the computer game project. “My impression is that many nursing students do not trust their skills in mathematics and science from high school. That might be one reason why they struggle with this particular subject. Computer games can be a good supplement,” Sæterdal says.

Visual learning
, often termed “serious gaming” is where  the idea is to
make learning easier and more fun by using methodology from computer games. Project leader (right) Petter Mordt points out that there are many ways of learning. “Some prefer more visual ways of learning instead of text or mathematical formulas. I can see no reason why the instruction should not be fun,” he says.

Exactly how the game will look is still not clear. First, the subject content must be determined. Then the development of the game can begin. Nevertheless, the idea is to make short exercises that have to be solved under time pressure.

The game to be released in August to students on the online nursing programme. Petter Mordt stressesthe game will replace neither teaching nor curriculum. It will simply be an extra aid for those who need it.

European GameITers
NettOp has received development funds from Norway Opening Universities – a governmental agency to promote the development of ICT supported programmes.
Left: GameIT project members who meet in Stavanger, 12-15th September.

The project has been accepted as part of the EU scheme GameIT. Experienced professionals from the nursing programmes at Agder and Stavanger will help evaluate its academic quality.

The next step is to make a bigger game that deals with drug handling from the prescription in the medicine storage room to the injection on the patient.

Atle Løkken has great faith in the game programme. “The video game World of Warcraft is the world's biggest arena for problem-based learning. Here millions of unknown persons, having different languages and cultures, solve challenges together. That is far beyond what a teacher may achieve in a classroom,” the NettOp director concludes.