Be prepared - Learning for the future

Forward-looking papers from around the globe, addressing themes of current educational practice, were published in the FEMS Microbiology Letters virtual Thematic Issue 'Learning for the future' in October 2019. Its dynamic content is reviewed here to facilitate discussions within the professional community. The focus is on preparing generations of 21st century professionals as lifelong learners for yet unknown working environments and demands. Active and authentic learning is covered in various contexts from interactive lectures, via innovative tasks exploring the scientific method to conducting research over a distance. Naturally, authentic assessment features. Moreover, authentic learning is taken out of the classroom into the community as service learning for students to develop skills and see unexpected Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths career opportunities. Approaches to public engagement with science are presented including through art. Art is also brought into the classroom, as well as educational games, to foster creativity. Additionally, sharing science with large audiences on social media is discussed. Future-proofing education requires being innovative and imaginative. This comes with challenges and risks, but being prepared is worth it.

Current climate for digital game-based learning of science in further and higher education

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is being used increasingly as an alternative learning tool to teach science in further and higher education. A variety of digital game formats currently exist for science learning, alongside diverse methods for their implementation and evaluation. This paper aims to provide a broad summary of the field by discussing the current platforms for DGBL and examples of games played on them. These include gamified simulations and traditional digital games delivered through personal computer and online software; mobile games delivered through downloaded applications for devices such as tablets and mobile phones; and educational modifications of commercial games, known amongst gamers as ‘mods’. To conclude the summary, the paper discusses the current challenges and barriers associated with DGBL in further and higher science education, and potential strategies researchers may consider to overcome them.

Gaming Preferences, Motivations, and Experiences of Pharmacy Students in Asia

OBJECTIVE

Serious games are becoming popular in various healthcare domains. However, they should be designed to cater toward learners' perspectives, needs, and specifications in order to be used to their full potential in education. This study investigated the gaming experiences, motivations, and preferences of pharmacy students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An anonymous self-administered survey obtained participant demographics, gaming experiences (enjoyment level of different game genres, years of experience, gaming frequency and duration, and motivations), and gaming preferences (on in-game rewards, settings, storylines, perspectives, and styles). Descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance, chi-squared tests, and Fisher's exact tests were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The response rate was 69.1 percent (465/673 undergraduates). Role-playing games (RPGs) (4.12 ± 1.07) and massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs) (3.81 ± 1.26) had the highest enjoyment ratings. Males enjoyed imagination games (e.g., RPGs, MMORPGs) more than females, whereas females enjoyed simulation games more. Top motivating factors for respondents were progressing to the next level (3.63 ± 1.19), excitement (3.33 ± 1.33), and a feeling of efficacy when playing (3.02 ± 1.16). Unlocking mechanisms (25.2 percent) and experience points (17.6 percent) were the most popular in-game reward systems. Most respondents preferred a fantasy/medieval/mythic setting (59.8 percent) and an adventurer storyline (41.3 percent), with similar proportions preferring competitive (35.3 percent), cooperative (33.3 percent), and collaborative (30.8 percent) game styles.

CONCLUSIONS

Different groups of pharmacy students differ in their gaming experiences, motivating factors, and preferences. There is no "one size fits all" game that is suitable for all pharmacy education. Such differences should be considered when developing a pharmacy game in order to cater to the diverse student population.