USC School of Cinema-Television | Interactive Media Division
CTIN 492 Experimental Game Topics: “Games for Health”
Course Syllabus, Spring 2009
Units: 4 | Prerequisites: None
Instructors:
Marientina Gotsis
Maryalice Jordan-Marsh
Contact Info:
Marientina Gotsis, (310) 760 7606,
Maryalice Jordan-Marsh (213) 740-4600
Course Description:
This class will explore the emerging genre of “Games for Health” – games designed for increasing awareness (e.g., health advocacy), prevention (e.g. obesity), diagnosis (e.g., ADHD, Parkinson’s), health management (e.g., diabetes), acute care (e.g., pain management), rehabilitation (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury) and more. The class will explore multiple design perspectives (e.g., consumer vs. provider, patient vs. social worker vs. nurse vs. doctor, as well as designer vs.engineer) in order to foster a spirit of understanding toward collaborative design. Whereas pure entertainment may focus more on the player experience rather than the message, health games require equal consideration to both player and message. Students will be challenged to think beyond pure entertainment and understand holistic issues of design that take into account the players’ overall mental and physical health, environmental factors, social networks, and community issues, as well as the economics that govern healthcare issues. Students will be required to communicate issues based on their diverse perspectives in order to help identify stakeholder interests in health games.
The class will spend the initial part of the semester researching and evaluating prior art in this genre, as well as learning about current research on health communication and health behavior change, and pressing social/financial topics in healthcare. The class will also cover basic skills in prototyping, playtesting and study design and evaluation. The class will include guest lectures and labs by a number of speakers with expertise in social work, health communication, business, social networks, virtual reality, mobile applications, sensors and other relevant topics. During visiting speaker’s lab time, the class will also create a series of small prototype exercises from which to draw ideas and experience for the final class project. During the final half of the semester, the class will work together to design, playtest, produce, and market one or more class projects depending on class size and expertise.
Note: Students taking courses in program evaluation or research design methods are encouraged to enroll and use class deliverables for evaluation and study design with their instructors’ permission.
NO PREREQUISITES REQUIRED. BOTH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATES ELIGIBLE FOR CREDIT.
Instructor Bios:
Marientina Gotsis, MFA is Media Lab Manager of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Interactive Media Division (IMD). She manages IMD research and teaching labs and contributes to research by leading IMD’s Games for Health Initiative and a collaboration for networked interactive media between KEIO University (Japan) and Calit2/University of California-San Diego (UCSD). Gotsis previously taught computer-based design and programming at Columbia College Chicago, Harold Washington College and Northeastern Illinois University and has thirteen years of professional consulting experience. She received a B.F.A. and M.F.A. from the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she served as research assistant on large-scale computing efforts for networked virtual reality (VR). Her thesis was a mixed-VR environment that required full-body motion exhibited through a series of improvisational performances by the Anatomical Dance Theatre and followed by audience participation. Gotsis has published and reviewed papers on VR, learning interfaces, technology and education.
Maryalice Jordan-Marsh, PhD, RN, FAAN is a nurse psychologist and co-investigator on an NIH funded research project to engage adults in recreational activities to enhance health and well being. She has served as the director of the USC Intergenerational Health Research Team—involving older adults and community collaboration—which led to the funding of a Cybercafé based in a senior center. In this research, she has examined intergenerational links specific to healthy lifestyle behaviors in multi-lingual populations. She coordinated the USC Conference on Interdisciplinary Collaboration for GeroEngineering. With Dr. Iris Chi, she is conducting a Cochrane Database review of tai chi and its role in preventing depression. She developed an interdisciplinary cartoon based program for managing postoperative and procedural pain in children. She has published articles on the SF-36 Health Related Quality of Life instrument in multiple languages with cross generational assessments. She is currently preparing a book on health technology for adults with games as a specific focus.
Gotsis and Jordan-Marsh are collaborators on Wellness Partners, an intergenerational pilot project for health games research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Meeting Information:
Lectures: Tuesday 4 – 5.50PM
Labs: Thursday 4 – 5.50PM
CSS G142 (Basement of Carson Stage on 34th st).
Evaluation of student performance:
· Written analyses of prior art
· Design prototypes
· Final project
· Project documentation
Criteria for Grading:
Participation / 10Analyses (3) / 30
Design prototypes / 20
Final project / 30
Project documentation / 10
Total: / 100
Final Grade:
93 – 100 A
90 – 92 A-
87 – 89 B+
83 – 86 B
80 – 82 B-
77 – 79 C+
73 – 76 C
70 – 72 C-
Required Textbook:
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Required Readings:
Articles and other course readings will be provided in January via Blackboard.
Required Readings and Reference Material:
Please see Blackboard under Course Documents and External Links.
Course Schedule
SUBJECT TO CHANGE – REFER TO BLACKBOARD FOR MOST RECENT SCHEDULE VERSION
READINGS/REFERENCE MATERIALS in BLACKBOARD
Week 1 : Overview of the Course
Jan 13: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan-Marsh “Intro to the class, structure, goals”
Jan 15: Lab: In-class play and discussion of popular games with mental and physical health potential
Readings
Baranowski, T., Buday, R., Thompson, D. I., & Baranowski, J. (2008). Playing for real video games and stories for health-related behavior change. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34(1), 74-82 e10.
Chapter 6: Conceptualization from
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Due: Bring your favorite games to lab
Week 2: Process & Preparation
Jan 20: Lecture: Maryalice Jordan-Marsh “Bridging Disciplines”
Jan 22: Lab: Learning to Prototype I
Readings
Chapter 1: The Role of the Game Designer from
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Chapter 1: The Selection of a Research Design from
Creswell, J. W. (2008). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Resource:
Bandura, A. (2004). Health promotion by social cognitive means.
Health Education and Behavior, 31(2), 143-164.
Due: Mini Research Assignment #1
Week 3: Overview of Games & Playcentric Design
Jan 27: Lecture: Tracy Fullerton (USC Interactive Media), “Beyond Genres”
Jan 29: Lab: Learning to Prototype II
Readings
Chapter 7: Prototyping, Chapter 8: Digital Prototyping, from
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Due: Mini Research Assignment #2
Week 4: Games with Cognitive, Emotional, & Physical Applications
Feb 3: Lecture: Skip Rizzo, (USC Institute for Creative Technologies)
Psych: Virtual Iraq
Motor: Webcam tracked rehab games
Cognitive: Virtual Classroom
Feb 5: Lab: Sensors & Body Computing Interfaces I
(e.g., gps, accelerometer, pulse/heart rate/blood pressure meters)
Prior Art
Casual Games e.g., WiiFit, BrainAge, PopCap games, Virtual Pets, Wearables
Due: Mini Research Assignment #3
Week 5: Games with Applications in Acute Care
Feb 10: Lecture: TBD Guests
Feb 12: Lab: Sensors & Body Computing Interfaces II
(e.g., haptics, complex sensor networks, embedded biosensors)
Due: Design Analysis #1
Week 6: Social/Networked Games
Feb 17: Lecture: Tom Valente, (Keck School of Medicine) “Social Networks & Diffusion of Innovations”
Feb 19: Lab: Designing for multiplayer interaction
Readings
Aarsand, P. A. (2007). Computer and video games in family life: The digital divide as a resource in intergenerational interactions. Childhood, 14(2), 235-256.
Prior Art
TBD Popular MMOs/RPGs
Due: Design Analysis #2
Week 7: Community Games
Feb 24: Rethinking the New Games Movement and MMORPG’s
Feb 26: Brainstorming for Final Project
Readings
Sustainable play: Toward a new games movement for the digital age.(2007). Games and Culture, 2(3), 261.
Aarsand, P. A. (2007). Computer and video games in family life: The digital divide as a resource in intergenerational interactions. Childhood, 14(2), 235-256.
Due: Design Analysis #3
Week 8: Health Games I
Mar 3: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis “Discipline-centric design considerations»
Mar 5: Lab: Design concepts for Final Project I
Readings
Chapter 12: Team Structures, Chapter 14: The Design Document from
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Prior Art
TBD health games
Due: Design Concepts First Draft
Week 9: Health Games II
Mar 10: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan-Marsh “Future of Health Games”
Mar 12: Lab: Design concepts for Final Project II
Readings
Chapter 9: Playtesting from:
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Due: Design Concepts Second Draft
*Week 10: Prepping for Playtest
Mar 17: No Lecture (spring break)
Mar 19: No Lab (spring break)
Week 11: Playtesting of First Draft Design
Mar 24: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan-Marsh “Playtesting Study Planning”
Mar 26: Lab: Run tests, collect feedback
Readings
Chapter 10: Functionality, Completeness and Balance from
Fullerton, T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2008). Game design workshop : A playcentric approach to creating innovative games (2nd ed.). Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier Morgan Kaufmann.
Due: Playtest Reports
Week 12: Design Review & Revisions
Mar 31: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis “Integrating feedback & iterative process”
Apr 2: Lab: Second stage designs
Due: Design Concepts Final Draft & Second Stage Designs
Week 13: The Production & Marketing Interface
Apr 7: Lecture: Panel Discussion (guests TBD)
Apri 9: Lab: Third stage designs
Readings
TBD readings on liability, side-effects, drawbacks, current news trends
Due: Third Stage Designs
Week 14: Production for Final Game
Apr 14: Lecture: Maryalice Jordan-Marsh “Human Subjects Research Issues”
Apr 16: Lab: Development of Research & Marketing Proposal Drafts
Readings
The ABC’s of the IRB Process for Student Investigators
Due: Mini Research & Marketing Proposal First Draft
Week 15: Production for Final Game
Apr 21: No Lecture (Game in Progress)
Apr 23: No Lab (Game in Progress)
Due: Fourth Stage Designs
Week 16: Run the Final Game
Apr 28: No Lecture (Game in Progress)
Apr 30: No Lab (Game in Progress)
Due: Mini Research & Marketing Proposal Final Draft
Due: Final Project Due
Research Assignments:
During the first part of the semester, the class will be reviewing games, articles and reference materials that are relevant to the health games research field. Students will be asked to contribute the the Blackboard Reference Material Pool by finding relevant articles and games and writing short annotations about the importance and potential usefulness of these materials. For example, a student may want to contribute a new or existing game that they believe could be useful as a health intervention or diagnostic tool, or they may contribute a health-related article that could inspire a new health game application.
Design Analyses:
During the second part of the semester, while the class is exploring a variety of prior art in this area, students will produce three design analyses of reviewed games in teams of mixed disciplines. The analyses will focus on the strength and weaknesses of the project design goals, process and end player experience. Relevant research on related health aspects is to be integrated. Students are encouraged to play the games (if possible) and to ask people in their social network to play them to collect feedback. Each analysis should be 2-3 well-written pages. Assignments will be graded on the insight and clarity of the analysis and understanding of relevant research, without regard to playing ability.
Design Labs:
The lab exercises will consist of short, focused assignments that can be completed, playtested, and discussed during class time. Some of the labs may involve visiting speakers who will show hands-on demos of technologies. The resulting in-class designs will provide possible ideas and prototypes for the final project. Later labs will focus on producing specific deliverables for the final project: a prototype, playtesting and feedback collection for the prototype, revised designs, preparation & marketing for the final game, implementation and documentation of the final project.
Final Project:
As a group, the class will design, produce and present one or more health games. All students in the class must participate in the design and playtest of this final project in some way – specific roles to be determined by the nature of the game, of course. The design of the game should take into account the space and mindset of the potential players, striving for a sense of relevance to both location and people involved, and inclusion for players and non-players alike.
Research & Marketing Proposal:
The game will be designed as a product which can be marketed to health care providers and consumers. Several team members will be assigned to documentation – research plan, video, photos, questionnaires, etc. These materials will be used by the team to prepare a proposal and post-mortem report on the experience. The post-mortem will include player feedback, non-player feedback, designer insights, unique experiences and moments of play, as well as a video explanation of the design process, final results and health research applicability. While the entire proposal is a group effort, each student will be responsible for at least one element of the proposal.
Course Weblog:
http://interactive.usc.edu/courses/2009_spring/ctin-492l-experiment.php
To post to the course weblog, simply add a post as usual and tag it with the course number – 492. The post will show up under the course aggregator.
Missing an assignment, Incompletes:
The only acceptable excuses for missing an assignment or taking an incomplete in the course are personal illness or a family emergency. Students must inform the professor before the assignment due date and present verifiable evidence in order for a late assignment to be accepted. Students who wish to take incompletes must also present documentation of the problem to the instructor or teaching assistant before final grades are due.