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,
[email protected] Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh
[email protected] 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 10 Analyses (3) 30 Design prototypes 20 Final project 30 Project documentation 10 Total: 100 Reading: Articles and other course readings will be provided in January via the website at http://interactive.usc.edu/courses/2009_spring/ctin‐492l‐experiment.php Course content (summarized by class meeting) SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Week 1 : Overview of the Course Jan 12: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh “Intro to the class, structure, goals” Jan 15: Lab: In‐class play of popular games with mental and physical health potential Reading: selected readings on the state of the art in health games Week 2: Process & Preparation Jan 19: Lecture: Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh “Bridging Disciplines” Jan 22: Lab: Learning to Prototype I
Reading: selected readings from Game Design Workshop (Fullerton) Week 3: Overview of Game Genres & Playcentric Design Jan 26: Lecture: Tracy Fullerton (USC Interactive Media), “Intro to Games” Jan 29: Lab: Learning to Prototype II Reading: selected readings from Game Design Workshop (Fullerton) Week 4: Games with Cognitive, Emotional, & Physical Applications Feb 2: Lecture: Skip Rizzo, (USC Institute for Creative Technologies) and Margaret McLaughlin (Annenberg School for Communication) “Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Post‐ Traumatic Stress Disorder” Feb 5: Lab: Sensors & Body Computing Interfaces I (e.g., gps, accelerometer, pulse/heart rate/blood pressure meters) Reading: TBD readings on applications in anxiety, depression, stress management, rehab Prior Art –Casual Games e.g., WiiFit, BrainAge, PopCap games, Virtual Pets, Wearables Week 5: Games with Applications in Acute Care Feb 9: Lecture: Belinda Lange, (USC Institute for Creative Technologies) “Pain Management” Feb 12: Lab: Sensors & Body Computing Interfaces II (e.g., haptics, complex sensor networks, embedded biosensors) Reading: TBD readings on applications in acute care, biosensors Due: Analysis #1 Week 6: Social/Networked Games Feb 16: Lecture: Tom Valente, (Keck School of Medicine) “Social Networks & Diffusion of Innovations” Feb 19: Lab: Designing for multiplayer interaction Reading: selected readings on interpersonal and intergenerational issues, social networks theory Prior Art – Popular MMOs/RPGs, Remission Week 7: Community Games Feb 23: Bernie DeKoven, author of “The Well Played Game” Feb 26:: Brainstorming for Final Project Due: Analysis #2 Week 8: Health Games I Mar 2: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis “Discipline‐centric design considerations » Mar 5: Lab: Design concepts for Final Project Reading: selected readings from New Games movement Prior Art – Remission, TBD health games Week 9: Health Games II Mar 9: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh “Future of Health Games” Mar 12: Lab: Design concepts for Final Project Reading: TBD Due: Analysis #3 *Week 10: Prepping for Playtest Mar 16: No Lecture (spring break) Mar 19: No Lab (spring break) Week 11: Playtesting of First Draft Design Mar 23: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis/Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh “Playtesting Study Planning” Mar 26: Lab: Run tests, collect feedback Reading: Reading: selected readings from Game Design Workshop (Fullerton)
Week 12: Design Review & Revisions Mar 30: Lecture: Marientina Gotsis “Integrating feedback & iterative process” Apr 2: Lab: Second stage designs Reading: TBD Week 13: The Production & Marketing Interface Apr 6: Lecture: Panel Discussion (guests TBD) Apri 9: Lab: Third stage designs Reading: selected readings on liability, side‐effects, drawbacks Week 14: Production for Final Game Apr 13: Lecture: Maryalice Jordan‐Marsh “Human Subjects Research Issues” Apr 16: Lab: Preparing documentation Reading: IRB Guidelines Week 15: Production for Final Game Apr 20: No Lecture (Game in Progress) Apr 23: No Lab (Game in Progress) Reading: none Week 16: Run the Final Game Apr 27: No Lecture (Game in Progress) Apr 30: No Lab (Game in Progress) Reading: none Design Analyses: During the first 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. Project Documentation: 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 – video, photos, questionnaires, etc. These materials will be used by the team to prepare a 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 and final results. While the entire post‐mortem is a group effort, each student will be responsible for at least one element of the report. 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. Note for students with disabilities: Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to us as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301, and is open 8:30am5:00pm Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740‐0776. Academic Integrity: The School of Cinema‐Television and the School of Social Work expect the highest standards of academic excellence and ethical performance from USC students. It is particularly important that you are aware of and avoid plagiarism, cheating on exams, submitting a paper to more than one instructor, or submitting a paper authored by anyone other than yourself. Violations of this policy will result in a failing grade band be reported to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. If you have any doubts or questions about these policies, consult “SCAMPUS” and/or confer with the instructor.