How do I make learning attractive for my employees?
Knowledge database Organisation Leadership & Culture Human Training & digital expertise D.1: Intelligent management of networked hospitals - a digital simulation gameLifelong learning is required in order to keep pace with the latest innovations in the smart hospital of the future. This article discusses how the further training of hospital employees can be organised with the help of modern learning game motivators.
Problem description, research question and relevance
Long gone are the days when hospital employees would have finished their basic training. Due to the constant advances in knowledge in the fields of medicine, technology and business management, the processes in a hospital are constantly changing (Ewers & Lehmann, 2021).
The skills that employees are expected to have in order to carry out their operational activities effectively and efficiently are also changing accordingly. On the one hand, it is important to carefully consider which areas of knowledge and competences should be trained. On the other hand, the question of which method should be used for further training needs to be answered. This knowledge article examines the research question of whether learning games are suitable for creating motivating further training in a hospital environment.
This question is important because motivation plays a major role in successful continuing education (Bensch & Greening, 2021). Without the pressure of mandatory certifications, for example, it is not self-evident that employees will voluntarily take an interest in further training. Hospital staff generally have a stressful working day (Rohwer et al., 2021) - the topic of personal development is quickly deprioritised and therefore neglected. And if employees do take time for their personal development, the learning method plays an important role. It should meet employees' expectations of modern training. In an age of staff shortages, an attractive learning offer could even be seen as a competitive advantage in the hunt for talent on the labour market.
Methods and procedures in the project
The choice of learning methods is very broad (Brugger & Richter, 2022). We know from the literature that serious games are a possible way of generating motivation among learners (Jeske, 2022). As the efficient scaling of the training to many hospital employees was an important goal of our sub-project, we decided to focus on digital games early on in the design process.
The main method for developing the SHIFT learning game was based on Aslan and Balci (2015) (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: The design cycle of an educational game (Aslan and Balci, 2015)
The motivation of learners played a key role throughout the entire design cycle. When selecting the learning objective, we took care to solve a real problem in practice and thus have a motivating effect. Interviews with managers from Swiss hospitals quickly revealed that the proposed learning objective "How can we break down silo thinking and behaviour?" is unfortunately highly relevant in hospitals. As we were not aware of any interactive teaching unit that attempted to solve this problem, we focussed our sub-project on the appropriate solution. When developing the game, we focussed in particular on the topic of fun. In the game tests, the participants were asked whether they would find these playful learning units more motivating than traditional training with frontal teaching.
Results and findings
In conclusion, it can be stated that educational games can also provide increased motivation to learn in a hospital environment. The following three main findings were derived:
- Select the relevant topic:
If management staff take around 1.5-2 hours to play the game, then there must be a significant learning objective. The question of "breaking through silos" is so relevant that the time required for a game is justified. - Utilise emotions during the game:
Many of the players show a high level of commitment during the game and are completely absorbed in their role. This generates strong positive, but also negative emotions. These are good, as reflecting on what they have experienced ensures that what they have learnt is firmly anchored in their memories. The course of the game ensures that more positive experiences of success are made possible in the second round, in which co-operation is sought. This ends the learning unit with a positive effect. - Collecting feedback from participants:
The questionnaires distributed during the test games produce a clear result. The question "Is a learning simulation like this more motivating than a face-to-face lesson" was overwhelmingly answered in the affirmative. It is also interesting to note that the question "If this learning simulation had not existed, would you have been able to learn more about the topic of silo thinking on your own through self-study? It appears that a self-study e-learning programme is not an equivalent alternative to a jointly experienced game simulation.
Recommendations for practice
- Carry out an ABC analysis. Learning games are time-consuming and require more resources, but they also generate more benefits. Accordingly, the strategically important learning objectives ("A objectives") for which they are used should be strongly prioritised.
- Supplement with eLearning. For the other B and C learning objectives, training using classic eLearning tools is still an effective means thanks to their efficient scaling options.
- Use gamification. The motivation of eLearning in self-study can be increased using gamification methods. For example, awarding badges for milestones achieved can be a suitable instrument for increasing the completion rates of further training courses.
Literature and other sources
Bensch, S., Greening, M. (2021). Continuing education and training in nursing and midwifery. In: Darmann-Finck, I., Sahmel, KH. (eds) Pedagogy in healthcare. Springer Reference Nursing - Therapy - Health . Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61428-0_37-1
Brugger, L., & Richter, R. (2022). Didactics, methodology and evaluation of interprofessional education. Pedagogy of the health professions, 9(1), 22-30.
Ewers, M., Lehmann, Y. (2021). Education and training of regulated health professions in Europe - an international comparative perspective. In: Darmann-Finck, I., Sahmel, KH. (eds) Pedagogy in the health care system. Springer Reference Nursing - Therapy - Health . Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61428-0_43-1
Golz, C., Oulevey Bachmann, A., Defilippis, T.S. et al. Preparing students to deal with the consequences of the workforce shortage among health professionals: a qualitative approach. BMC Med Educ 22, 756 (2022). doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03819-4
Jeske, I.C. (2022). Playful learning with serious games - a consideration from a media conceptual perspective. In: Becker, W., Metz, M. (eds) Digital Learning Worlds - Serious Games and Gamification. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35059-8_2
Rohwer, E., Mojtahedzadeh, N., Harth, V. et al. Stressors, stress experience and stress consequences of nursing staff in outpatient and inpatient settings in Germany. Zbl Arbeitsmed 71, 38-43 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40664-020-00404-8