USING A VIDEO GAME TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT SAFETY

ACCIDENTAL INJURIES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN. THE WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF HOME-BASED VIDEO GAME COMPUTERS CREATES A POTENTIAL CHANNEL FOR SAFETY EDUCATION LIKELY TO REACH A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN. A FUN AND EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION COULD EQUIP CHILDREN WITH THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE TO AVOID HAZARDS WHILE MAKING PARENTS AWARE OF DANGERS, THUS REDUCING THE RISK OF INJURY AND SAVING LIVES. WE WILL EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A ROLE-PLAYING NINTENDO-TYPE VIDEO GAME DESIGNED TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT SAFETY. A PROTOTYPE VIDEO GAME WILL DISPLAY COMMON HAZARD IN GAME WORLDS THAT REPRESENT TRAFFIC, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRAIN SITUATIONS. THIS PROTOTYPE WILL BE TESTED AS AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE TO CURRENT SAFETY CURRICULUM WITH CLASSES OF STUDENTS AT A LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. EFFECTIVENESS WILL BE DETERMINED BY COMPARING CLASSES USING ONLY THE ESTABLISHED CURRICULUM TO CLASSES USING BOTH THE CURRICULUM AND THE GAME. ALL STUDENTS WILL TAKE PRE AND POST KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TESTS. IF THE GAME PROVES TO BE EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING KNOWLEDGE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDES ABOUT SAFETY, AND ALSO FUN AND APPEALIING TO THE STUDENTS, THAN IN PHASE II A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE NINTENDO GAME COULD BE DEVELOPED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES.