Int Arch Nurs Health Care ISSN: 2469-5823

• Abstract
• Keywords
• Introduction
• Aim
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• References

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International Archives of Nursing and Health Care

Nursing School, Chung Gung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Abstract

Aim: English medical terminology is used in writing medical admission notes, medication administration records, and nursing kardexes in Taiwan. Games are a valuable teaching strategy in higher education classrooms. This article describes the game, Bingo! team-based game, which meets the needs of adult learners in the learning process in a fun and exciting way.

Methods: The 5 by 5 Bingo! team-based game was incorporated into the two-credit English medical terminology course at a university in Taiwan

Results: The participants evaluated the game positively and commented that it can boost their learning interest, help improve interpersonal relationships, increase social interactions, and improve their attitudes toward learning in the class.

Conclusion: Bingo! Team-based games can boost students' learning interest, help them improve interpersonal relationships, increase social interactions, and improve attitude toward learning in the class. This game is a useful teaching tool for large classes of students.

Keywords

Team-based game, English medical terminology, Nursing student

Introduction

In medical service settings in Taiwan, English medical terminology is used for writing medical admission notes, medication administration records, and nursing kardexes. Nurses use English medical terminology to interact with health care professionals and to understand patient charts, laboratory data, and nursing kardexes. For nurses, understanding and using English medical terminology is an important ability to perform their responsibilities efficiently and safely. However, many clinical nurses in Taiwan mentioned that they need to continue increasing their competency of English medical terminology [1]. Therefore, increasing the competency of English medical terminology is a key component in nursing education [2]. The English medical terminology course is designed to enable nursing students to communicate with other health care providers. To increase students' interest and motivation in learning English medical terminology is a priority in nursing education.

Chen and Chiou recommended that introducing different strategies to help students deal with difficulties and frustrations when learning medical terminology is a significant task for nursing instructors [2]. Horsley mentioned that games are a valuable teaching strategy in higher education classrooms [3]. Games allow for enhanced active learning, while increasing motivation to learn among students. In addition, students see value in the interactive learning experiences of team learning and are able to articulate positive aspects of the learning process [4]. Educational game competitions provide formative assessments and feedback for students, which enhances both the learning and teaching process. Within a game setting, students compete for a common goal and celebrate their achievement together [5].

Aim

The aim of this article is to describe the game, 5 by 5 Bingo! team-based game, which meets the needs of adult learners in the learning process in a fun and exciting way.

Methods

The 5 by 5 Bingo! team-based game was incorporated into the two-credit (approximately 36 hours) English medical terminology course at a university in Taiwan in 2014. The class consisted of 121 sophomore nursing students, of whom 117 were from Taiwan and 4 were from mainland China. The 121 participants were divided into two classes, with 56 students in one class and 65 students in the other. They were further divided into groups of three or four, with 18 separate teams per class. The game was utilized twice in the English medical terminology course.

Before the game started, the teaching material was uploaded onto the e-campus on-line teaching system for students to preview. One-hour in-class lecture allowed students to acquire related knowledge. One week after the class, the Bingo! team-based game was used to increase students' learning motivation and assess their learning results. The process of this team-based game is described as follows:
1. The game lasted about 40 to 50 minutes. Before the game, students formed their own groups, consisting of 3 or 4 students.
2. The instructor played the role of game host, prepared the 5 by 5 game cards, and decided upon 25 quiz questions on medical terminology.
3. Each group was given a blank 5 by 5 card, along with a red pen and a blue pen.
4. On the blank card, the group randomly assigns numbers 1 to 25 in the upper left corner of each square in blue ink. Once it was written, it could not be changed.
5. Following the game board set up, the instructor gave each group the quiz card containing 25 medical terminology questions. All students got the same 25 quiz questions.
6. Each group had 20 minutes to discuss and decide upon their multiple-choice answers (A, B, C or D) to the 25 questions without looking up answers in a textbook. The group then wrote answers using blue ink in the corresponding numbered squares they had previously assigned on the game board. Students were reminded not to revise answers once it was written in the corresponding square. If revised, that answer would become invalid and be marked X.
7. The game host then decides which group may answer the question by randomly drawing lots.
8. If the group answered the question correctly, it had the right to choose and answer the next question.
9. The groups used red ink to mark "O." for correct answers, and "X." for wrong answers in each corresponding square for the selected question.
10. The goal is to link five squares in a linear row, be it vertical, horizontal or diagonal, with the correct answers marked "O." The first group to achieve a completed "Bingo!" became the winner and ended the game.
11. The host would lead further discussion if questions were left unanswered.

Results

After the game was finished, all 5 by 5 cards were collected by the instructor to count the correct answers. On average, students answered 23 out of 25 questions correctly. That indicated improved knowledge of medical terminology among students. 121 participating students completed the anonymous self-administered course evaluation sheet about their learning experiences after the completion of the course. Before completing the course evaluation sheet, they were informed that the responses would not affect their academic grades. They were also assured that their responses were anonymous, voluntary, and confidential. Course evaluation sheets were completed in the absence of the instructor, and handed directly to the administration office of the nursing department of the university in Taiwan. According to the evaluation result, students gave the class a score of 4.8 in terms of class satisfaction out of the highest score of 5. Comments for the class were positive, stating that the teaching method was very innovative and helpful, and that it was a fun and interesting way to motivate the students to memorize medical terminology and interact with each other.

They mentioned that "The teaching method is great. I am motivated to memorize medical terminology," "This kind of innovative teaching helps a lot," "The competition makes us eager to participate," "It is purely fun," "Learning through games is very interesting," "Playing games makes the class much more fun," and "Playing games allows for more interesting interactions."

Discussion

The use of games in the classroom provides an interaction that increases active learning and motivations. Students enjoy a change from the traditional lecture format, and they have opportunity to learn from their peers [6]. The students participating in the Bingo! Team-based game also mentioned that they were motivated to memorize medical terminology. They also agreed that they had more interactions with their peers. The Bingo! Team-based game was first used in teaching English medical terminology in Taiwan, and students evaluated this teaching strategy positively. Therefore, I recommend that the Bingo! Team-based game be applied to other courses for students of different cultural backgrounds. Further research and discussion could be explored in the future.

Conclusions

Bingo! Team-based games can boost students' learning interest, help them improve interpersonal relationships, increase social interactions, and improve attitude toward learning in the class. This game is a useful teaching tool for large classes of students. Incorporating team cooperation and team competition in various teaching courses proves useful in helping learners achieve active and peer learning. The 5 by 5 Bingo! team-based game does just that and, by making learning fun and interesting, helps achieve better learning results.

References

1. Yang CL (2011) Internationalized medical care services increase need of health care providers to improve English communication skills. Journal of Nursing 58: 97-101.
   


2. Chen Y, Chiou C (2010) Correlators of achievement in English for medical purposes among baccalaureate nursing students. J Nurs Res 18: 11-17.
   


3. Horsley TL (2010) Innovative learning activity. Education theory and classroom games: increasing knowledge and fun in the classroom. J Nurs Educ 49: 363-364.
   


4. Feingold C, Cobb M, Hernandez Givens R, Arnold J, et al. (2008) Student perceptions of team learning in nursing education. J Nurs Educ 47: 214-222.
   


5. Schlegel EM, Selfridge NJ (2014) Fun, collaboration and formative assessment: Skinquizition, a class wide gaming competition in a medical school with a large class. Med Teach 36: 447-449.
   


6. Aljezawi M, Albashtawy M (2015) Quiz game teaching format versus didactic lectures. Br J Nurs 24: 86, 88-92.