Homo Politicus meets Homo Ludens: Public participation in serious life science games

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 531-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Radchuk ◽  
Wolfgang Kerbe ◽  
Markus Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Mobile Games ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Engagement With Science

Public participation in science and gamification of science are two strong contemporary trends, especially in the area of emerging techno-sciences. Involvement of the public in research-related activities is an integral part of public engagement with science and technologies, which can be successfully achieved through a participatory game design. Focusing on the participatory dimension of educational games, we have reviewed a number of existing participation heuristics in light of their suitability to characterize available mobile and browser science games. We analyzed 87 games with respect to their participatory and motivational elements and demonstrated that the majority of mobile games have only basic participative features. This review of the landscape of participative science games in the domain of life sciences highlights a number of major challenges present in the design of such applications. At the same time, it reveals a number of opportunities to enhance public engagement using science games.

An Overview of Accessibility and Usability of Educational Games

2013 ◽  
pp. 63-101
Author(s):  
Marion A. Hersh ◽  
Barbara Leporini
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Educational Games ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Educational Game ◽  
Mobile Games ◽  
Games Studies ◽  
Educational Computer ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations

This chapter presents an overview of accessibility and usability for educational computer-based games and the first survey of the accessibility and usability of digital educational games. The overview includes a discussion of accessibility and usability, both in general and in the specific context of educational games, as well as a brief presentation of issues relating to game design, including of mobile games. Since there are no previous studies of the accessibility and usability of educational computer-based games, studies of the accessibility and usability of the related areas of virtual learning environments, digital games for entertainment and PDF documents, are also presented. The overview of accessibility and usability and the results of the survey are used to draw up a structured list of 62 guidelines and recommendations, organised into three categories at the first level and ten at the second level. These guidelines and recommendations are illustrated by an example of their application to a fictitious new educational game.

scholarly journals Biofilm Control Strategies: Engaging with the Public

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 465
Author(s):  
Joanna Verran ◽  
Sarah Jackson ◽  
Antony Scimone ◽  
Peter Kelly ◽  
James Redfern
Keyword(s):  
Public Engagement ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Audience Engagement ◽  
The Public ◽  
Biofilm Control ◽  
Public Engagement With Science ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Plaque Control

There are few peer-reviewed publications about public engagement with science that are written by microbiologists; those that exist tend to be a narrative of an event rather than a hypothesis-driven investigation. However, it is relatively easy for experienced scientists to use a scientific method in their approach to public engagement. This short communication describes three public engagement activities hosted by the authors, focused on biofilm control: hand hygiene, plaque control and an externally applied antimicrobial coating. In each case, audience engagement was assessed using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. A critical evaluation of the findings enabled the construction of a public engagement ‘tick list’ for future events that would enable a hypothesis-driven approach with more effective communication activities and more robust evaluation.

Science to the people: A 32-nation survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 876-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirils Makarovs ◽  
Peter Achterberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Science Policy ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Reflexive Modernization ◽  
Governance Of Science ◽  
The People ◽  
Public Engagement With Science ◽  
Democratic Control

In this article, we analyze Special Eurobarometer (2010) data via multilevel regression modeling and answer two questions: (a) How a country’s democratization level is related to the rate of public engagement with science and (b) who are those citizens who participate in science policy-shaping and express their approval for democratic governance of science? Reflexive modernization and institutional alienation perspectives are used to examine those issues. It has been shown that more democratic societies on average have higher rates of public participation in science and support for democratic control of it. Moreover, those well educated and knowledgeable in the topic of science are more likely to engage with science, which supports the reflexive modernization perspective. However, distrust in scientists being considered as an indicator of institutional alienation from science is also crucial in both predicting actual engagement and support for public control over it.

Engaging the Public at a Science Festival

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Rose ◽  
Kaine Korzekwa ◽  
Dominique Brossard ◽  
Dietram A. Scheufele ◽  
Laura Heisler
Keyword(s):  
Public Engagement ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Human Gene ◽  
The Public ◽  
Scientific Issue ◽  
Public Engagement With Science ◽  
Risk And Benefit ◽  
Science Activities

Theoretically and methodologically sound research on the reach and impact of public engagement practices continues to lag behind. Using the 2015 Wisconsin Science Festival as context, we empirically investigate the impacts of a public engagement activity about a nascent and controversial scientific issue, human gene editing. Overall, we find the panel increased participants’ understanding of the complexities of human gene editing, as demonstrated by increases in knowledge and the moral acceptability of the technology among respondents, as well as the associated risk and benefit perceptions. Practical and theoretical implications for science festivals and public engagement with science activities are discussed.

scholarly journals Optimization of Educational Mobile Game Design 'Ayo Wisata ke Riau' based on User's Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-59
Author(s):  
Anggy Trisnadoli ◽  
Jan Alif Kreshna
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Educational Game ◽  
Game Development ◽  
Mobile Games ◽  
Mobile Game ◽  
The Public ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Direct Implementation

Educational Mobile Game ‘Ayo Wisata ke Riau’ is a mobile-based educational game application that was developed in 2017 on the Android platform. The quality requirements used in this game development have been adjusted for the available Educational Mobile Games. Even though it went well, there were many complaints from users during the direct implementation survey. This becomes material for re-evaluation, whether the game is ready to be disseminated to the public. Based on this occurence, a gap analysis was carried out to see the feasibility and the need for improvements to the game application that had been built. Based on the results of the gap analysis that has been carried out, it is indicated that there is a need for significant improvements in the areas of performance and user satisfaction. So that in this study, a design reengineering was carried out that was focused on improving the two things that were considered crucial, so that the results of the design and implementation that had been improved could provide better performance and user satisfaction scores than previous developments.

scholarly journals Investigating the role of public participation in wind energy project development in Ontario

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anahita Asadolahniajami
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Knowledge Broker ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Project Development ◽  
The Public

the past several decades, the scope of decision-making in the public domain has changed from a focus on unilateral regulatory verdicts to a more comprehensive process that engages all stakeholders. Consequently, there has been a distinct increase in public participation in the environmental decision-making process. While the potential benefits of public engagement are substantial in terms of identifying synergies between public and industry stakeholders that encourage project development, this participation does not come without its challenges. To meet global energy demands and fulfill ambitious targets for greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy has received increased attention as a feasible alternative to conventional sources of energy. However, current literature on renewable energy, particularly on wind power, highlights potential social barriers to renewable energy investment. This study investigates the role of public participation by reviewing two case studies of the Ontario wind power generation market to identify the facilitators and constrainers that affected public input into wind project development in Ontario and recommends a participatory framework in the hope of improving public engagement in the wind project development decision-making process. The recommended framework in this research requires all stakeholders to reconsider their current roles in the decision-making process. The public should engage in project planning and monitor the decision-making processes to ensure that their concerns have been addressed. Developers should address public concerns through a consensus building process initiated early in their planning process. Federal and provincial governments have to reclaim their role of ongoing leadership and provide better criteria for implementation and evaluation of the public participation processes. Finally, the process requires a third party who is not only an intermediary, but also plays the role of a knowledge-broker to connect with stakeholders, share and exchange knowledge, and work on overcoming barriers. The knowledge-broker helps to fulfill the main requirement of the collaborative decision-making, which is effective communication.

scholarly journals The Power of Place

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-53
Author(s):  
Catharina Landstrom ◽  
Stewart Kemp
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Risk Governance ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Engagement With Science ◽  
Lay Members ◽  
Local Engagement ◽  
The Uk

Investigating the role of geographical location in public engagement with science we examine the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) Partnership’s undertaking of one of the most extensive local public engagements with environmental risk science in the UK. The case study highlights the transformative impacts of this three-year long local engagement on both science and the public. Differently from other invited public engagements, organised as experiments controlled by scientists in spaces set aside from the everyday, the Partnership’s lay members led a process unfolding in the place that was potentially at risk. The Partnership had the authority to demand that scientists addressed issues of local interest. We frame the analysis with the notions ‘re-situating technoscience' and ‘re-assembling the public' to illuminate how scientific knowledge claims were modified and a new local public emerged, at the intersection of public engagement with science and public participation in environmental risk governance.

Community views and perspectives on public engagement in health technology assessment decision making

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Wortley ◽  
Allison Tong ◽  
Kirsten Howard
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The Public

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe community views and perspectives on public engagement processes in Australian health technology assessment (HTA) decision making. Methods Six focus groups were held in Sydney (NSW, Australia) as part of a broad program of work on public engagement and HTA. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years and spoke English. Participants were asked about their views and perspectives of public engagement in the HTA decision-making process, with responses analysed using a public participation framework. Results Fifty-eight participants aged 19–71 years attended the focus groups. Responses from the public indicated that they wanted public engagement in HTA to include a diversity of individuals, be independent and transparent, involve individuals early in the process and ensure that public input is meaningful and useful to the process. This was consistent with the public participation framework. Perceived shortcomings of the current public engagement process were also identified, namely the lack of awareness of the HTA system in the general population and the need to acknowledge the role different groups of stakeholders or ‘publics’ can have in the process. Conclusions The public do see a role for themselves in the HTA decision-making process. This is distinct to the involvement of patients and carers. It is important that any future public engagement strategy in this field distinguishes between stakeholder groups and outline approaches that will involve members of the public in the decision-making process, especially if public expectations of involvement in healthcare decision-making continue to increase. What is known about this topic? The views and perspectives of patients and consumers are important in the HTA decision-making process. There is a move to involve the broader community, particularly as decisions become increasingly complex and resources more scarce. What does this paper add? It not been known to what extent, or at what points, the community would like to be engaged with the HTA decision-making process. The present study adds to the evidence base on this topic by identifying features of engagement that may be important in determining the extent of wider public involvement. It is clear that the community expects the system to be transparent, for patients to be involved early in specific processes and the wider community to be able to contribute to the broader vision of the healthcare system. What are the implications for practitioners? A formalised strategy is needed to include the public voice into health technology decisions. With the current level of reform in the healthcare sector and the focus on creating a sustainable healthcare system, there is a real opportunity to implement an approach that not only informs patients and the community of the challenges, but includes and incorporates their views into these decisions. This will assist in developing and adapting policy that is relevant and meets the needs of the population.

Psychology and its publics

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Pettit ◽  
Jacy L. Young
Keyword(s):  
Public Engagement ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Engagement With Science ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
The Relationship

This paper introduces the special issue dedicated to ‘Psychology and its Publics’. The question of the relationship between psychologists and the wider public has been a central matter of concern to the historiography of psychology. Where critical historians tend to assume a pliant audience, eager to adopt psychological categories, psychologists themselves often complain about the public misunderstanding of them. Ironically, both accounts share a flattened understanding of the public. We turn to research on the public understanding of science (PUS), the public engagement with science (PES) and communications studies to develop a rich account of the circuitry that ties together psychological experts and their subjects.

scholarly journals Investigating the role of public participation in wind energy project development in Ontario

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anahita Asadolahniajami
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Knowledge Broker ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Project Development ◽  
The Public

the past several decades, the scope of decision-making in the public domain has changed from a focus on unilateral regulatory verdicts to a more comprehensive process that engages all stakeholders. Consequently, there has been a distinct increase in public participation in the environmental decision-making process. While the potential benefits of public engagement are substantial in terms of identifying synergies between public and industry stakeholders that encourage project development, this participation does not come without its challenges. To meet global energy demands and fulfill ambitious targets for greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy has received increased attention as a feasible alternative to conventional sources of energy. However, current literature on renewable energy, particularly on wind power, highlights potential social barriers to renewable energy investment. This study investigates the role of public participation by reviewing two case studies of the Ontario wind power generation market to identify the facilitators and constrainers that affected public input into wind project development in Ontario and recommends a participatory framework in the hope of improving public engagement in the wind project development decision-making process. The recommended framework in this research requires all stakeholders to reconsider their current roles in the decision-making process. The public should engage in project planning and monitor the decision-making processes to ensure that their concerns have been addressed. Developers should address public concerns through a consensus building process initiated early in their planning process. Federal and provincial governments have to reclaim their role of ongoing leadership and provide better criteria for implementation and evaluation of the public participation processes. Finally, the process requires a third party who is not only an intermediary, but also plays the role of a knowledge-broker to connect with stakeholders, share and exchange knowledge, and work on overcoming barriers. The knowledge-broker helps to fulfill the main requirement of the collaborative decision-making, which is effective communication.

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