Interactive Narrative Simulation as a Method for Preceptor Development

(1) Background: This proof-of-concept study assessed an interactive web-based tool simulating three challenging non-academic learning situations—student professionalism, cross-cultural interactions, and student well-being—as a means of preceptor development. (2) Methods: Three scripts focused on professionalism, cross-cultural interactions, and student well-being were developed and implemented using a commercial narrative tool with branching dialog. Delivered online, this tool presented each challenge to participants. Participants had up to four response options at each turn of the conversation; the choice of response influenced the subsequent conversation, including coaching provided at the resolution of the situation. Participants were invited to complete pre-activity, immediate post-activity, and one-month follow-up questionnaires to assess satisfaction, self-efficacy, engagement, and knowledge change with the tool. Knowledge was assessed through situational judgment tests (SJTs). (3) Results: Thirty-two pharmacist preceptors participated. The frequency of participants reflecting on challenging learning situations increased significantly one-month post-simulation. Participants affirmatively responded that the tool was time-efficient, represented similar challenges they encountered in precepting, was easily navigable, and resulted in learning. Self-efficacy with skills in managing challenging learning situations increased significantly immediately post-simulation and at a one-month follow-up. Knowledge as measured through SJTs was not significantly changed. (4) Conclusions: Preceptors found an interactive narrative simulation a relevant, time-efficient approach for preceptor development for challenging non-academic learning situations. Post-simulation, preceptors more frequently reflected on challenging learning situations, implying behavior change. Self-efficacy and self-report of knowledge increased. Future research is needed regarding knowledge assessments.

Educating Interactive Narrative Designers: Cornerstones of a Program

In recent years, games with a focus on narrative have been a growing area. However, so far, interactive narrative aspects have not been the focus of video game education (with the noted exception of a small number of programs in game writing), which indicates that many narrative designers are self-trained. The insular status means that many designers use private vocabulary and conceptualizations that are not directly transferable. This state of affairs is an obstacle to productive discourse and has negative consequences for the further development of the professional field. By starting an educational program, we aim to address this problem using the opportunity to also include perspectives outside of games. We report on the first iteration of a minor in interactive narrative design, and reflect on lessons learned, while considering future trajectories for this and similar programs.

Emotional Response to Stories in Interactive Narrative

<p>The audience enjoys stories more if they present suspense. This is true for both non-interactive and interactive narratives. However, in interactive stories, for example in the context of a video game, suspense perception can be influenced by two factors: the audience’s choice and repeated exposition to the same story episode presenting suspense. Currently, there has been little research done on the audience’s emotional response to interactive narrative and the purpose of this thesis is to contribute to this area. The dissertation addresses nine research questions: (1) “How does a level of suspense change with repeated encounters?” (2) “How do choices offered to the audience influence their suspense perception?” (3) “Is the level of suspense reported from a distant observer perspective comparable to the degree of suspense experienced by the audience member immersed in the story and considering himself as a story character?" (4) Does a degree of suspense depend on the perspective from which the story is perceived (story character or external observer)? 5) “Does more suspense necessarily lead to the greater story enjoyment in interactive narratives?” (6) “How can one keep suspense high with repeated encounters in the interactive narratives?” (7) “Does greater uncertainty about the story outcome result in the greater degree of suspense?" (8) “Do male and female members of the audience perceive suspense differently in interactive stories?” (9) “Do the age and gaming experience of audience correlate with the degree of suspense they experience in interactive narratives?” In order to answer these questions, the dissertation employed two approaches – theoretical analysis and empirical study. The theoretical part of the thesis addressed the questions of the role of suspense in interactive narrative, the process of the audience’s involvement in the interactive narrative and its possible impact on suspense perception, as well as how the degree of suspense perceived in the story can be influenced by the interactive mode of the story through manipulating the choice. For the empirical research, quantitative methodology has been employed and one hundred and forty two participants took part in three experiments where they were asked to read and re-read non-interactive and interactive versions of a story created on the base of James Bond novels. The core data was collected from self-reports and surveys that the participants were asked to complete during and after experiments. Additional data came from the participants’ comments on their experience during the experiments. This thesis makes two main contributions to the study of interactive narrative and narrative-based video games. First, it empirically proves that choice does not reduce the level of perceived suspense in the interactive story as it has been argued by some scholars (i.e. Frome & Smuts, 2004). . Second, the results of the research suggest that by manipulating the choice offered to the audience it is possible to keep the level of suspense higher with repeated encounters. In addition, some other findings obtained from the experiments present factors that may influence suspense perception in interactive narrative such as the gender of the audience members, their gaming experience, and level of immersion in the story.</p>

Emotional Response to Stories in Interactive Narrative

<p>The audience enjoys stories more if they present suspense. This is true for both non-interactive and interactive narratives. However, in interactive stories, for example in the context of a video game, suspense perception can be influenced by two factors: the audience’s choice and repeated exposition to the same story episode presenting suspense. Currently, there has been little research done on the audience’s emotional response to interactive narrative and the purpose of this thesis is to contribute to this area. The dissertation addresses nine research questions: (1) “How does a level of suspense change with repeated encounters?” (2) “How do choices offered to the audience influence their suspense perception?” (3) “Is the level of suspense reported from a distant observer perspective comparable to the degree of suspense experienced by the audience member immersed in the story and considering himself as a story character?" (4) Does a degree of suspense depend on the perspective from which the story is perceived (story character or external observer)? 5) “Does more suspense necessarily lead to the greater story enjoyment in interactive narratives?” (6) “How can one keep suspense high with repeated encounters in the interactive narratives?” (7) “Does greater uncertainty about the story outcome result in the greater degree of suspense?" (8) “Do male and female members of the audience perceive suspense differently in interactive stories?” (9) “Do the age and gaming experience of audience correlate with the degree of suspense they experience in interactive narratives?” In order to answer these questions, the dissertation employed two approaches – theoretical analysis and empirical study. The theoretical part of the thesis addressed the questions of the role of suspense in interactive narrative, the process of the audience’s involvement in the interactive narrative and its possible impact on suspense perception, as well as how the degree of suspense perceived in the story can be influenced by the interactive mode of the story through manipulating the choice. For the empirical research, quantitative methodology has been employed and one hundred and forty two participants took part in three experiments where they were asked to read and re-read non-interactive and interactive versions of a story created on the base of James Bond novels. The core data was collected from self-reports and surveys that the participants were asked to complete during and after experiments. Additional data came from the participants’ comments on their experience during the experiments. This thesis makes two main contributions to the study of interactive narrative and narrative-based video games. First, it empirically proves that choice does not reduce the level of perceived suspense in the interactive story as it has been argued by some scholars (i.e. Frome & Smuts, 2004). . Second, the results of the research suggest that by manipulating the choice offered to the audience it is possible to keep the level of suspense higher with repeated encounters. In addition, some other findings obtained from the experiments present factors that may influence suspense perception in interactive narrative such as the gender of the audience members, their gaming experience, and level of immersion in the story.</p>

A Computer-Based Interactive Narrative and a Serious Game for Children With Asthma: Development and Content Validity Analysis

Background Nonadherence to medications, failure to prevent exposure to asthma triggers, lack of knowledge about using medications, and fixed mindsets contribute to poor asthma control in children. Digital learning could provide a new strategy for improving health-related outcomes in children with asthma. Objective The aim of this study is to develop and design a digital educational program, titled Module of Inhaler and Asthma Triggers for Children (MIRACLE), for Indonesian children with asthma. The program comprises an interactive narrative and a serious game. It was proposed to increase the understanding of asthma self-management, instruct on proper inhaler techniques, improve asthma control, and promote a growth mindset for children with asthma. Methods Two phases of research were conducted to develop the program. In the first phase, a literature search and two rounds of the Delphi technique were conducted to obtain agreement from an expert panel regarding elements of asthma self-management and the design of interactive narratives and a serious game. The expert panel item statements were evaluated using the content validity index (CVI). In the second phase, the SERES framework, Norma Engaging Multimedia Design, and Psychological Theory of Growth Mindset were applied to create a storyline, learn objectives, and game challenges. Results In the first phase, 40 experts were invited to participate in Delphi round 1. Forty responses were collected to generate 38 item statements that consisted of part 1, elements of asthma self-management (25 items), and part 2, design of an interactive narrative and a serious game (13 items); 38 experts were involved in Delphi round 2. In total, 24 statements in part 1 and 13 items in part 2 had item-CVI values >0.80. The average CVI was 0.9, which was considered acceptable. Four narrative plots and five game sessions were developed during the second phase. Challenges with the scenario, scoring, and feedback on asthma difficulties were designed to promote a growth mindset for learners. Conclusions We developed a culture-specific, computer-based asthma program containing an interactive narrative and a serious game to deliver asthma self-management and promote a growth mindset among Indonesian children.

Screendance in the Wake of Screened Dance: Moving Forward Through Interactive Video

This paper argues that screendance has always had a potential for interactivity, looks specifically at interactive video, and tracks its history through video art and video games. Taking into account the higher volume of dance that is migrating to the screen as a result of the Coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic, it also suggests a new term, screened dance, to differentiate those dances and dance events which otherwise would have been live and co-present. Bringing together a transmedia screendance work that unfolded on social media, and interactive narrative works currently available to stream on Netflix, I argue that the innovations and adaptation in the delivery of dance content due to lockdowns imposed by Covid-19, have provided an opportunity for the possibility of interactive screendance.

Use of Tools

The technology supporting Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) is of particular significance to cultural heritage research. IDN technology provides a means of engagement in cultural heritage sites, a medium for culturally significant stories, and culturally significant story-centric games. While previous work in this space has numerous examples of user experience (UX) evaluations of the interactive narrative works themselves, there is significantly less in terms of evaluation of technology for authoring IDN, creating a UX research space in this area that is focused on the audience and not authors. We propose to balance this focus by considering the UX of authoring tools more closely. In this work, we undertake a review of the state of the art of authoring tools for IDN, such as story-centric games, and report on a rigorous UX evaluation of representative technologies (n = 21). We also address the challenges of UX research for these tools through an original evaluation methodology where authors complete a story composed of representative story features. Our study leads us to conclude seven UX principles for IDN authoring tools that explore both how authors use tools to create story-focused games and how the interface for these tools impacts the creative process.