Case Study

Published August 2009

Learning Health and Safety Through Games

Dan Hannan

One of the many benefits of games as a learning tool is that they can be used just about anywhere — from a formal classroom to a job-site construction trailer.

A well-constructed and implemented game offers an effective means of communicating information and having fun at the same time. No matter how complex the content, games are a seriously engaging way to get learners up to speed on any type of content. After all, the more critical the information — and all safety training is critical — the more important it is that learners remember the content. Whether introducing material to new hires or refreshing veterans on regulatory information, games are an entertaining, effective and memorable addition to learning and development.

Shell Oil performs oil and gas exploration and production in remote locations throughout the world. These activities are inherently dangerous, with physical, mechanical and chemical hazards around every corner. The need to keep Shell’s employees, and the contractors it hires, safe is paramount to its success.

Safety training is therefore a staple in many phases of its operations and is required for new-employee orientation. It’s also implemented periodically as a refresher and as corporate policies and procedures change. To improve upon the effectiveness of training and to achieve desired safety outcomes, Shell decided to introduce gaming activities into its safety training curriculum.

“We were looking for a way to better engage everyone involved in our safety training sessions,” said Michelle Kuck, safety specialist for Shell Exploration & Production Co.

“After some research, we chose to use a computer gaming platform that allows us to blend OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] regulatory content with our own policies and procedures.”

The ability of a game to be customized to address specific learning objectives is important for achieving desired outcomes. For Shell, that included the development of content related to its management of change policy — the control of transition to ensure error-free, safe continuity and compatibility.

“We desired to blend management of change, Shell’s site-specific safety policies and chemical safety into one gaming activity — a very unique challenge,” Kuck said.

In most instances, it is difficult to tie game-play activities, where information is reviewed to reinforce, to measurable safety outcomes (i.e., fewer injuries). Safety performance is a product of all aspects of a corporate safety program, where the whole is greater than sum of its parts. Nevertheless, it is well established that a properly constructed and administered game results in a greater retention of content. The ability to review information in an entertaining way while incorporating team-building activities is almost always a crowd pleaser.

“We got exactly what we wanted: engagement from people who typically sit back and don’t participate in our training sessions,” Kuck said. “With this success, we will continue to develop and refine our gaming activities to meet our training objectives for our employees and contractors.”

Making Learning Fun
As any health and safety trainer will tell you, communicating information about state or federal OSHA standards is not particularly fun. The challenge for trainers is to find ways to engage learners and to maintain their interest. If learners are interested, they participate and remember the material. If the memory and experience is strong enough, behavioral change takes place: A worker uses his or her knowledge to engage mind and body, keeping him- or herself safe on the job.

Games have the power to engage learners in this way, leading to those results. It’s no secret that a properly constructed and implemented game can be an effective learning tool. The concept of game-based learning has been around for years and is gaining more and more attention.

Selecting the Right Game
There are several elements to consider when selecting, constructing and using a game for training purposes. They include:

Using teams or individual participants: Team participation offers the opportunity for a collaboration of knowledge and skill sets to solve a problem. This fosters teamwork and does not alienate or single out anyone for a lack of knowledge. Teams also limit people from hiding out in the back of the room — they are accountable to their team. Be mindful to divide the group into fairly matched teams; you don’t want lopsided victories. However, the advantage of one-on-one game quiz review — administered through a classroom handheld “clicker” or online via a learning management system — is that it allows for individual performance to be tracked and recorded.

Are your questions easy, hard or impossible?: The quality and level of difficulty of the content must be selected carefully. If the questions are too easy or too difficult, participants check out. It is a good practice to make sure you know a bit about those attending a training session and prepare the game accordingly. Are the participants novices or veterans in their vocations? A game that allows a progression of content from simple to difficult usually works well.

Customizing your content: Game content should reflect and support the learning objectives and the training material covered. Having the flexibility to customize game content and other aspects of game play is beneficial.

Game-play dynamics and you, the host: The host is responsible for preparing and managing game-play activities. This aspect often is overlooked and can make or break the game-play experience. A host lacking in energy and not willing to foster participation will result in a less-than-entertaining time. The host is responsible for the pace of game play, being the judge in the event of a dispute and ensuring that learning principles are reinforced (i.e., extended discussion on topics and reflection back on training completed).

Game appeal: Choose a game that will meet the needs of, and appeal to, a variety of learning styles and that requires the use of as many senses as possible. A game that demands physical activity such as writing, raising a hand or ringing a bell is a must. Offer prizes to the winners and losers.

Intent of gaming: Have a clear objective and purpose for using a game. The use of a game prior to a training session allows the instructor to gauge the knowledge base of his or her learners. The use of a game in the middle of a multiday event fosters participation. The use of a game at the end allows for an evaluation: How well did the students grasp the material, and how effective was the trainer at communicating the information? In most cases, games are used to review or refresh covered content rather than introduce a new subject.

Games for Health and Safety Training
Whether you prefer the bells and whistles of computer-aided games or something a little more low tech, games should be created to suit your needs. Below are two examples of low-tech options used in the safety industry for training purposes.

Communication: The need for information to be properly communicated is critical to all aspects of field health and safety. This can include a spotter talking to a crane operator, describing where to raise and lower a 10-ton object, or a supervisor describing daily tasks and which safety precautions must be taken by the workers. The following exercise is an excellent low-tech option for teams of two and focuses on interpersonal communication skills. The exercise requires the use of Legos.

With a common barrier between two participants, one describes a “structure” that is built, which the other cannot see. The objective: Create the mirror image, identical in shape, color and space. It’s no easy task unless one is listening and communicating properly. Words and terminology, but not hand signals, must be used.

Hazard recognition: The ability to recognize a hazardous condition and take appropriate action to correct that condition is at the core of a solid safety mindset. This recognition is the result of knowing safety standards and applying that knowledge to train the eye.

A series of photos, real or doctored, are prepared, in which multiple hazards exist. The objective: Identify all hazards. Photos are reviewed and participants write their answers down on a piece of paper. Participants then exchange papers and grade each other’s work. Twists on this activity include a team competition, timed for speed, offering extra points for those who can cite the regulatory standard being violated.

The Future of Game-Based Learning
Moving into the future, game-based learning will grow even more and take on different applications. For instance, “serious games” are video-game-type applications used for training purposes. These virtual-world computer simulation games allow employees to interact with their work environments, preparing them for what they can expect to encounter in the real world. Such tools are now used in retail sales and allow employees to experience and manage confrontational customers, shoplifters, emergencies and other critical managerial activities. There is much optimism regarding the use of video games to train. These tools can no doubt have powerful physiological effects on the body: increased heart rate, respiration and sweating. These experiences make lasting memories