The proposed Phase I STTR project will develop and test a serious game, Caduceus Quest, to engage youth in STEM learning, facilitate reductions in sexual and reproductive health risk behaviors, and promote asset development toward holistic, long-term well-being. Caduceus Quest will be a multi-platform, theory-based, role-playing game in which players build up teams of doctors, policymakers, researchers, youth advocates, educators, etc. to solve medical mysteries and epidemiologic crises around the city. This project will engage youth ages 13-18, predominately African American and Latino, living on the South and West Sides of Chicago. A multidisciplinary team from Ci3 (the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health), Ci3's Game Changer Chicago (GCC) Design Lab, Resilient Games Studio, and 3C Institute will be engaged to develop, test, the game prototype. These partners share a commitment to using game-based learning experiences to empower youth with the skills, capacity, and support to achieve optimal health and well-being. The game will be developed in conjunction with target population youth and tested by adolescent, parent, and educator stakeholders. Surveys and focus groups will yield information about the game's usability and impact on STEM and health interest, STEM and health career self-efficacy, and health behaviors. Customer interviews will be used to determine ideal market channels in preparation for future commercialization.
Games offer a powerful tool for engaging youth in STEM learning, facilitating reductions in sexual and reproductive health risk behaviors, and promoting asset development toward holistic, long-term well-being. This project will engage youth in designing Caduceus Quest, a video-based role-playing game in which players build teams of doctors, policymakers, researchers, youth advocates, educators, etc. to solve medical mysteries around the city. The game will be tested with additional youth, parents, and educators to assess usability, feasibility, and impact toward the aim of future development as a Phase II project.
