Jones Matt L, Barnish Maxwell S, Hughes Robert R, Murray Aimee K, Mansour Omid, Loni Tiziana, Vickery Holly M, Evans Myfanwy L, Green Laura, Verdezoto Nervo
European Centre for the Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, United Kingdom.
University of Exeter Medical School, South Cloisters, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Front Vet Sci. 2023 Feb 23;10:1079948. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1079948. eCollection 2023.
Computer simulation games are increasingly being used in agriculture as a promising tool to study, support and influence real-life farming practices. We explored the potential of using simulation games to engage with sheep farmers on the ongoing challenge of reducing lameness. Working with UK stakeholders, we developed a game in which players are challenged with identifying all the lame sheep in a simulated flock. Here, we evaluate the game's potential to act as a tool to help assess, train and understand farmers' ability to recognize the early signs of lameness.
Participants in the UK were invited to play the game in an online study, sharing with us their in-game scores alongside information relating to their real-life farming experience, how they played the game, and feedback on the game. Mixed methods were used to analyze this information in order to evaluate the game. Quantitative analyses consisted of linear modeling to test for statistical relationships between participants' in-game recall (% of the total number of lame sheep that were marked as lame), and the additional information they provided. Qualitative analyses of participants' feedback on the game consisted of thematic analysis and a Likert Scale questionnaire to contextualize the quantitative results and identify additional insights from the study.
Quantitative analyses identified no relationships between participants' ( = 63) recall scores and their real life farming experience, or the lameness signs they looked for when playing the game. The only relationship identified was a relationship between participants' recall score and time spent playing the game. Qualitative analyses identified that participants did not find the game sufficiently realistic or engaging, though several enjoyed playing it and saw potential for future development. Qualitative analyses also identified several interesting and less-expected insights about real-life lameness recognition practices that participants shared after playing the game.
Simulation games have potential as a tool in livestock husbandry education and research, but achieving the desired levels of realism and/or engagingness may be an obstacle to realizing this. Future research should explore this potential further, aided by larger budgets and closer collaboration with farmers, stockpeople, and veterinarians.
计算机模拟游戏在农业领域的应用日益广泛，成为研究、支持和影响现实农业实践的一种有前景的工具。我们探讨了利用模拟游戏与养羊农户合作应对减少羊跛足这一持续挑战的潜力。我们与英国的利益相关者合作开发了一款游戏，玩家需在模拟羊群中识别出所有跛足羊。在此，我们评估该游戏作为一种工具，在帮助评估、培训以及理解农户识别跛足早期迹象能力方面的潜力。
邀请英国的参与者在一项在线研究中玩这款游戏，并与我们分享他们的游戏得分，以及与他们现实农业经验、游戏玩法相关的信息和对游戏的反馈。采用混合方法分析这些信息以评估该游戏。定量分析包括线性建模，用于测试参与者的游戏内召回率（标记为跛足的跛足羊总数的百分比）与他们提供的其他信息之间的统计关系。对参与者游戏反馈的定性分析包括主题分析和李克特量表问卷，以将定量结果置于具体情境中，并从研究中识别其他见解。
定量分析未发现参与者（(n = 63)）的召回得分与他们的现实农业经验，或他们玩游戏时寻找的跛足迹象之间存在关联。唯一确定的关系是参与者的召回得分与游戏时长之间的关系。定性分析表明，尽管有几位参与者喜欢玩这款游戏并看到了未来发展的潜力，但参与者认为该游戏不够逼真或缺乏吸引力。定性分析还发现了一些关于参与者在玩游戏后分享的现实生活中跛足识别实践的有趣且出人意料的见解。
模拟游戏在畜牧养殖教育和研究中具有作为一种工具的潜力，但要达到所需的逼真度和/或吸引力水平可能是实现这一目标的障碍。未来的研究应在更大预算以及与农户、畜牧工人和兽医更紧密合作的帮助下，进一步探索这种潜力。
