Gamified Micro-Learning for Child Abuse Detection

Overseen By Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not in Pennsylvania

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

6000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new method to help early childhood professionals learn to identify and report child abuse through short, game-like lessons on their smartphones. The goal is to determine if these lessons improve long-term retention of the information. Participants will complete an initial online program, "iLookOut for Child Abuse," and then receive follow-up lessons either immediately or after delays of 3, 6, or 12 months. The trial seeks individuals who work or volunteer at childcare facilities in Pennsylvania. As an unphased study, it offers the opportunity to contribute to innovative educational methods that could enhance child protection practices.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that gamified micro-learning is safe for promoting child abuse detection?

Research has shown that the iLookOut for Child Abuse program is a safe and easy-to-use educational tool. Studies have found that this program uses interactive videos to teach people how to identify and report child abuse. As an online activity, it poses no physical risks.

Participants in past studies completed the program without any negative effects. This indicates that the program effectively increases knowledge while remaining safe to use. The learning activities are engaging and informative, making it a reliable choice for anyone wanting to learn more about detecting and reporting child abuse. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores a unique approach to improving child abuse detection through gamified micro-learning. Unlike traditional training methods that might be static and less engaging, this approach uses interactive online activities to make learning more engaging and effective. By varying the timing of follow-up learning, the trial also seeks to understand the optimal schedule for reinforcing knowledge, which could significantly enhance the retention and application of critical skills in real-world situations. This innovative strategy could lead to better-prepared individuals who are more capable of identifying and reporting child abuse, ultimately contributing to child safety and well-being.

What evidence suggests that this trial's gamified micro-learning approach could be effective for promoting long-term learning about child abuse detection?

Research has shown that iLookOut, an online interactive learning program, helps early childhood professionals better understand and respond to child abuse. One study found that participants who completed the iLookOut training significantly improved their ability to identify and report child abuse. The current trial will test different follow-up micro-learning schedules, with some participants receiving immediate follow-up and others experiencing delays of 3, 6, or 12 months. This indicates that online programs like iLookOut can effectively raise awareness and improve responses to child abuse cases. The program's interactive design keeps learners engaged, aiding in longer retention of information. Therefore, gamified micro-learning, such as iLookOut, shows promise in preparing professionals to protect children. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 who work or volunteer at a childcare facility in Pennsylvania. It aims to help them learn about child abuse identification and reporting.

Inclusion Criteria

Works or volunteers at a childcare facility in Pennsylvania

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

Does not work or volunteer at a childcare facility in Pennsylvania

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Core Learning Program

Participants complete the iLookOut for Child Abuse online learning program

3 hours

Online

Micro-learning Intervention

Participants engage in gamified micro-learning exercises on their smartphones to reinforce and augment the core learning program

Varies by group (immediate, 3, 6, or 12 months delay)

Online

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for knowledge retention and decay over time

5 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Online interactive learning activities

Trial Overview The study tests if short, game-like online learning exercises can improve long-term knowledge retention about child abuse among early childhood professionals after they complete an initial program.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Immediate Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After completing an online learning program about child abuse and its reporting, this group will receive follow-up micro-learning immediately.

Group II: 6 month delay Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After completing an online learning program about child abuse and its reporting, this group will receive follow-up micro-learning after a delay 6 months.

Group III: 3 month delay Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After completing an online learning program about child abuse and its reporting, this group will receive follow-up micro-learning after a delay 3 months.

Group IV: 12 month delay Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

After completing an online learning program about child abuse and its reporting, this group will receive follow-up micro-learning after a delay 12 months.

Online interactive learning activities is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as iLookOut for Child Abuse for:

• Child abuse identification and reporting training for early childhood professionals

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

515

Recruited

2,873,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

NIH 2 R01 HD088448-06A1

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

6,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Child Protection Alert System (CPAS) was evaluated using electronic health records of 666 patients, revealing that it identified only 14% of confirmed or suspected child maltreatment cases, indicating a need for improvement in its sensitivity.

While the CPAS showed 100% specificity, meaning it correctly identified all non-maltreatment cases, its low sensitivity (13.9%) highlights significant barriers in effectively detecting and protecting at-risk children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What We Can Learn From Failure: An EHR-Based Child Protection Alert System. Krawiec, C., Gerard, S., Iriana, S., et al.[2021]

The Roozbehyar mobile application, designed for psychiatry clerkship training, significantly improved knowledge acquisition, as evidenced by higher final exam scores in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.031).

Students reported above-average satisfaction with the content and learning aspects of the Roozbehyar application, although they rated the structural and support features below average, indicating areas for improvement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using a mobile application for psychiatry training in medical students: a quasi-experimental study. Zolfaghari, M., Shirzadi, S., Motamed, M.[2023]

A qualitative study involving 63 university students revealed that gamification, through the 'Super-Profes' program, significantly enhances motivation and enjoyment in learning about Developmental Disorders.

Students reported that this gamified approach not only made learning fun but also effectively helped them acquire essential knowledge and skills for their future teaching careers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gamification in Initial Teacher Training to Promote Inclusive Practices: A Qualitative Study. Manzano-León, A., Aguilar-Parra, JM., Rodríguez-Moreno, J., et al.[2022]

A survey of 91 medical students revealed that gamifying audience response systems (ARS) significantly increased engagement and learning, with students particularly enjoying peer competition and the application of theoretical knowledge to clinical scenarios.

The variety of gamified interactions was highly valued by students, suggesting that incorporating diverse activities can enhance the effectiveness of ARS in educational settings, making it a useful approach for other educators.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Student perceptions of gamified audience response system interactions in large group lectures and via lecture capture technology. Pettit, RK., McCoy, L., Kinney, M., et al.[2018]

Procedural interventions, like using checklists and structured forms, have been shown to improve the documentation of suspected child abuse and increase awareness among health professionals.

While various training programs exist to help identify and manage child abuse, most lack rigorous evaluation, highlighting the need for formal assessments to determine their effectiveness in improving health professionals' engagement in child protection.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving child protection: a systematic review of training and procedural interventions. Carter, YH., Bannon, MJ., Limbert, C., et al.[2018]

The iLookOut program significantly improves early childhood care providers' knowledge and attitudes towards reporting child maltreatment, with similar effectiveness observed in a real-world study involving 11,065 participants compared to a previous randomized controlled trial with 741 participants.

Demographic factors such as age, race, education, and employment status were found to influence the improvement in knowledge and attitudes, indicating that the program's effectiveness may vary across different groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Generalizing findings from a randomized controlled trial to a real-world study of the iLookOut, an online education program to improve early childhood care and education providers' knowledge and attitudes about reporting child maltreatment. Yang, C., Panlilio, C., Verdiglione, N., et al.[2020]

A review of 13 studies on gamification in medical education found that most incorporated multiple elements like leaderboards, feedback, and social interaction, suggesting a trend towards enhancing engagement in residency training.

Despite the potential benefits of gamification, the medical field has limited research on its effectiveness in residency education, indicating a need for a clearer definition and further exploration of desired gamification elements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gamification in otolaryngology: A narrative review. Westenhaver, ZK., Africa, RE., Zimmerer, RE., et al.[2023]

The iLookOut training program significantly improved knowledge about child abuse among early childcare professionals, especially for those with lower baseline knowledge, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing understanding and reporting of abuse cases.

Implementation outcomes, such as the acceptability and appropriateness of the training, were crucial for knowledge gains, particularly for female learners and those with less formal education, suggesting that tailoring the training to different demographics could optimize its impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identifying what works for whom: Implementation outcomes following iLookOut, a child abuse identification and referral training program. Barnett, WC., Panlilio, CC., Mullins, C., et al.[2023]

An interactive video-based Virtual Patient training improved the self-confidence of 92% of pediatric Basic Specialist Trainees in recognizing suspected child abuse after discussing a case involving a seven-month-old child.

96% of participants felt more confident in their ability to report suspected child abuse, indicating that Virtual Patients can be an effective educational tool in postgraduate training for this challenging subject.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual patients: an effective educational intervention to improve paediatric basic specialist trainee education in the management of suspected child abuse? McEvoy, MM., Butler, B., MacCarrick, G., et al.[2015]

A study involving 73 pediatric residents showed that both a gamified curriculum using Kahoot! and a traditional paper-based curriculum improved musculoskeletal knowledge and skills, indicating that both methods are effective for teaching.

Despite positive feedback from residents about the Kahoot! platform, there was no significant difference in knowledge or skill improvement between the gamified and nongamified groups, suggesting that further research is needed to enhance the effectiveness of gamification in medical education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Impact of a Gamified Curriculum Using Kahoot! on Musculoskeletal Knowledge and Skill Acquisition Among Pediatric Residents. Schultz, K., Klein, M., Sucharew, H., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. ilookoutpa.org ilookoutpa.org/

| Welcome to the iLookOut for Child Abuse Project iLookOut provides online, interactive courses to help people who work with children protect them from abuse and support them and their families, ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10565203/

Implementation outcomes following iLookOut, a child ... iLookOut, a web-based child abuse training for early childcare professionals (ECPs), has been shown to improve knowledge and attitudes.

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02225301

Study Details | NCT02225301 | iLookOut for Child Abuse ... ... Child Abuse, an online, interactive learning module about reporting suspected child abuse. Delivered via a learning management system to early childhood ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014521342100106X

A randomized control trial of a child abuse mandated ... The goal of the present study was to determine if iLookOut, an online child abuse identification and reporting training for ECPs, results in differential gains ...

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/373962738_Identifying_what_works_for_whom_Implementation_outcomes_following_iLookOut_a_child_abuse_identification_and_referral_training_program

Identifying what works for whom: Implementation outcomes ... This article describes the content and pedagogical foundations of iLookOut for Child Abuse, an interactive, online learning program that was designed for early ...

6. ilookoutmaine.org ilookoutmaine.org/

iLookout iLookOut provides online, interactive courses initially designed for people who work or volunteer at child care programs, all of which are free of charge.

7. ilookoutpa.org ilookoutpa.org/about/

| About iLookOut provides online, interactive courses to help people who work with children protect them from abuse and support them and their families, all at no ...