Development Of An Educational Computer Game For Nutrition Education

Unhealthy eating habits of children have a significant impact on the development of different chronic non-communicable diseases, therefore it is important to encourage children to develop healthy eating habits within the frame of formal as well as informal education. Nutrition education included in Slovenian elementary school syllabus may contribute significantly to the pupils' development of nutrition literacy. Proper methods and forms of work have to be selected in order to achieve goals connected to basic nutrition knowledge and skills, and to a healthy lifestyle. Today, modern ICT technologies enable teachers to introduce children to learning contents using educational computer games. The inclusion of educational computer games motivates problem solving by children, improves the efficiency of the educational process and potentially influences the formation of healthy nutrition habits in pupils. With the aim to improve children's nutrition literacy, we developed an educational computer game for the nutrition contents that are included in mandatory and elective subjects of the nine-year elementary school. The game's objective is to encourage children to evaluate their lifestyles and to form healthy nutrition and movement habits, as well as to look for balance between work and relaxation. Through the game, pupils plan activities referring to the organisation and realisation of common daily activities such as eating, moving, learning and spending their free time. Once the activities are done, pupils obtain a mark and information how the planned activities were compatible with healthy lifestyle recommendations. Based on the report, they can continue to plan new activities aimed at improving their lifestyle. The educational computer game was elaborated on the Unity3d software platform and represents technically complex work which involves developing the concept of the contents of the game and computer programming. SketchUp programme was used to design the scenery and 3D objects, and Phooshop and Inkscape were used for two-dimensional objects. The game code was written in C# programme language. The game can be included at various didactic stages of the educational process. We estimate that using the game in the educational process will help increase pupils' motivation to learn nutrition contents and to form positive attitudes, intentions and behaviours connected to a healthy lifestyle.