Students are required to obtain information which will allow the family to navigate the health system, identify the services required, access and obtain the cost of these services. Options developed by students for the family need to consider the family's background including available financial resources. Internet resources support students' information seeking activities and several sites are linked to the game. Key features of the game include collaboration in small groups in competition with other groups, and online discussion and feedback facilities. The course co-ordinator has the ability to monitor the online discussion sessions of teams without interfering with group dynamics.
Teams seek advice from the course co-ordinator in the same way.
The game is based upon a dynamic database of health events which may be edited, ensuring events are relevant and allowing the game to be tailored to different health science courses. A three-stage evaluation process of the game will be completed in July 1999. Implementation of the game within a university environment has highlighted the need for appropriate IT support structures for academics who wish to use internet resources as an integral part of the curricula. This includes developing strategies by which learning technologists, programmers and academic staff can communicate with each other, as they too, proceed from differing frames of reference from each other.