Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:This project aims to target farmers market managers, vendors, beginning farmers, and consumers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided research exposure and opportunity to one undergraduate student at the University of Houston. Also provided training for one post-doc at the University of Arkansas. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Regarding project goal 1 (Identify knowledge gaps in the understanding of food safety risks related to products of local food producers), we plan to finalize coding manuals for evaluating the content and quality of the 197 farmers market food safety artifacts identified. Regarding project goal 3 (Develop a game-based food safety training tool for local food producers using a collaborative design process), the development team will refine gameplay based on user testing with a beta version of the game in the following months. Then, we will design a social media and promotion campaign for the game release.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Identify knowledge gaps in the understanding of food safety risks related to products of local food producers. A review article on farmers market food safety and training gaps was prepared and submitted for publication (published October 2024, thus outside this reporting period). We also compiled a database of all farmers market food safety resources by state with metadata including resource name, URL/link, date published, authors, topics. We utilized the NECAFS Food Safety Clearinghouse to identify many of these resources. 197 unique resources were identified; most states had one or more resource posted for farmers markets. Our team found several similarities in focus of the resources that came from extension sites and official state documents; rules varied by state. Utilize science-based evidence and regulatory standards relevant to food safety risks at farmers markets to develop essential content for training tool. Game Design summit: In response to goal 3 of this project, PIs on the project convened in the Learning Games Lab (New Mexico State University) for a 2-day design summit led by the development team. During the summit, researchers, context experts, and game developers immersed themselves in the farmer's market vendors' training needs, knowledge gaps, and intended behavior changes.Guided by research, the team outlined the project audience content needs and intended changes to happen after they used the game intervention. After extensive discussions articulating the learner needs and game activities, the team planned to design a Tycoon-style game for the farmers' market, where players managed a farmer's market and faced different food safety challenges through mini-games.As a result of the summit, co-PI Cezarotto started a design document, where all the game decisions were written, and a production timeline was stabilized based on the proposal timeframe. Develop a game-based, food safety training tool for local food producers using a collaborative design process. Game Design & Development: After the design summit, the team dived into the design phase. The development team met weekly to define the design of the game, gameplay, complexity, and approach in detail. During the design phase, the development team had specific checkpoint meetings with the content experts of this project to get feedback on design ideas and ensure the content was correct. Since the first meeting of the project, the team has had accessibility in mind, designing a gameplay experience that is in compliance with the US regulations and that can be played by a wide range of user considering their visual, hearing motor, and cognitive needs.The player's goal in the game is to successfully manage the market by attracting customers with appealing stands, profiting from sales, and providing fresh and safe products. Players can add ten different types of stands, from fresh to ready-to-eat products. Each stand was intentionally designed to bring specific food safety issues, and challenges mapped out during the design summit, including personal hygiene, cross-contamination, temperature abuse, and labeling & packaging. Social media-style posts communicate to players when a stand has a food safety issue that needs to be addressed. To solve the food safety issues, players need to solve various mini-games. Currently, the game is in development phase. This means that most of the design phase was completed, and the team is designing art assets and game coding. During this phase, the team performs formative user testing with the game, testing the interface, content clarity, and gameplay experience.The team refined and detailed the game idea, ensuring the gameplay activities reflect the content players need to learn. At this stage of development, most art assets and the primary coding have been completed. Deliver and evaluate novel Farmers Market Game for local food producers. In progress, dependent on Objective 3
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One post-doc is participating in this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will be meeting in January 2024 for a design summit to finalize the concept of the game-based training tool and essential content. The game will be developed at NMSU over the next reporting period.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: We have conducted a review of the literature related to farmers market food safety and potential barriers to implementation of best practices at the market. During this process, we are also embarking on a content analysis of farmers market food sfaety related materials that have been developed by state extension offices across the country to determine missing content and possibly how frequently materials are accessed. Objective 2: Based on the review, we have identified essential content for the training tool. Objective 3: No progress Objectibe 4: No progress.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Presentation: Choosing the Right Media for the Message
Speakers: Dr. Barbara Chamberlin, NMSU Learning Games Lab; Dr. Kristen Gibson, University of Arkansas, Department of Food Science; Dr. Jennifer J. Quinlan, Dept. of Nutrition Sciences, Drexel University; Pamela N. Martinez, EdD, NMSU Learning Games Lab; and Dr. Matheus Cezarotto, NMSU Learning Games Lab
Conference: Consumer Food Safety Education Conference, March 1-3, 2023, Arlington, VA.
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