D. Hernández-Leo et al. (Eds.): EC-TEL 2013, LNCS 8095, pp. 357–370, 2013. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Designing a Mobile Learning Game to Investigate the Impact of Role-Playing on Helping Behaviour Birgit Schmitz, Stefaan Ternier, Marco Kalz, Roland Klemke, and Marcus Specht Center for Learning Science and Technology, Valkenburgerweg 177, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands {birgit.schmitz,stefaan.ternier,marco.kalz,roland.klemke, marcus.specht}@ou.nl Abstract. Despite research in mobile learning games has intensified over the last decade, there is relatively little research about how individual game mecha- nisms influence or change behaviour. This article aims at understanding the influence of the game mechanism role-playing and investigates how it can be used to alter behavioural intention. In order to do so, we designed a mobile learning game to train Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resusci- tation (CPR). With the game we aim at improving laymen’s willingness to help in case of emergency. First, we illuminate the strand of research related to role-playing in the context of BLS and bystander CPR. Second, we describe the pedagogical framework of the mobile learning game that was designed to train BLS and introduce the game engine this development is based on. Third, we present the results from a first prototype testing, which we carried out with medical professionals as well as laymen in order to test game-play usability and interface. This article concludes by outlining the experimental setting of an upcoming study, which will use the mobile learning game to evaluate the influence of the game mechanism role-playing on the willingness to provide bystander CPR in case of emergency. Keywords: games for health, mobile learning, serious games, role-playing, behavioural intention. 1 Background In industrialized nations, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is one of the main causes of death [4]. Although it is known that early initiation of bystander cardiopul- monary resuscitation (CPR) significantly improves the chances of surviving an OHCA [23], one of the main problems still is the availability of trained layman rescuers [12] and low bystander CPR rates [42]. In the 1960s, this led to an extensive introduction of CPR training measures with the intention to increase confidence and the willingness to perform bystander CPR [8]. Up until now, activities in this field have strongly focused on the level of resuscitation skills, teaching methods, frequency of updates or contents of sessions. Despite these activities, the rate of bystander CPR at cardiac arrests has remained low (less than 20%) [34][42]. However important the