ChemiPuzzle: A Tool for Assembling the Structure of Organic Compounds and Enhancing Learning through Gamification

Abstract

Educational games are effective learning tools frequently used to motivate students and enhance their engagement in the learning process. Using these games in challenging courses, such as organic chemistry, creates a more engaging and studentfriendly learning environment that can enhance students' learning. Drawing organic compounds and representing them in different forms is among the early skills students are urged to master in organic chemistry; therefore, failing to achieve this goal negatively affects the students' performance throughout the semester. ChemiPuzzle is a digital jigsaw puzzle consisting of pieces with atomic and bond symbols, developed to assist students in assembling the Lewis structure of organic compounds. ChemiPuzzle, Google Slides, and a free online buzzer tool were used to create the competition game that targeted multiple educational objectives and key concepts such as bond-line structures and condensed ones, formal charge, constitutional isomers, and resonance contributors. Evaluation of the pre-and postassessment results revealed a significant enhancement in one of the learning outcomes (resonance vs constitutional isomers), and a less significant change has been detected for the others since the preassessment results for these questions were already high. Students' evaluations of the different game's aspects were positive and highly encouraging, and this prompted us to convert ChemiPuzzle into an online tool that can be freely accessed and used in different learning activities.

Constructing a Novel E-Learning Course, Educational Computational Chemistry through Instructional Design Approach in the TPASK Framework

“…According to the evidence, using games or challenges creates attractive learning environments for students. In this line appeared, for example, ChemiPuzzle [60], an interactive puzzle with a focus on aspects linked to Lewis structure, isomerism, and chemical bonds; Chemical escape rooms [61], a virtual environment based on atom knowledge, radioactiv-ity, the periodic table; Zu Kon 2030 [62], a virtual scenario that uses sustainability from a chemical point of view and also introduces students to the SD Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, and MedChemBlog [63], as an instance that invites students to elaborate blogs from information provided from chemical databases, such as Protein Data Bank [64] or PubChem [65]. In this sense, there is an incipient development of TSK by teachers.…”

A Murder Mystery Gamification Session to Consolidate Analytical Biochemical Techniques Learning

“…Many researchers have developed games for chemical and biochemical education. Examples include card games to aid memorization, − quiz games, , board games with chemical challenges, − escape rooms, − narrative games, , murder mysteries, , and the use of ChemDraw as a game . Game writing has been used as an educational tool, while Lego and Lego Serious Play have been used to teach scientific concepts.…”