When online citizen science meets teaching: Storyfication of a science discovery game to teach, learn, and contribute to genomic research

Abstract

In the last decade, video games became a common vehicle for citizen science initiatives in life science, allowing participants to contribute to real scientific data analysis while learning about it. Since 2010, our scientific discovery game (SDG) Phylo enlists participants in comparative genomic data analysis. It is frequently used as a learning tool, but the activities were difficult to aggregate to build a coherent teaching activity. Here, we describe a strategy and series of recipes to facilitate the integration of SDGs in courses and implement this approach in Phylo. We developed new roles and functionalities enabling instructors to create assignments and monitor the progress of students. A story mode progressively introduces comparative genomics concepts, allowing users to learn and contribute to the analysis of real genomic sequences. Preliminary results from a user study suggest this framework may help to boost user motivation and clarify pedagogical objectives.

An idea to explore: Introduction of “biochemical tales” in medical education—Learning made fun

“…A similar study on The integration of scientific discovery games (SDGs) in the field of biochemistry, exemplified by the case of Phylo, marks a significant development in both education and citizen science initiatives. 3 Over the last decade, video games have evolved into an innovative vehicle for engaging the public in real scientific data analysis while providing an interactive learning experience. The utilization of story games in biochemistry, such as Phylo, with its unique blend of gameplay and real genomic sequence analysis, serves as an effective learning tool and a platform for active participation in comparative genomics.…”