title: Just working with the cellular machine: A high school game for teaching molecular biology.
abstract: Molecular biology is a difficult comprehension subject due to its high complexity, thus requiring new teaching approaches. Herein, we developed an interdisciplinary board game involving the human immune system response against a bacterial infection for teaching molecular biology at high school. Initially, we created a database with several questions and a game story that invites the students for helping the human immunological system to produce antibodies (IgG) and fight back a pathogenic bacterium second-time invasion. The game involves answering questions completing the game board in which the antibodies "are synthesized" through the molecular biology process. At the end, a problem-based learning approach is used, and a last question is raised about proteins. Biology teachers and high school students evaluated the game and considered it an easy and interesting tool for teaching the theme. An increase of about 5-30% in answering molecular biology questions revealed that the game improves learning and induced a more engaged and proactive learning profile in the high school students.
authors: LABioMol, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto de Biologia, CEG-Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Curso de Pós-graduação de Ensino em Biociências e Saúde, PGEBS-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Fernanda Serpa
authors: FS
authors: Cardoso
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Dumpel
authors: Luisa B Gomes
authors: LB
authors: da Silva
authors: Carlos R
authors: CR
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Dilvani O
authors: DO
authors: Santos
authors: Lucio Mendes
authors: LM
authors: Cabral
authors: Helena C
authors: HC
authors: Castro