Time Bomb Game: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Fun and Challenging Game Reviewing the Structural Theory of Organic Compounds

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 97; no. 2; pp. 565 - 570
• Main Authors: da Silva Júnior, José Nunes, Santos de Lima, Paulo Roberto, Sousa Lima, Mary Anne, Monteiro, Álvaro Carvalho, Silva de Sousa, Ulisses, Melo Leite Júnior, Antonio José, Vega, Kimberly Benedetti, Alexandre, Francisco Serra Oliveira, Monteiro, André Jalles
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc 11.02.2020; Division of Chemical Education, Inc; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Chemical compounds; Chemistry; College students; Computer Games; English; Foreign Countries; Game Based Learning; Game theory; Games; Handheld Devices; High School Students; Learner Engagement; Organic Chemistry; Organic compounds; Portuguese; Portuguese language; Questions; Reviewing; Spanish; Spanish language; Students; Teaching methods; Telecommunications; Time; Undergraduate Students; Brazil; First-Year Undergraduate/General; Humor/Puzzles/Games; High School/Introductory Chemistry; Molecular Properties/Structure; Organic Chemistry
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00571

This report provides information about a free-of-charge, trilingual (Portuguese, Spanish, and English) game-based application that engages high school and undergraduate students in reviewing the structural theory of organic compounds in a challenging way. In Time Bomb Game, students must disarm a time bomb on their own by correctly answering random questions from a database with 621 questions. Students and professors have tested and evaluated the app, and the results revealed that the game design, content, playability, and usefulness are helpful as a complementary didactic tool to provide students with the required theoretical knowledge.