Creating the board layout and the 3D printed elements turned out to be the most successful aspect of my project. However, there was a slight learning curve with using Canva and the 3D printer to achieve the correct sizes and formats. Developing the game itself was more challenging; I had numerous ideas and aspects of the processes that I wanted to incorporate. This required multiple rounds of review and reflection before finalizing the game. I often find myself getting caught up in the detailed steps and elements, which sometimes necessitates stepping back to simplify things, ensuring that the overarching goal and bigger picture remain clear.
Papert's "hard fun" refers to the idea that engaging and rewarding learning experiences often come from activities that challenge the learner. These activities are "hard" in that they require effort, problem-solving, and perseverance, but are also "fun" because they are engaging and the challenge itself is enjoyable. This balance is crucial in educational games, which aim to motivate learners to embrace complex concepts through play. I did experience "hard fun" during gameplay of Protein Quest. Problem solving, stategic thinking, and perserverance are all mechanics that are embbeded in Protein Quest and lead to "hard fun". Players must solve problems related to both processes (transcription and translation), they must strategize how much energy they have and how they can use it for their next steps, and they must know what the next steps are content wise. As do many games that involve chance, players often face setbacks, such as unfavorable rolls of the dice, disruptive event cards such as mutations or losing a turn. All of these elements lead players to engage with a deeper understanding of the content, enhanced engagement and motivation, development of related skills, and a sense of satisfaction and achievement. By engaging in a hands on way in the processes involved in protein synthesis, players will likely develope a deeper understanding of these complex topics then they would through traditional teaching methods. The fact that it is a game and "fun" motivates players and students alike to keep engaged and focus on the content material and engagement often leads to greater retention of topics. The feeling of achievement in a new skill or topic can also make the learning experience a more memorable and positive one, leading to a more enaged individiual in future more complex topics.
Protein Quest was designed with the goal of teaching key concepts and practices within the field of molecular biology, focusing specifically on the processes of transcription and translation that occur during protein synthesis.
Concepts Taught:
Understanding DNA, mRNA, tRNA functions:
Players learn how DNA sequences are transcribed into mRNA and how mRNA sequences guide the assembly of amino acids into proteins through the process of translation, utilizing tRNA.
Transcription & Translation Regulation:
Through game mechanisms like Translation event cards, players experience how external and internal factors can influence gene expression, simulating real biological phenomena such as mutations or the effect of environmental conditions.
The use of ATP Tokens as a currency for transcription and translation actions teaches players about the energy requirements of biological processes and the need for efficient energy use, a key concept in all areas of biology.
Spatial Relationship inside cells:
The game board represents a cell's structure, helping players visualize where transcription and translation occur within a cell.
Skills & Practices Taught:
Scientific Thinking & Problem Solving- Players learn what moves are the best next step to take, answering concept based questions to gain energy points, matching complementary strands and bases.
Resource management- Players learn when to conserve ATP tokens and when to use them to building the amino acid chain. When to keep moving in the cell to gain more energy tokens.
Adaptations to Changing Conditions- Through the randomness of Translation event cards, players must adapt their strategies in response to new challenges, similar to how real biological systems must adapt to environmental changes.
The goal of this game was to make complex biological processes accessible and engaging through gamification, which has been shown to enhance motivation and learning outcomes. By involving players in hands-on activities, the game fosters an active learning environment where concepts are learned through doing, which can lead to deeper understanding and retention. Beyond just the subject of biology, the game teaches critical thinking, strategic planning, and cooperation, which are skills valuable across various academic and real-world contexts.
While designed for educational purposes, the complexity of the game might be challenging for younger students or those new to the concepts of molecular biology. When making this game I was ideally thinking of using this after the unit was taught to really put the two processes (transcription & translation) together in one class period to show the sequential follow of events in protein synthesis from start to finish. Overall, I believe "Protein Quest" effectively teaches important molecular biology concepts and scientific thinking skills through an engaging and interactive format.