A Role-Playing Tabletop Game on Laboratory Techniques and Chemical Reactivity: A Game-based Learning Approach to Organic Chemistry Education

The teaching laboratory is a crucial component in chemistry courses, aiming to enhance scientific understanding, convey the scientific method, and improve practical skills. However, these goals are closely tied to student engagement, which has declined in recent years, especially post-COVID-19 pandemic. Game-based learning (GBL) has emerged as a strategy to strengthen engagement by making learning motivating and interactive. Within this framework, we designed and implemented a new tabletop game incorporating fantasy and role-playing elements for the organic chemistry laboratory, focusing on the classic Identification of an Unknown challenge. Students use in-game currency, earned by solving organic chemistry problems and performing purification and separation tasks, to gather information like Infrared Spectra or Elemental Analysis. The game also covers the chemical reactivity of functional groups using wet chemistry tests. Additionally, the game´s collaborative nature enhances social cohesion among learners, promoting teamwork and creating a positive learning environment. Student performance was evaluated through both theoretical and practical assessments, with statistical analyses showing a significant improvement in mean grades during the GBL year compared to previous years. Using a 0-20 scale, for the practical component, the mean grade increased by 0.56 points (p = 0.02), while for the theoretical component, the mean grade increased by 0.37 points (p = 0.045). Student reception was assessed via anonymous surveys, and the approach received very positive feedback. The results suggest that our GBL approach to the organic chemistry laboratory enhanced learning and fosters a supportive educational community.