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Bacttle: A Microbiology Educational Board Game for Lay Public and Schools

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Title: Bacttle: A Microbiology Educational Board Game for Lay Public and Schools
Language: English
Authors: Tania Miguel Trabajo (ORCID 0000-0003-4242-2220), Eavan Dorcey, Jan Roelof van der Meer (ORCID 0000-0003-1485-3082)
Source: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. 2024 25(2).
Availability: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Microbiology, Science Instruction, Educational Games, Environmental Influences, Teaching Methods, Elementary Secondary Education, Open Source Technology, Computer Games, Genetics, Instructional Effectiveness, Scientific Concepts, Science Fairs, Concept Formation, Age Groups, Preschool Education, Adults, Universities, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Switzerland
ISSN: 1935-7877
1935-7885
Abstract: Inspired by the positive impact of serious games on science understanding and motivated by personal interests in scientific outreach, we developed "Bacttle," an easy-to-play microbiology board game with adaptive difficulty, targeting any player from 7 years old onward. Bacttle addresses both the lay public and teachers for use in classrooms as a way of introducing microbiology concepts. The layout of the game and its mechanism are the result of multiple rounds of trial, feedback, and re-design. The final version consists of a deck of cards, a 3D-printed board, and tokens (with a paper-based alternative), with all digital content open source. Players in Bacttle take on the character of a bacterial species. The aim for each species is to proliferate under the environmental conditions of the board and the interactions with the board and with other players, which vary as the play evolves. Players start with a given number of lives that will increase or decrease based on the traits they play for different environmental scenarios. Such bacterial traits come in the form of cards that can be deployed strategically. To assess the impact of the game on microbiological knowledge, we scored differences in the understanding of general concepts before and after playing the game. We assessed a total of 169 visitors at two different university open-day science fairs. Players were asked to fill out a brief survey before and after the game with questions targeting conceptual advances. Results show that Bacttle increases general microbiology knowledge on players as young as 5 years old and with the highest impact on those who have no "a priori" microbiology comprehension.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12800101
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1437760
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Bacttle: A Microbiology Educational Board Game for Lay Public and Schools
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tania+Miguel+Trabajo%22">Tania Miguel Trabajo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4242-2220">0000-0003-4242-2220</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eavan+Dorcey%22">Eavan Dorcey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jan+Roelof+van+der+Meer%22">Jan Roelof van der Meer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1485-3082">0000-0003-1485-3082</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Microbiology+%26+Biology+Education%22"><i>Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education</i></searchLink>. 2024 25(2).
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  Data: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 12
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microbiology%22">Microbiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Games%22">Educational Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Influences%22">Environmental Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Open+Source+Technology%22">Open Source Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Games%22">Computer Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetics%22">Genetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Effectiveness%22">Instructional Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+Concepts%22">Scientific Concepts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Fairs%22">Science Fairs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concept+Formation%22">Concept Formation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Groups%22">Age Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Switzerland%22">Switzerland</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1935-7877<br />1935-7885
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Inspired by the positive impact of serious games on science understanding and motivated by personal interests in scientific outreach, we developed "Bacttle," an easy-to-play microbiology board game with adaptive difficulty, targeting any player from 7 years old onward. Bacttle addresses both the lay public and teachers for use in classrooms as a way of introducing microbiology concepts. The layout of the game and its mechanism are the result of multiple rounds of trial, feedback, and re-design. The final version consists of a deck of cards, a 3D-printed board, and tokens (with a paper-based alternative), with all digital content open source. Players in Bacttle take on the character of a bacterial species. The aim for each species is to proliferate under the environmental conditions of the board and the interactions with the board and with other players, which vary as the play evolves. Players start with a given number of lives that will increase or decrease based on the traits they play for different environmental scenarios. Such bacterial traits come in the form of cards that can be deployed strategically. To assess the impact of the game on microbiological knowledge, we scored differences in the understanding of general concepts before and after playing the game. We assessed a total of 169 visitors at two different university open-day science fairs. Players were asked to fill out a brief survey before and after the game with questions targeting conceptual advances. Results show that Bacttle increases general microbiology knowledge on players as young as 5 years old and with the highest impact on those who have no "a priori" microbiology comprehension.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12800101
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  Data: 2024
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1437760
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Microbiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Games
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Influences
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      – SubjectFull: Teaching Methods
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
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      – SubjectFull: Scientific Concepts
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      – SubjectFull: Science Fairs
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      – SubjectFull: Concept Formation
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      – SubjectFull: Age Groups
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      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
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      – SubjectFull: Universities
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      – TitleFull: Bacttle: A Microbiology Educational Board Game for Lay Public and Schools
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              Y: 2024
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