ChemOkey: A Game To Reinforce Nomenclature

Abstract

Learning the symbolic language of chemistry is a difficult task that can be frustrating for students. This article introduces a game, ChemOkey, that can help students learn the names and symbols of common ions and their compounds in a fun environment. ChemOkey, a game similar to Rummikub, is played with a set of 106 plastic or wooden tiles. The object of ChemOkey is to create the formulas and names of ionic compounds from tiles on which the names and formulas of common cations and anions are written. With ChemOkey, students can learn the symbols and names of common ions and acquire a level of familiarity with the electroneutrality principle and the names and formulas of ionic compounds.

Element Enterprise Tycoon: Playing Board Games to Learn Chemistry in Daily Life

“…In this study, based on the literature review, the chemical concepts in board games may be divided into three categories. The first category is organic chemistry-related topics, such as the nomenclature of organic compounds, organic synthesis, chemical structure, functional groups, chemical reaction formulas, and other chemical concepts [4,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. The second category includes topics concerning the periodic table, such as the atomic order of chemical elements, atomic weight, melting point, boiling point, color, and the use of chemical elements [1,3,5,14].…”

“…The use of scientific board games for teaching and the gamification of scientific concepts has become an emerging teaching trend [1]. Several board games for supporting the teaching of chemistry courses have been employed by many schoolteachers and science education scholars [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Research shows the difficulties in helping students achieve higher learning motivation by using only the traditional modes of memorization and repeated practice, which may cause students to lose their interest in science as well as their willingness to further study and explore science independently [2,3].…”

“…Research shows the difficulties in helping students achieve higher learning motivation by using only the traditional modes of memorization and repeated practice, which may cause students to lose their interest in science as well as their willingness to further study and explore science independently [2,3]. It is evident that using board games for teaching can improve students' motivation for learning, reduce the learning difficulty of complex concepts, and subsequently improve their learning efficiency [4][5][6][7]. Teaching through board games not only enhances students' study of scientific knowledge but also develops their scientific competencies, such as their problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and negotiation capabilities [8,9].…”

Chemistry Games in the Classroom: A Pilot Study

“…It means that they can be used as an introduction to the new material or as a platform to revise the material and practice skills that have been previously taught. Review sessions enable students to reflect on the material, practice and have fun (Kavak, 2012;Stringfield & Kramer, 2014).…”

Exploring Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

“…Although serious games of the digital variety are being used and studied in college courses such as chemistry (Antunes et al 2012;Kavak 2012) and medicine (Kanthan and Senger 2011), some college faculty may look down on the use of games in college classes and view them as unnecessary gimmicks. This description is often extended to me personally as well, by both students and colleagues, as in, ''she's a really fun teacher'' or ''she makes theory fun for her students.''…”