THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN IMMUNOLOGY BOARD GAME FOR HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY STUDENTS

Abstract

Since the 1970s, numerous participative exercises have been developed for use in the science classroom. Games and simulations have been created to supplement traditional means of instruction. Immunopoly, a board game designed in this study for high school biology students, encompasses the subjects of disease, immunity and treatment. As a game, students are found to be enthusiastic to play it. Evidence was found that students gained knowledge through the game. Immunopoly details sixteen diseases, most of which are familiar in name to high school students. As students move tokens around the board they obtain information regarding these diseases. Students interact by reading information cards aloud to one another and must make decisions. They are also motivated by competition to win the game. It was hypothesized that the use of an educational board game would prove to be a valuable method of instruction. In particular, students who played Immunopoly were expected to gain knowledge about disease and demonstrate that knowledge on a post-test. Immunopoly was field tested in four classes of merit (average) biology at Frederick High School in Frederick, Maryland. A pre-test was given to students prior to playing the game. Each class played Immunopoly for 45 minutes and then students and teachers evaluated the game. Subsequently, a post-test was given to students who took the pre-test and played the game. Comparison of the test results indicated that students who played Immunopoly obtained higher mean scores on the post-test than on the pre-test. Students indicated on a written evaluation that they enjoyed playing the game. Teachers indicated that the game was valuable as an educational strategy and that they would use the game, if they had access to it, as a part of their immunology unit.