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Our Teaching As Research (TAR) project is a new venture towards assessing the validity of our games. We collaborate with graduate students and professors that take an interest in implementing our games in their classroom and plan to publish the effectiveness of said games. We also look to collaborate with other academics and non-academics on designing board or card games for their classroom with the purpose of motivating, educating, and increasing student's enjoyment in the sciences.
If you have an idea for a game and wish to collaborate with us, please send us an email at info@dorbitalgames.org
The 1H NMR Spectrum game, the first example of a team-based tabletop game focused on elucidating the structures of organic small molecules using 1H NMR spectra, was developed and deployed at a college-level organic chemistry lecture course and laboratory course. The tabletop game was designed as a collaborative and competitive group activity to encourage multiple rounds of play to help students reinforce their 1H NMR spectra interpretation skills. While playing in either team-based or free-for-all mode, students analyzed the provided chemical shifts, splitting patterns, integrations, and molecular formula within a designated time limit to correctly deduce the structure associated with the 1H NMR spectrum. After playing the game, students in a lecture course, and a laboratory course self-reported that they felt more comfortable solving 1H NMR spectroscopy questions, found the game to be an appealing study aid, and were able to complete multiple rounds of play to strengthen their skills in interpreting 1H NMR spectra. The 1H NMR Spectrum tabletop game may serve as an engaging and competitive group learning tool to supplement teaching on 1H NMR spectroscopy.
Buy the Resonance Cards
1st Level Resonance Cards
2nd Level Resonance Cards
3rd Level Resonance Cards
4th Level Resonance Cards
SALCs are one of those concepts in chemistry that can make students nervous just from their name: symmetry adapted linear combinations of ligand atomic orbitals. Admittedly, that's a mouthful. Yet, SALCs are an important part of molecular orbital theory, and can be incredibly powerful for visualization of electron density in both transition metal complexes and organic molecules. So we want students to learn about them. The "SALC" betting game was crafted in hopes of strengthening student's visualization of the atomic and molecular orbitals for a compound of a given symmetry. Indeed, as students connect the SALCs to the atomic orbitals on the central atom during this game, we believe they will get past any initial reticence and find SALCs to be pretty approachable.
Video produced by the Center for Faculty Development at San Jose State University.
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