• Intelligent Systems

ChemPOV (Chemistry Point of View) Online Board Game

PI: Fun Man FUNG, Yulin LAM, Yin Gwee, John YAP, Ju-We GAN

Opportunity

ChemPOV is a four-player online board game. The objective of the game is for each player is to solve an organic chemistry synthesis scheme by finding the missing reagents/intermediates scattered across the board. It is a turn-based game, where a player rolls the die, chooses where to move and answers an MCQ, obtaining the chemical on the tile if they answer the MCQ correctly. This board game includes a feature of visualizing 3D chemical molecules. The avatars in ChemPOV display values in DEIR (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Respect).

For many years, organic chemistry has been and still is being taught via the family of compounds. Hence various organic chemistry puzzles have been designed in this approach too. However, ChemPOV adopts the mechanistic approach to learning organic chemistry. This method of teaching organic chemistry is fast catching on in the various institutes of higher learning in Singapore and in various other countries.

Technology

ChemPOV is an online digital chemistry boardgame designed to allow players to enhance their understanding of organic chemistry knowledge and strategical thinking. In this game, players compete among up to three other players to see who can complete their organic chemistry synthesis reaction schemes. This is done by players moving their virtual tokens to the tile containing the reagent needed for their reaction schemes and collecting the reagent through answering a Chemistry Multiple Choice Question. The game also features a “Chance” system which confers either a player a beneficial or a negative effect should they land on the “Chance” tile to increase the game’s competitiveness. ChemPOV is developed using the Unity Game Engine, and the game is hosted on Photon Unity Networking (PUN) to enable players to compete with one another.

ChemPOV is curated based on Garrison’s Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. In this framework, Social Presence (the ability for people in a group to present themselves as real people with emotions and thoughts), Cognitive Presence (the ability for students to reflect and construct, and develop understanding to the materials learnt), and Teaching Presence (ability for teachers to support the other two presences to achieve learning outcomes), must be present in order to deliver an enhanced educational experience for students. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in classes being moved to online platform, there was a lack of Social Presence in class as students find it difficult to interact with one another in the online medium, leading to a poorer perceived educational experience by the students as they may feel less motivated to learn. To help foster student interactions, ChemPOV was developed which enables students to compete with one another by pitting their organic chemistry knowledge skills with one another. By playing ChemPOV, players will be able to perceive that they are in fact playing against a real person, rather than an Artificial Intelligence. This helps to simulate Social Presence, thus helping to enhance the students’ perceived educational experience.

Document Status

Download

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

6

Product prototype validated in intended environment

Applications & Advantages

  • 01

    Randomized game layout prevents players from memorizing the game layout. Thus, every game is a new experience for players.

  • 02

    Although built for multiplayer gameplay in mind, ChemPOV allows a single player to play and compete with themselves.

  • 03

    Avatars feature scientists who have contributed significantly to the field of chemistry, and were chosen with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Respect (DEIR) in mind which motivates players alike that there is not a barrier to excel in STEM fields.

  • 04

    3D molecular models allow players to visualize the molecules spatially. This helps to enhance their spatial visualization which is important in the field of organic chemistry.

  • 05

    Player cards contain chemical synthesis pathways. Players compete to plan and fill in the blank boxes to obtain the product molecule. This is important as it trains students to think strategically and mechanistically to obtain the product.

  • 06

    Chance Cards allows players to randomly choose an effect which may have beneficial or detrimental effects to themselves or other players. This prevents players with good chemistry knowledge from completely dominating the game.

  • 07

    Teleport tiles allow players to teleport to another teleport tile of their choosing. This aids players in their planning of strategy.

  • 08

    MCQs are asked upon landing on chemical tiles, which if correct, allow them to claim the chemical tiles. The MCQs were from past exam questions.

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