Learning the electron transport chain process in photosynthesis using video and serious game

This research investigates students' learning about the electron transport chain (ETC) process in photosynthesis by watching a video followed by playing a serious board game -Electron Chute- that models ETC. The learning objectives targeted enriching a mental model that students could use to explain the causal relationship of the ETC common misconceptions students hold. Eighth graders (N = 120) participated in a one-day activity using a video and game designed by the researchers to model ETC. This model explained how sunlight energy was converted into ATP involving a flow of electrons. A quasi-experimental design involved a pre-test/post-test essay where students from the two treatments - video only and video+game - were asked to interpret a diagram about ETC. PlayingElectron Chuteafter watching the video was effective on addressing misconceptions about sunlight absorption by chlorophylls, oxygen, ATP and NADPH production and the electron flow during ETC. A survey collected data about students' experiences after the video+game treatment. The majority of students agreed that playing the game increased their ability to explain how plants use light energy. This study demonstrates a principled approach for designing a video and game to support students' ability to make sense of how complex systems work.