1. Overview
2. Primary School Education
3. Secondary School Education
Overview
When we first heard about the competition, we were immediately interested and dove into the world of synthetic biology. As we became more familiar with the subject, we realized its importance, but also the underlying problem that most people are not aware of its potential. Therefore, we focused our educational project on educating as many people as possible about the importance of synthetic biology. We targeted our project mainly at younger age groups, primary and secondary school students because they are still in the process of exploring career choices ahead of them, and because we are in this age group, it was easier for us to develop methods to get the message of synthetic biology across. We have tried to develop educational tools that are closer to younger age groups, to make it easier for them to understand the subject. We designed a LEGO game for primary school children and a video game for secondary school children to help them learn.
Primary school education
Goal
Our goal was to make study material that was interesting enough to catch the attention of young children, which is extremely hard nowadays because of the short attention span most of them have. Another important aim was to create not just a fun exercise but to give the students some useful knowledge about synthetic biology.
For us accessibility was a major factor to look at. That’s why our program is color-blind friendly. Working in groups was also in focus because young minds need to learn how to work together at a young age.
But most importantly we wanted to show that this is not just science or just a competition but the life that we live in and it’s all around us. We knew that with a creative idea and a helpful and patient crew, we could deliver this message.
Methods
During the education of elementary school students, we applied various methods to ensure that the material reached them as effectively as possible and that the learning process was engaging and interactive. Below, we will present the methods we used:
- Through PowerPoint presentations, we aimed to help students understand our team, our goals, and our mentality. The presentations also provided visual support for introducing the material, which we believe is particularly important for younger students, who were thereby able to grasp the structure of DNA more easily, the laws of base pairing, the process of the central dogma, and the intricacies of synthetic biology.
- To increase the effectiveness of the learning process, we created questionnaires that the students (who filled out the questionnaires in groups of four) completed before and after our presentations. The goal of these questionnaires was to assess the students' prior knowledge of the topic and then re-evaluate them after the presentation to see how much they had learned and understood. This method provided an opportunity for educators to receive feedback on the effectiveness of the learning process and, if necessary, offer additional explanations on the topic to the students.
- The use of Legos in learning is an innovative and playful method that proved particularly effective for elementary school students. With the help of Legos, students could engage with the structure of DNA in a tangible way. This also helped them better understand the laws of base pairing and gain a clearer view of the alpha-helix structure of DNA. The application of Legos allowed for creative problem-solving, and teamwork, and also contributed to the enjoyment of the learning experience. In the LEGO activity, we did not use green pieces to ensure that students with red-green color blindness could also participate.
- 3. The use of Legos in learning is an innovative and playful method that proved particularly effective for elementary school students. With the help of Legos, students could engage with the structure of DNA in a tangible way. This also helped them better understand the laws of base pairing and gain a clearer view of the alpha-helix structure of DNA. The application of Legos allowed for creative problem-solving, and teamwork, and also contributed to the enjoyment of the learning experience. In the LEGO activity, we did not use green pieces to ensure that students with red-green color blindness could also participate.
Experiences
Our first lecture was given to the 8th-grade students of the Báthory István Secondary School and Primary School of the University of Szeged. This event was a great experience not only for the primary school students, but also for our team members who had previously studied at this school, as they were able to gain insight into the education of the next generation and contribute to it themselves.
We also had the opportunity to lecture at our school, the Radnóti Miklós Experimental High School in Szeged. We showed our PowerPoint presentation and LEGO game on 3 occasions at a biology course for future Radnóti students. We benefited from the students' fundamental interest in biology, which allowed us to work with them even more effectively. Our experience with primary school students was rather variable. We have tried to deliver the material in a way that is simple and understandable for the students, given their age and prior knowledge.
We also took our presentation to a school in Hódmezővásárhely, the Németh László High School and Primary School. Our team was warmly welcomed at the school in the town near Szeged. Unlike before, this time, we targeted a new age group, the 11th grade. We aimed to discover how much more knowledgeable the older, and more experienced students were than the younger age groups. As the test results show, we also were able to teach the older students something new.
At all presentations, there were quite active groups who participated enthusiastically. Others were less enthusiastic about building LEGO DNA or even completing the quiz. It can be concluded that their knowledge of biology from primary school is not particularly diverse. Many had not heard of the two strands of DNA, let alone the different processes involved. However, after the presentation, all teams' quiz scores improved, with at least one more question answered correctly.
Evaluation of questionnaires:
In this diagram, the number of correct answers to each question in the questionnaires written before the presentations is shown in blue, while the number of correct answers to each question in the questionnaires written after the presentations is shown in orange.
As this diagram shows, 4 out of 10 questions show a significant improvement. These four questions (1, 3, 4, 7) are evaluated below:
Q1. What is the structure of DNA?
A: Delta line
B: Gamma curve
C: Alpha helix
D: Beta sheet
The correct answers to this question increased by 35% after the lecture. This result shows that our LEGO game and the Powerpoint presentation that went with it helped students to understand the structure of DNA, giving them the added bonus of not just a 2D picture but also a 3D spatial picture of the alpha helix of DNA.
Q3. A DNA of 200 nucleotides contains 60 adenines. How many thymines are in this DNA?
A: 140
B: 50
C: 30
D: 60
In question 3, the improvement was 25%. Both in our presentation and in the LEGO game, the base pairing rules play a major role, and the results showed that we were able to teach the students the essence of this.
Q5. Which DNA nucleotide base is replaced by uracil in RNA?
A: thymine
B: adenine
C: cytosine
D: guanine
The number of correct answers to this question increased by 30% after the lecture. The LEGO game directly highlighted the partial difference in nucleotides in DNA and RNA. We have marked the thymine in the DNA strand with a red cone and in the mRNA strand with a red cube, so that students can attach a visual image to this appearance to help them remember.
Q7. What is the purpose of synthetic biology?
A: Making synthetic organisms from inorganic materials
B: Redesign existing natural biological systems by modifying DNA
C: Creating hybrid organisms by synthesizing artificial substances and combining them with living cells
D: Creating synthetic materials that replace living tissues
In question 7, the increase in the number of correct answers was 25%. Our PowerPoint presentation highlighted synthetic biology and its purpose, process and applications. We tried to explain the topic to the students in a simplified way, using examples, and the results showed that we succeeded.
Building with LEGO bricks was the highlight of the presentation, even for the less active groups.
In summary, it was a very good and heart-warming experience to teach biology to primary school children, to help them understand the basics of synthetic biology and, most of all, to see the light twinkle in the eyes of future generations.
Secondary school education
Our game was created to make the field of synthetic biology understandable and appealing to high school students. Our goal was to facilitate learning in an interactive and enjoyable way, as the playful environment allows students to actively engage, experiment, and receive immediate feedback. This experiential learning not only makes the material easier to comprehend but also helps knowledge retention more effectively compared to traditional methods. Additionally, the game contributes to promoting synthetic biology, particularly among students who are on the verge of choosing their career paths. It offers them the opportunity to explore this emerging field, potentially sparking their interest in biology and scientific research, and helping them find direction for their future careers.Game description
The adventurous journey of the lab's new arrivals is guided by the lab's director, Professor Lumin.
With his help, players can grow a plant that glows when exposed to a certain wavelength of blue light, using the GFP gene.
For those less familiar with biology, help is provided with each new topic. Players can click on the i icon to read about the base pairing rules and the components needed for PCR, among other things.
The game consists of 5 main parts:
- DNA sequencing
In this part, players have to sequence the GFP gene using the base-pairing rules. We have provided 3 smaller fragments of the GFP gene sequence in the game, for which the complementary sequence must be given by the player. - PCR
In this part of the game, players will be introduced to the PCR technique. Their task is to amplify the sequenced DNA using the PCR machine. The game not only teaches how to use the PCR machine, but also gives an insight into the processes that take place inside the machine.
- Plasmid preparation
After PCR, the amplified DNAs must then be incorporated into a plasmid. For plasmid preparation, it is important to understand what each component of the plasmid is for. This can be learned by players through a pairing exercise.
- Bacterial transformation
In the final step, players must first dip the plant seeds in a solution containing the modified bacteria and then place them on a medium containing antibiotic. The surviving seeds must then be planted by the players.
- Testing
At the end of the game, players can test whether their experiment was successful. They can use a Blue LED to check if their plant lights up.
At the end of each section, players are asked questions that test how well they have understood the step in the game.
Distribution of video game:
The video game was played by 334 students from 42 schools.
Players will first need to enter their school name and grade, then click on the submit button to access the link to the game.
Here is the link for those who want to try the game: