Zambito Ivey Jennie L, Flinchum Rachel N, Stephens Laney M, Myer Phillip R
Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
J Microbiol Biol Educ. 2025 Aug 21;26(2):e0006425. doi: 10.1128/jmbe.00064-25. Epub 2025 Jun 24.
Effective science education relies on innovative and engaging teaching tools that enhance student learning and retention. This need is particularly important in agricultural science outreach, where understanding the role of microbiology in animal health and disease is essential for both livestock producers and the public. However, traditional teaching methods often fail to adequately convey complex concepts in an accessible, applicable, and memorable way. To address this gap, a memory-based card game was developed utilizing game-based learning (GBL) principles to improve comprehension of microbiology's impact on animal health and disease within agricultural systems. This interactive tool balances educational content with gameplay, fostering an engaging learning experience that encourages knowledge retention and real-world application. Through the use of the game, pre- and post-self-assessments indicated learners perceived they were improved in their understanding of microbes in agriculture and noted their greater likelihood to use this information in real-world situations ( < 0.001). By integrating this game into extension and outreach programs, we aim to enhance public understanding of agricultural systems and microbiology's role in animal health, ultimately improving informed decision-making and agricultural literacy. This approach not only advances microbiology education but also exemplifies the pedagogical benefits of incorporating GBL into agricultural science communication.
有效的科学教育依赖于创新且引人入胜的教学工具，这些工具能提高学生的学习效果和知识留存率。这种需求在农业科学推广中尤为重要，因为了解微生物学在动物健康和疾病中的作用对畜牧生产者和公众来说都至关重要。然而，传统教学方法往往无法以一种易于理解、适用且令人难忘的方式充分传达复杂的概念。为了弥补这一差距，利用基于游戏的学习（GBL）原则开发了一款基于记忆的纸牌游戏，以提高人们对微生物学在农业系统中对动物健康和疾病影响的理解。这个互动工具将教育内容与游戏玩法相结合，营造了一种引人入胜的学习体验，鼓励知识留存和实际应用。通过使用这款游戏，前后自我评估表明，学习者认为他们对农业中的微生物的理解有所提高，并指出他们更有可能在实际情况中运用这些信息（<0.001）。通过将这款游戏纳入推广和外展项目，我们旨在提高公众对农业系统以及微生物学在动物健康中的作用的理解，最终改善明智决策和农业素养。这种方法不仅推进了微生物学教育，还例证了将基于游戏的学习纳入农业科学传播的教学益处。
