American students know their pop music, pro sports, and consumer electronics. But ask them about cell biology and you’ll get a blank stare. To combat that, the Federation of American Scientists has developed a video game, Immune Attack, that takes kids inside a human body.
The game is aimed at 7th to 12th graders and teaches kids about the immune system proteins and cells. The group for scientists is discussing the results of testing the game at its annual meeting this week in San Diego, Calif. The mission of the game is to save a patient suffering from a bacterial infection. In the game, proteins, molecules and cells behave as they do in nature.
The game is part of a movement called Serious Games, which seeks to impart knowledge through video game play. The game is similar to Re-Mission, a game for kids suffering from cancer. Melanie Ann Stegman, a program manager at FAS, will discuss her efforts to test the game with teachers and students. The results, not surprisingly, show that students who play the game are more confident about their understanding of molecular science. To download the Immune Attack game, click here.
The federation began research on the idea in 2001 and developed the game in conjunction with Brown University and the University of Southern California from 2004 to 2008. Now the scientists are evaluating results and they’re finding that kids are learning. The game has been downloaded more than 9,000 times.