Make or Take: An Active Learning Game of Organic Synthesis

Abstract

The educational game Make or Take is designed to approach the notoriously challenging topic of organic synthesis in an entertaining and engaging way. In this unique, two-part game, teams of students are given identical lists of several synthetic transformations, each requiring multiple steps to complete. During the first part of the game, teams race to devise and post a sound synthetic sequence for one of the transformations. In the second part of the game, rival teams peer review the posted syntheses. This game is designed to test knowledge of organic reactions, promote the use of retrosynthetic analysis, and improve critical evaluation skills. Student response is exceptionally positive, and improved performance on synthesis questions on subsequent assessments was observed after playing the game. Make or Take is best implemented in second-year undergraduate organic chemistry courses with small-to-medium class sizes. This game is highly versatile and can be altered to include more challenging material for advanced classes.