Utilizando a Maquinaria Celular

Abstract

cell machinery, especially its molecular biology, is a subject of difficult comprehension and visualization due to its broadness and complexity. In face of this difficulty, the development of new teaching approaches that go beyond the traditional lectures and textbooks is needed to deal with this issue. Educational games are an alternative for the teaching and learning processes, working as a tool that makes the comprehension of the subject contents easier and more enjoyable, at the same time it stimulates student's thinking, competition and cooperative work. To facilitate the teaching of Molecular Biology, a game called Using the Molecular Biology has been proposed. For its development, a data bank with 48 questions and answers was created based on College textbooks and web sites dealing with this issue. The game uses the lymphocyte B as a cell model to approach the processes of DNA replication and transcription, and RNA translation, which are involved in the synthesis of antibodies. game has been originally conceived as a complement for laboratory classes in the undergraduate medical courses at the Universidade Federal Fluminense. However, to broaden the use of Using the Molecular to the High School, a survey form was elaborated and handed out to nine teachers from private and public schools. This form allowed us to classify the game questions into three difficulty levels for teachers and students, according with teacher's opinion: easy, intermediate, and difficult. This material has been offered to the schools registered in the The future in the schools Project, where it was tested and used as an educational tool complementary to the traditional Biology classes. The student's receptivity to and the efficacy of this support material have been evaluated.