Gamification in Green and Sustainable Chemistry Education - A Brief Review

Green and Sustainable Chemistry Education (GSCE) is an interdisciplinary area that involves methods and practices to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. In recent years, novel educational approaches have been developed to engage more students and promote a sustainable future. In this context, gamification can be defined as a multidisciplinary area that develops resources or activities to increase engagement. The use of gamification opens up a range of possibilities with GSCE. This work aims to investigate the potentials of games for teaching Green Chemistry. Our method was based on a systematic review, which mapped scientific articles in Web of Science, during 2004-2024. We applied descriptors and Boolean operators, such as “Green Chemistry”, AND “Gamification” OR “Gam*” to promote more focused and productive results. In total, four scientific articles were selected, which covered relations between gamification and GSCE. The first selected article, entitled “Green Tycoon: A Mobile Application Game to Introduce Biorefining Principles in Green Chemistry” and published in 2020, highlights the use of a mobile application game and adopts a systemic thinking approach. Based on a survey with 33 undergraduate students, this study underscores the innovation inherent in assessing the significance of Green Chemistry. The second article, entitled “Race to the Reactor and Other Chemistry Games: Game-Based and Experiential Learning Experiences in Materials and Polymer Chemistry” and published in 2020, focuses on delineating a range of games explored over a two-year research period. The authors analyzed how a series of functional group and polymer chemistry games and hands-on activities effectively engaged approximately 170 students, providing a stimulating opportunity for revising chemistry concepts. The third publication, entitled “Green Machine: A Card Game Introducing Students to Systems Thinking in Green Chemistry by Strategizing the Creation of a Recycling Plant” and published in 2019, combines a card game with a systemic approach. Authors applied this game with 19 postgraduate students from the UK and 29 undergraduate students from the USA. The feedback indicated that the card game was an innovative, enjoyable, and engaging resource not only for presenting Green Chemistry but also for adopting a critical approach. The fourth publication, entitled “The Safer Chemical Design Game. Gamification of Green Chemistry and Safer Chemical Design Concepts for High School and Undergraduate Students” and published in 2018, discussed the development of a digital educational game on Green Chemistry, providing insights into how such games can foster critical thinking skills among high school and undergraduate students. These results indicate the necessity of informing educators about the possibility of research in gamification and GSCE. It was verified that 3 out of these 4 articles, namely, 75%, were published in the Journal of Chemical Education. We concluded that more research could be conducted, as there is a lack of reports addressing these areas. For future educators, the synergy between gamification and GSCE is needed.