Organic Compound Hunters: An Educational Game Supporting the Learning of Organic Compound Formulas and Nomenclature

The educational game titled “Organic Compound Hunters” was designed to reinforce preservice teachers’ learning regarding the naming and formula determination of organic compounds within the scope of chemistry education. The game is based on matching the chemical names of organic compounds─including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, and those containing functional groups (alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, and amides)─with their structural, bond-line, and molecular formulas; it aims to teach a total of 104 different organic compounds. The game set consists of 104 task cards, nine fixed cards, and a checklist. Five to eight students can play, with one student checking the accuracy of the matches in each round. The study found that the Organic Compound Hunters game offers an interactive learning environment that can help preservice teachers to understand the relationships between organic compound nomenclature and their structural, bond-line, and molecular formulas.