The document describes a pipetting skills game called Pipette Party developed by Newcastle University's Game-Enhanced Learning group to teach microbiology students. The game involves players taking turns pipetting different volumes of water within time limits and having their accuracy measured on a balance. It is intended to both teach and reinforce pipetting skills in an engaging game format. The group aims to create more educational games and is currently developing a board game for drawing scale bars.

1. “Interactive games are an
excellent way to engage
students and... have lots of
potential when compared to a
standard lecture structure.”
Here at Newcastle University Game-Enhanced Learning (NuGEL), we are
investigating the impacts of game-enhanced learning (GEL) in higher education
using activities such as card games, board games, escape rooms, etc. Our aim is
to create a series of GEL activities that can be used in microbiology teaching.
Pipette Party can be used for learning or revisiting pipetting
skills, while emphasising and exercising efficiency and precision.
• Activity objective - To provide a physical tool to learn
pipetting skills, vital to laboratory work in microbiology.
• Target audience - Secondary and higher education students.
• Resources required
• Game cards: three decks of varying difficulty
• 100 - 1000 μl pipettes
• Stopwatch
• Water
• Weighing boat and balance
• General game flow
• For two or more players for five to 30 minutes.
• On their turn, a player draws a card from one of the
three decks; the card indicates a volume.
• The player must pipette the volume shown on the card
into the weighing boat within 60 seconds.
• The weighing boat is checked on a balance for accuracy.
• Play then moves to the next player.
• The game can be modified to accommodate all levels of skill
by changing time limits or introducing team play.
• For a more game-like experience, “twist” cards can be added
to the game, adding different challenges to each turn of play.
Games present worlds with
defined rules, clear objectives,
and, often, more than one
possible solution to a problem.
GEL seeks to incorporate the
engagement and motivation of
games into education, offering
alternative approaches to
learning difficult concepts.
Over the last 10 years, much
research has been conducted to
help facilitate the creation of
educational games using
frameworks that integrate
learning and entertainment.
Can be utilised at all educational
levels as both learning tools and
revision tools.
Can integrate multiple learning
outcomes in a single game, along
with many soft skills.
GEL activities allow students the
freedom to fail, the ability to
change strategies during
gameplay, receive rapid feedback,
and collaborate with peers.
GEL activities can be immersive
and closely reflect reality by using
a consistent theme.
“Games will motivate students
further and decrease
procrastination, especially if in
competition with other students,
creating a productive learning
atmosphere.”
We will be developing more games. Currently, a board game for
drawing accurate scale bars is in the design phase. Further
production of games may include an escape room-like activity.
Thank you to Newcastle University's Innovation Fund and School
of Natural and Environmental Sciences for funding this project.
NuGEL team: Dr Alison Graham, Dr Sara Marsham,
Alicia Becker, Daryl Holliday, Nicholas Valori
Have ideas for GEL activities or topics that could be gamified?
Contact: nugel@ncl.ac.uk
Twitter: @GELNewcastle