Genomics Digital Lab Uses Gaming to Teach Biology

Spongelab Interactive has released Genomics Digital Lab, a series of online educational games that focus on plant life and biology. The suite complements a typical middle school and high school science curriculum. The Genomics Digital Lab program is presented in an online format that allows students and instructors to participate in a classroom setting. Educators may set students up with personal accounts in order to track their progress on both an individual and on a collective level. Genomics Digital Lab includes eight educational games spread across Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of complexity. Throughout the program's early levels, students must identify what makes plants grow, assemble sugars in a light reaction game, and use energy to build proteins. Later stages require students to brainstorm solutions to the world's energy crisis, submit ideas for new species of triffids, and analyze the origins of everyday food items. The Genomics Digital Lab program recently received the National Science Foundation Award, and was featured in the Journal of Science. An online demonstration can be found at http://www.exploregdl.com/.