You're Getting on My Nerves! A board Game to Teach Action Potential Propagation and Cable Properties.

Abstract

Electrophysiology is one of the most intimidating topics within the foundational neuroscience curriculum to most undergraduate students. Keeping student attention and engagement during these lectures is equally challenging for educators. Game-based learning is used in many disciplines and levels of education and allows students to apply what they have learned and build community within the classroom. You're Getting on my Nerves was created to help students apply their knowledge of cable properties and practice vocabulary terms with their peers. This board game was originally created using inexpensive products but is also now available for purchase, allowing educators the flexibility to use the game within their budget and available timeframe. Additionally, it can be scaled from introductory to advanced levels and act as a relaxed and entertaining study tool. Students learn what changes in the cell can increase or decrease the action potential's ability to propagate down the axon and begin to describe different cable properties. Each player receives a card to keep track of the amplitude of their action potential. The goal is to move their game piece from the axon hillock to the axon terminal without decaying their action potential to 0. Players draw game cards that instruct them on where to move along the gameboard. The gameboard has color-coded spaces with changes in the axon. Students begin to quickly learn which changes in the cell allow their game piece to propagate forward as they compete with their peers to reach the axon terminal.