Outbreak! an Online Board Game That Fosters Collaborative Learning of Viral Diseases

Abstract

Remote education has become necessary to resume teaching activities during the pandemic. Most educators were not prepared for this type of teaching or did not have access to the resources required for online classes.Remote education has become necessary to resume teaching activities during the pandemic. Most educators were not prepared for this type of teaching or did not have access to the resources required for online classes. Taking advantage of the sudden interest in the microbial world, we developed Outbreak!, a board game that can be used to support hybrid teaching, focusing on transmission and symptoms caused by viral diseases. We used the engaging potential of cooperative board games to provoke an enriching debate about the roles of both researchers and health workers during an outbreak. Educators in developing countries are in desperate need of creative and accessible tools during this unprecedented crisis. We believe Outbreak can be a useful and fun tool.