Development and Preliminary Evaluation of ProSynX: An Educational Card Game for Teaching Protein Translation

Teaching protein translation is challenging due to the abstract and complex molecular processes involved. This study aimed to develop and evaluate ProSynX, an educational card game designed to facilitate student understanding of protein translation. Guided by the ADDIE instructional design model, the game was created to transform abstract concepts into an interactive and engaging learning experience. A structured usability questionnaire, reviewed by subject-matter experts, was used to evaluate students’ perceptions across four dimensions: design, organization, playability, and usability. The study involved 169 undergraduate biology education students at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, selected through simple random sampling. Expert validation indicated strong content validity, and a pilot test confirmed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.93). Descriptive analysis showed positive student perceptions, with mean scores ranging from 3.53 to 3.62 on a 4-point Likert scale. Students reported that ProSynX reinforced learning, encouraged peer discussion, and enhanced conceptual understanding of protein translation. The findings suggest that ProSynX is a practical, low-tech, and pedagogically sound supplementary tool for teaching molecular biology. Its accessibility makes it suitable for diverse educational contexts. Future studies should explore its application to other genetics topics, assess long-term learning outcomes, and consider digital enhancements to further increase engagement.