Paruman The Khemion Master: Learning Chemistry Periodic Table with Trading Card Game

The research explores the development of a trading card game, titled Paruman The Khemion Master, designed to assist middle school students in memorizing chemical elements and periodic table codes. The study addresses the widespread academic struggle with chemistry, which many students perceive as a difficult, boring, and abstract subject. By shifting from traditional, monotone teaching methods to an interactive, visual-based gaming format, the project aims to improve student engagement and information retention through the use of character-driven design and augmented reality technology.

The methodology involved a survey of 100 middle school students in Jakarta, Indonesia, alongside expert interviews with industry professionals. Data revealed that 75% of respondents find chemistry difficult to understand, 84% report low grades in the subject, and 80% struggle specifically with memorizing chemical codes and elements. Furthermore, 53% of students indicated that visual aids significantly improve their ability to learn. Based on these findings, the authors developed 20 unique characters representing chemical elements, utilizing Gestalt theory and color psychology to create memorable visual assets that facilitate the transition of information from short-term to long-term memory.

The project concludes that integrating game mechanics with visual storytelling and augmented reality provides a viable alternative to conventional pedagogy. By transforming abstract chemical data into tangible, interactive characters, the game leverages the popularity of trading card systems to foster a more intuitive learning experience. Future development plans include expanding the character set to cover all 118 elements of the periodic table and fully implementing a mobile application to enhance the augmented reality features of the game.