Decked Out for Success: A Novel Card Game to Support\nSchool Teaching of Radioactivity and Nuclear Science

The global nuclear skills shortage\nrequires a comprehensive investment\nin training at all levels of education. With focus on post-18 and\nvocational education, there is a lack of resource and awareness for\nteaching nuclear skills to students between the ages of 11 to 18 years\nof age. This age group is vital if interest in this industry is to\nbe nurtured and the skills gap is to be addressed. Here, we report\nan interactive card game <i>RAD Ratings</i> to address this\ngap; a curriculum-enriching activity, teaching nuclear skills to pre-18\nyears of age. We emphasize curriculum linked and practical examples\nin everyday life to make it relatable to students. Student and teacher\nfeedback demonstrated that >64% students enjoyed playing <i>RAD\nRatings</i>, with >50% students saying that they would play\nthe\ngame again and all teachers surveyed stating that <i>Rad Ratings</i> improved student understanding of radionuclides and their uses.\nOur approach stands out as the sole UK study focused on the gamification\nof nuclear science and radiochemistry education, uniquely evaluating\nfeedback from both students and teachers concurrently.