Educational Models in Analytical Chemistry Lab: The Story behind Lateral Flow Immunoassays in the Context of COVID-19

Lateral flow immunoassays have become part of our daily
lives as
a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, but what is actually the
story behind these red lines? Scientific findings, often described
as a scientific black box, create continuous global changes in our
living conditions and must be made accessible to society in a comprehensible
way. In this Article, models are used as a tool for educational reconstruction
to make the science in the black box of a COVID-19 rapid antigen test
accessible. The result is based on an educational model that visualizes
the structure and function of a lateral flow immunoassay using the
example of a COVID-19 rapid antigen test in reality and a virtual
environment. Based on this, the article compares these real and virtual
model concepts, explains possible combinations of real and virtual
model elements, and discusses them regarding the promotion of the
development of model competence in the upper school level. Based on
this analysis, open research questions and a didactic concept as a
framework for the use of lateral flow immunoassay models in science
education, especially in analytical chemistry, are considered in an
outline.