Is a gene a section of DNA that provides directions for synthesizing a specific protein?

A gene is a section of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is transcribed onto messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). The mRNA then leaves the nucleus where it binds with a ribosome and has its code translated into an amino acid sequence that forms into a protein.

Put basically genes code for proteins and they can be copied onto other chains of DNA or onto short chains of RNA.

Proteins can be structural or they can be enzymes. When you take this into account the old model of DNA as a blue print for building organisms isn't quite correct, it is a better model to say that DNA is a code to build the workers who will build organisms.