Abstract
This work shows an innovative and manipulative activity to learn about rocks and minerals using gamification and problem-based learning. This proposal was designed to be carried out with primary school prospective teachers during their training studies but can also be applied in either primary or secondary education levels. Students role-play aspirants who intend to enroll in a fictitious scientific police school. The admission test to that school consists of a practical case, where light has to be thrown on a death case. They need to determine if it could be a self-poisoning or murder case, deciphering some hints and using their basic geology knowledge and skills to show that they deserve a place in that school. This activity takes advantage of the popular TV dramas based on forensics to engage and motivate the students to work in the lab with minerals and rocks that the students could otherwise not have well received.
TopIntroduction
Traditionally, science teaching has relied mainly on a positivist approach, where interpretation of all natural phenomena is achieved through theories and laws, and where the only role of students is to “know” the information (Ruiz, 2007; Vázquez & Manassero, 2007; Torres, 2010). Thus, science teaching has been done in a very different way from what “doing science” means (Vázquez & Manassero, 2007). This academist approach excludes the students’ affective domain from the learning process (Mellado, 2014), since encouraging scientific attitudes, and creating a positive class atmosphere has been traditionally considered non-scientific. And one of the sciences where this problem is a great issue is Geology.
When compared to Biology, Geology is undoubtedly less appreciated by students, at all education levels (Betzner & Makerk, 2014; Sherman-Morris & McNeal, 2016). Usually, students link this discipline with boring content, harsh, and difficult, where learning by memorizing is almost the only option (Calonge, 2013; Orion, 2019). Commonly, students do not relate Geology content with their daily life, where Geology has an essential role and importance in our environment and activity. A solid basic scientific training will help students to face the world with a critical eye, and to make appropriate decisions.
On the other hand, since Geology is one of the Natural Sciences, it is indispensable to develop practical lessons to enhance its understanding and knowledge. This could be done through field trips and/or laboratory practices. However, when teachers are not specialized in Geology, this task can be very challenging. Furthermore, as stated before, students do not show a positive attitude towards Geology, which makes it more difficult (Zamalloa & Sanz, 2020). That is why teachers should implement active, motivating, and innovative methodologies, such as gamification.
With the aim of overcoming all the aforementioned difficulties and challenges, a Geology-based gamified lesson plan is proposed in this work. Through this proposal, which shares some characteristics with role-play and escape rooms, students can get familiar with the characteristics, composition and properties of several common rocks and minerals, in an active and motivating way.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Gamification: Application of game elements and game dynamics and mechanics in a non-game context.
Geology: Science that focuses on rocks and minerals, which compose the Earth, and the different processes affecting them along time.
Earth Sciences: Group of sciences related to the planet Earth (lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere). Earth sciences use tools from geology, physics, chemistry, geography, biology, and mathematics.
Toxic Heavy Metal: Any heavy metal potentially toxic, especially in environmental contexts. The main toxic heavy metals are cadmium, mercury, and lead, but also arsenic, manganese, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, antimony, and thallium.
Role-Play: Changing of one's behavior to assume a role.
Forensic Geology: Analysis of crime evidence where minerals, rocks, soils, sediments, and other materials Earth materials are involved, in order to solve a crime.
Heavy Metal: Metals with relatively high densities, atomic weights, or atomic numbers.