Abstract

Have you ever wondered about your effectiveness in engaging students in face-to-face, Zoom, or online settings? Attend this session to capture relevant and pragmatic strategies to engage audiences in active learning and bridge generational gaps. Gamification and simulations are active learning strategies that integrate technology and hands-on activities to promote learning. This session will demonstrate tools such as Quizizz, PhET, and other tools. These are applied in non-majors classes in topics such as earthquakes, but can be used to check for understanding in other geology courses. Quizizz is an online resource that provides faculty and student-friendly methods for formative assessment. PhET is a free online science and math simulator with a blend of physics, chemistry, and earth science where questions can be curated for unique course needs. Other low-tech simulations will be demonstrated that aid in students' application of critical thinking skills. Attendees are encouraged to bring their smart devices and strategies they employ in their own classroom for this working session.

Context

Classroom activity used for non-science majors. It can be used to assess critical thinking, teamwork, and communication learning outcomes.

Why It Works

Active learning is a very powerful tool. Gamification, online simulators, and other hands-on activities are used to frame issues in a creative way that assess for learning outcomes for the course. Using these tools helps bridge the generation gap and exposes to roles they may not normally envision themselves in.