GEOQUEST TROPOMAG DIGITAL ADVENTURE PATH: WHEN SCIENCE IS A GAME

Lisbona

Game is a powerful educational tool able to involve students and keep their attention high, promoting
cognitive development, discoveries, reasoning, and thinking. It is also an effective active form of learning
which consolidates the acquired knowledge and carries out an authentic assessment through reality tasks
and immediate feedback typical of the use of the digital games. Our gamy-learning experimentation focuses
on new methods and practices of science communication, with the aim to face the challenge of educating
about natural risks and climate change. The goal is to facilitate the automatic choice of good practices,
by stimulating mind, intuition and logic in the perspective of teambuilding in school-based civic education.
The proper application of technological tools is a valuable aid for conscious communication for the next
generation. A Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Education is experienced, in order to test the
efficacy of our GeoQuest TROPOMAG digital adventure, and pave the ground for the implementation of
the storytelling in an integrated table game. Our climate change role-playing videogame explores
phenomena related to the possible effects of changes in the Earth's magnetic field on the atmosphere.
The virtual adventure path is played on smartphones and follows alternative paths chosen by the players to
develop the storytelling. As a result, students play not only “just for fun”, but also to actively participate in
their learning process and acquisition of new knowledge, skills and competences in environmental issues.

Chapman, J. R., & Rich, P. (2017). Identifying Motivational Styles in Educational Gamification.
In Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 1318-1327).
http://hdl.handle.net/10125/41310
González González, C. S., Collazos, C. A., Guerrero L. A., & Moreno, M. (2016). Game-based learning
environments: designing the collaborative learning process. Acta Scientia, 18(4), 12-28.
Maraffi, S., & Sacerdoti, F. M. (2018). GeoQuest Project implementation and experimentation of a
computer classroom role playing game: final results. In 6th Mediterranean Interdisciplinary Forum
on Social Sciences and Humanities, MIFS 2018.
Maraffi, S., & Sacerdoti, F.M. (2017). “Learning on Gaming” Improves Science Learning in a STEAM
Interdisciplinary Approach. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous
Substances & Environmental Engineering, 6(3), 155-165. doi:10.17265/2162-5298/2017.03.007
Maraffi, S., Sacerdoti, F.M., & Paris, E. (2017). Learning on Gaming: A new DGBL approach to Improve
Education Outcomes. US-China Education Review, 7(9), 421-432.
Maraffi., S., & Sacerdoti, F.M. (2016a). GeoQuest Project. Computer class Role Playing Game as
innovative teaching methodology to foster STEAM education. Journal of Environmental Science
and Engineering, 5(10), 495-511. http://dx.doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2016.0039
Maraffi, S., & Sacerdoti, F. M. (2016b). GeoQuest a Computer Classroom Role Playing Engine to Teach
Earth Science in an Interdisciplinary way. In Proceedings of 9th Annual International Conference
of Education, Research and Innovation (pp. 6119-6127).
Mayo, M. (2009). Video games: A route to large-scale STEM education? Science, 323, 79-82.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1166900.
Piangiamore, G. L., & Maramai, A. (2022). Gaming and Resilience: Teaching by Playing
Together — Online Educational Competition at School during the Pandemic. Applied Science,
12(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/app122311931
Piangiamore, G. L. (2019). Metodologie didattiche innovative di educazione dei rischi naturali nei progetti
per le scuole del territorio spezzino. In F. De Pascale, P. Farabollini, & F. R. Lugeri (Eds), PRISMA
- Economia, Società, Lavoro: Comunicare il rischio, il rischio di comunicare - IRES Marche
(pp. 113-133). Franco Angeli Ed. http://hdl.handle.net/2122/13016
p-ISSN: 2184-044X e-ISSN: 2184-1489 ISBN: 978-989-35106-3-6 © 2023
664