The implementation of gamification in education has attracted many researchers to increase engagement and achieve learning more effectively. Implementing technology in science curricula has seen a massive influx over the past years to stop the decline in students’ motivation towards science learning and promote scientific thinking. This study’s objective is to present the empirical findings of the state-of-the-art literature on the use of gamification in science education. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review of 24 empirical research papers published in various electronic databases and the web search engine for scholarly literature and academic resources, Google Scholar, between 2012 and 2020. This review reveals the latest emerging trends of gamification in science education while revealing the literature gap, challenges, impediments, and extending the possibilities for future research directions. It examines the conflicting findings of other studies and provides a framework and insight for future researchers regarding content areas, educational levels, theoretical models, outcomes, methodologies, game elements, and assessment tools.

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Gamification in Science Education. A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Sustainability, as a key concept in the education field, has submitted a relevant change during the last years. Thus, there is a growing debate about its meaning. It has undergone a crucial merging of significances from many fields: Ecology, environmental awareness, but also from politics, ethics or even spiritual approaches. All these fields have been co-involved in the building of such subject concept. In this sense, this article addresses the different ways of understanding sustainability as a polyhedral concept and how sustainability can be understood under the umbrella of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, it is proposed a conceptual framework to teach this UN Program at Higher Education, contributing to the training of undergraduate and postgraduate students from both a professional and a personal point of view. This framework is applied in a case study—in particular, in a course of Primary Teacher Degree called Didactics of Matter and Energy. This article finishes with practical consideration to build a change-maker University.

Teaching for a Better World. Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals in the Construction of a Change-Maker University

Flipped learning is considered an increasingly common strategy along with some drawbacks. Gamification has the significant potential to deal with the drawbacks. This study presents a systematic literature review on the use of gamification in flipped learning research. To demonstrate its effectiveness clearly, the only empirical research was covered related to this topic. The Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, ERIC and Science Direct databases were surveyed and a total of twenty two articles were selected for the review. The findings reveal that adding game elements into a flipped classroom yields higher motivation, participation and better learning performance. Yet there is insufficient evidence to generalize the results. It is also found that the platforms, Moodle and Kahoot, are the most preferred platforms and points, badges and leaderboards are the most used game elements for gamification.

A systematic review of the use of gamification in flipped learning

Universities are engines of societal transformation and can nurture future citizens and navigate them towards sustainability through their educational programmes Here, we developed an assessment framework for educational institutions to evaluate the contribution of their educational programmes to sustainability by reviewing the alignment of their intended learning outcomes to the enabling conditions for a vision of sustainability based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The tool is based on a systemic grouping of the SDGs into eight sustainability attributes, namely, Safe Operating Space, Just Operating Space, Resilient Sustainable Behaviours, Alternative Economic Models, Health and Wellbeing, Collaboration, Diversity and Inclusion, and Transparency and Governance, and uses a word code developed specifically for each sustainability attribute to assess the coverage of the SDGs in master’s programmes’ learning outcomes The tool uses multi-criteria analysis to compare and rank programmes according to the alignment of their learning outcomes to the sustainability attributes and their contribution to sustainability It was first tested using data from a University’s eighteen master’s programmes on a range of subjects and subsequently applied to compare forty UK and European master’s programmes focusing on environment and sustainability Findings demonstrate that even environmental programmes face some important gaps related to health, wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and collaboration, amongst others, and reinforce the need for all universities to understand the contribution of their programmes to sustainability The application of the tool can generate empirical evidence on the effectiveness of university programmes and establish a strong argument regarding the potential of education as a tool for achieving the SDGs

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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Assessing the Contribution of Higher Education Programmes

The purpose of this study is to explore the change in the perceptions of pre-service teachers after participating in a training process on Education for Sustainability. The research was conducted during academic year 2019–2020 in the context of the Master’s Degree in Educational Research for Teachers’ Professional Development. The changes related to Education for Sustainability, the knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals, and methodological strategies to integrate both were analysed. An initial and a final questionnaire as well as the activities developed by the students during the course were used to gather information. An analysis was performed of three dimensions (Education for Sustainability, the Sustainable Development Goals, and methodological strategies) with the help of the NVivo 12 Plus software programme. The results show progress was made in all three dimensions. The most significant changes were detected with regard to the knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the majority of the student teachers indicated they knew them on completing the training process. Their perception of Education for Sustainability evolved towards more complex views, while the methodological strategies proposed at the end of the training process did not differ significantly from the initial ones. This shows it is imperative to insist on training processes that include methodological strategies. By doing so, future educational professionals will be able to incorporate Education for Sustainability into their teaching practice.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/18/7741/pdf

Education for Sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals: Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute a working agenda for the international community with the aim of ensuring a better world for future generations. In this context, the development of competences related to SDGs is a challenge for Higher Education Institutions. Although there are several studies that address the relationship between SDGs and university teaching, the students’ knowledge about this subject has not been set out yet. In order to evaluate students’ knowledge, a questionnaire was designed, validated, and administered to students from different degrees. Statistical analysis showed a high reliability for the constructs (Smallest Cronbach’s Alfa = 0.859). The results showed interesting insights, either with descriptive analysis or inferential ones. For example, a low knowledge, in a general way, of SDGs was identified in the whole sample; significant differences between the scores obtained in professional and personal implications of SDGs were also detected and several differences arose between Health and Education students, the latter being more professionally involved with SDGs than the rest of the students.

What Do University Students Know about Sustainable Development Goals? A Realistic Approach to the Reception of this UN Program Amongst the Youth Population

Exit for success. Gamifying science and technology for university students using escape-room. A preliminary approach

Innovative teaching strategies are designing a new and promising landscape in education. They fill lessons with creativity and imagination for either the students or teachers. This article addresses an attempt to make the approach to science easier in a nonscientific environment: primary education at university level. Gamification methodologies were combined with a flipped classroom in order to free up in-class time and engage the students with the taught courses. A qualitative study was merged with quantitative measures of emotional and motivational parameters. These results were improved with four semistructured interviews. The results clearly showed a rise in the students’ motivational levels, an acknowledgment of good teaching practices, and an evident enhancement of felt positive emotions toward science teaching and scientific issues.

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Nonscientific University Students Training in General Science Using an Active-Learning Merged Pedagogy: Gamification in a Flipped Classroom.

espanolUna de las decisiones mas importantes que un estudiante toma en su itinerario de estudio es la eleccion entre las diversas modalidades de estudio que se lleva a cabo en diversos momentos de la etapa de estudios de Ensenanza Secundaria. Esta eleccion tiene una importancia especial en los cursos de Bachillerato, en los que un estudiante comienza a perfilar su futuro universitario y profesional. En la toma de esta decision influyen factores muy diversos. La estadistica de eleccion de modalidades de estudio en la etapa de Bachillerato, muestran un desequilibrio de preferencias, siendo la modalidad de Ciencias la mas elegida. El grupo de innovacion "Etica del profesorado universitario" estamos llevando a cabo algunas investigaciones de analisis de esta situacion, los factores que inciden, y de las consecuencias que tiene para los jovenes, sus aspiraciones laborales, la construccion de nuestra sociedad, y la relacion que existe entre estudio, persona y sociedad. EnglishOne of the most important decisions that students take in their academic life is the choice among the different modalities of study carried out in different moments of their educational stage in Secondary Education. This election has special importance at High School courses, when students begin to shape their university and professional future. Very different factors influence at this decision making. Statistics on study modality choices at High School stage show an imbalance in preferences, with the Science modality being the most chosen. The innovation group "University Teaching Staff Ethics" is carrying out some research in the analysis of this situation, factors affecting it, and consequences it has for young people, their career aspirations, the construction of our society, and the relationship existing among studies, person and society. portuguesUma das decisoes mais importantes que um estudante realiza em seu itinerario de estudo e a escolha entre as diferentes modalidades de estudo realizadas em diferentes momentos do estagio de estudos do Ensino Secundario. Esta eleicao tem uma importância especial nos cursos de Bacharelado, em que um aluno comeca a moldar seu futuro profissional e universitario. Ao tomar essa decisao, influenciam fatores muito diferentes. As estatisticas de escolha das modalidades de estudo no estagio do Bacharelado mostram um desequilibrio de preferencias, sendo a modalidade de Ciencia a mais escolhida. O grupo de inovacao "Etica do corpo docente universitario" esta realizando algumas pesquisas de analise desta situacao, os fatores que influenciam e as consequencias para os jovens, suas aspiracoes trabalhistas, a construcao de nossa sociedade e a relacao que existe entre estudo, pessoa e sociedade.

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/6328857.pdf

Las motivaciones de los jóvenes para el estudio: raíces y consecuencias

The study of History in Secondary Education often develops in an excessively theoretical way, without the students having the chance to apply the acquired abilities practically. However, educational studies prove that all abilities are more adequately acquired when the teaching and learning process combines theoretical and practical developments. The current research work combines interest for the historical heritage of cities as a useful element for the development of historical educational abilities with the use of technologies related to Geography, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), relating to a key heritage element: the wall. The main objective is to teach what a wall is and what its function is in a medieval city, as well as ins in current cities. A combination of methodologies has been carried out to achieve this objective, those are applied in a theoretical phase, a practical phase and a technological one. The learning outcomes are satisfactory, given that a greater amount of ability acquisition is detected related to a traditional theory class.

Mario Corrales-Serrano

Papers

What Do University Students Know about Sustainable Development Goals? A Realistic Approach to the Reception of this UN Program Amongst the Youth Population

Exit for success. Gamifying science and technology for university students using escape-room. A preliminary approach

Nonscientific University Students Training in General Science Using an Active-Learning Merged Pedagogy: Gamification in a Flipped Classroom.

Las motivaciones de los jóvenes para el estudio: raíces y consecuencias

GIS in the History Classroom: Displaying the Walls of Elvas and Badajoz through the Use of Google Earth