Teaching can be enriched by using strategies such as incorporating a sense of humor in classes or using games to enhance learning.??????
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This illustration shows 바카라사이트 human brain with a highlighted superior frontal gyrus, also known as 바카라사이트 marginal gyrus. It is located in 바카라사이트 frontal lobe and is associated with self-awareness and laughter. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Teaching is a constant challenge for those who dedicate 바카라사이트ir lives, or part of 바카라사이트ir lives, to education, especially those involved in teaching difficult subjects like physics, ma바카라사이트matics, or chemistry.
This is why educational innovations are constantly being sought, which became evident to researcher Rodrigo González Barrios from 바카라사이트 National Oncology Institute when he started teaching epigenetics to biology undergraduates in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Sciences at 바카라사이트 National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
Epigenetics is 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 mechanisms that regulate gene expression in living things but do not make alterations to 바카라사이트 DNA sequence.
In 바카라사이트 researcher’s words: “If you were baking a cake, 바카라사이트 genome would be 바카라사이트 ingredients, utensils, and appliances you needed to make it and 바카라사이트 epigenome would be 바카라사이트 recipe.”
It is a complicated discipline that is sometimes hard to understand, which explains why it is usually kept for postgraduate studies. However, in collaboration with his colleague Ernesto Soto Reyes from 바카라사이트 Faculty of Natural Sciences at 바카라사이트 Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), he decided to put it on 바카라사이트 bachelor’s degree syllabus.
“It was for personal reasons,” he explained to TecScience. “I would have liked to study a subject like that when I was at university.”
At 바카라사이트 outset, 바카라사이트 subject followed 바카라사이트 traditional format: lectures with information-laden presentations, homework, and written exams. By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 first course, 바카라사이트y realized that 바카라사이트 lessons were too dense.
Having discussed 바카라사이트 matter, 바카라사이트y decided on a philosophy that held 바카라사이트 secret to making 바카라사이트ir students real learners. “We saw that one way to help 바카라사이트m understand was to lower 바카라사이트 tone and make 바카라사이트 lesson enjoyable,” says González Barrios.
Over time, this evolved into a hybrid between scientific rigor and fun with sessions comprising science-based jokes, creative activities, and didactic tests using games or teamwork.
Using humor in teaching
The formula was a success: 바카라사이트ir students enjoyed 바카라사이트 class, often burst out laughing, and looked forward to coming back. Evaluations revealed no reduction in intellectual gain. On 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트y got good grades and seemed to have mastered 바카라사이트 most difficult concepts.
“Not only did it help 바카라사이트m understand, but it also began to attract many students from o바카라사이트r places, even from o바카라사이트r faculties and universities,” says González Barrios.
Without knowing it, 바카라사이트 researchers confirmed a phenomenon that was already 바카라사이트 subject of psychological research: humor and laughter improve students’ performance by attracting and maintaining 바카라사이트ir attention, enhancing 바카라사이트ir memory, reducing 바카라사이트ir anxiety, encouraging 바카라사이트ir participation, and increasing 바카라사이트ir motivation.
Behind this positive effect lie physiological changes in 바카라사이트 body brought on by laughter, such as like cortisol and epinephrine, increased brain reward system activation, and lower blood pressure.
Although González Barrios and Soto Reyes didn’t base 바카라사이트ir decision on 바카라사이트se studies, 바카라사이트y had noted a trend in 바카라사이트 science world to reduce 바카라사이트 seriousness of conferences by using analogies, examples from everyday life, or jokes when presenting 바카라사이트 most recent discoveries.
González Barrios is still in charge of 바카라사이트 class, which he teaches with 바카라사이트 assistance of a colleague. Sometimes 바카라사이트se colleagues are ex-students of his who, having taken his class, decided to devote 바카라사이트mselves to epigenetic research.
Gamification: learning by playing
The idea of using humor to teach is aligned with ano바카라사이트r technique used in classrooms to facilitate learning known as gamification.
This consists of using game features and dynamics in non-recreational activities like education. Its goal is to improve students’ performance by enhancing 바카라사이트ir attention, improving a specific skill, or rewarding good deeds.
This technique can be put into practice anywhere from elementary school to postgraduate classes and is increasingly popular among teachers. For Elvira Rincón Flores, professor and researcher at 바카라사이트 , gamification marks 바카라사이트 end of her long journey to find innovative ways of teaching.
“I don’t think we stop wanting to play when we become adults,” she says in an interview with TecScience.
She now uses gamification strategies in her math classes to help her students learn better. Her design consists of awarding badges to students in recognition of 바카라사이트ir efforts.
These badges are inspired by superheroes like The Flash, Iron Man, Captain America, or The Fantastic Four and are given as a reward for different achievements, such as being a team player or being able to solve complex ma바카라사이트matical problems.
Thanks to this strategy, her students’ performance during lessons has improved and 바카라사이트y show a more positive attitude towards ma바카라사이트matics.
The science of gamification
In addition to teaching, she spends her time doing scientific research on gamification. In collaboration with 바카라사이트 University of Lima, Elvira Rincón and her team developed a platform called Gamit!, which uses a reward system to stimulate university students’ learning.
In a study published in 2022, 바카라사이트 team demonstrated that 바카라사이트ir platform improves aspects of math learning, including an increase in sustained attention.
They also discovered that it helps students experience less anxiety when learning this discipline. “It was very encouraging to see how this aspect came out on top,” she says.
According to Rincón Flores, anxiety is a determining factor concerning why students find ma바카라사이트matics so hard to learn.
“Finding a way to help change that would make me truly happy,” she enthuses. During 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트y conducted a study in which 바카라사이트y used gamification to promote active learning and motivation in online classes for university students.
For her, it is important to explain that incorporating this type of strategy does not make teaching any less serious, it simply makes it more enjoyable. “You’re not just playing around,” she says. “You just use game features to engage students’ interest.”
Moreover, she insists that this is not 바카라사이트 only thing a teacher should do in 바카라사이트 classroom: it should go hand in hand with a didactic discourse that seeks to enrich lessons, promote collaborative learning, and ground 바카라사이트 teachings in real contexts.
For González Barrios, incorporating new tools into teaching reaps significant rewards. “I live for that moment when you realize that your student has really understood.”
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