GAming Project in Chemistry - GAP ⓒ: A remedial teaching course including a proof-of-concept game

Abstract

A GAming Project in chemistry developed at Hasselt University is a challenging digital learning environment with multiple game levels. In a ‘virtual Hasselt University world’ one can explore ten areas, corresponding to ten chapters of a general chemistry course at high school level in Flanders. GAPⓒ, build in CourseSites by Blackboard, generates added value compared to common teaching methods in offering students the opportunity to improve their skills and learning of basic concepts in general chemistry in an open virtual world. A GAPⓒ player can roam through this virtual world thereby having a high degree of freedom in approaching different objectives to reach. Indeed, this is found very important since the GAPⓒ platform essentially aims at strengthening all students’ insights in general chemistry concepts regardless their prior knowledge. Next to the use of the online chemistry platform as a remedial distance learning tool it can be applied during course schedule as well. The blending of lectures, refresher sessions, practical hands-on training during laboratory assignments and the possibility of e-learning take into account the different background of students and would certainly improve their learning outcomes. The platform was chosen due to its numerous advantages, such as the possibility to enroll an unlimited number of users, the number of different types of questions, the grading centre with the Smart Views, the ease of organising a course with tons of course structures …