Chasing economic knowledge: Using scavenger hunts in the classroom

CHASING ECONOMIC

KNOWLEDGEA L I C E LO U I S E K A SS E N S

M I C H A E L E N Z

GOALS OF OUR PRESENTATION• Explain how scavenger hunts are

used in education• Detail our scavenger hunt • Engage the audience in developing

their own scavenger hunt ideas• Provide alternative uses of

scavenger hunts

ARCHEOLOGYMobile devices used in archeology (Holzinger and Fassold, 2011)

QR codes placed in different locations (13 points of interest)

Scan codes to get information about location

Raise awareness of “our cultural heritage”

Similarly used in outdoor education to observe nature (horticultural farms and surrounding forests)

MUSEUMS “M@M” at Boston Museum of Science (Klopfer et al., 2005)

Parents and children interact to solve mystery, searching out clues in museum

Pocket PC’s (Wi-Fi positioning to determine location of virtual clues) and walkie-talkies

Engage visitors “more deeply” in the museum, “more broadly” across exhibits

Encourage collaboration between visitors

RESEARCH SKILLSImprove research skills and finding and using a variety of resources (ex. library resources) (Chalmers, 2003)

“see searching process as detective work, which may seem more fun and intriguing”

Students learn to recognize librarians as research resource

GOOSECHASE APP• One of several mobile scavenger

hunt apps• Create an account on

goosechase.com (“free” for up to 5 teams)

• Create a game and set specifics: missions, starting time, duration, point values

• Mission bank available or create own missions

• Evidence = photo, video, GPS check-in

• Track team scores live, use social media

OUR GOOSECHASE GOALS

• Teaching American economic history• Exploring historical sites in

the nation’s capital • Developing comradery

amongst students• Trying out a new

pedagogical tool

OUR GOOSECHASE

• Reading group trip to Washington, DC

• Three hour time limit, two groups of two

• Start game after brief informational meeting (rules, incentives)

• Missions contained in a square mile area

• Complete missions in any order• Variety of point values

OUR GOOSECHASE

STUDENT EXPERIENCES

• Great community building and learning exercise

• Wanted more time after the hunt to explore some of the places they found during various missions

• Used the full three hours and were busy the entire time

GENERAL TIPS

• Determine an objective before designing hunt

• Don’t make hunt live until you are ready for the game to begin

• Meet prior to the hunt to discuss rules and incentives

• One person per team with the app

• Check on availability of each mission

• Video duration limitations

DESCR IBE YOUR GOOSECHASE , IDENT IFY POTENT IAL PROBLEMS G R O U P D I S C U SS I O N

ECONOMIC HISTORY OF A TOWN

REAL WORLD CONCEPTS

FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS

• Vary the duration • Web-based/physical/hybrid

Thank you.Questions?kassens@roanoke.edu @RnningEconomistenz@roanoke.edu @enz_mike