This workshop introduces a game-based, inclusive learning approach that lowers barriers to engagement by explicitly connecting core chemical concepts to students’ real day-to-day experiences. Participants will engage hands-on with an interactive magnetic periodic table that links chemical elements to familiar and accessible contexts such as drinking water treatment, food and packaging, medicines, smartphones and batteries and construction materials. The activity offers multiple entry points and emphasizes collaboration, visual–tactile interaction.
The workshop allows getting involved with a didactic game, that aims to provide adaptable strategies fostering a better chemistry perception, and supports meaningful participation enhancing an innovative the teaching-learning.
Activity proposals are scaffolded across educational levels, progressing from element recognition and everyday applications to nomenclature rules, properties and structure of substances and chemical bonding.
Capacity: This workshop can hold up to 20 participants to maintain an interactive and hands-on learning environment.
Organisers
Dr. Guitart is dedicated to chemistry education at the secondary school level and is actively involved in continuing professional development for secondary school chemistry teachers. In addition, she mentors at University of Barcelona, undergraduate students preparing for careers as secondary school chemistry teachers. Her professional work focuses on teacher education, research, and innovation in chemistry education, with emphasis on context-based chemistry, interdisciplinarity and knowledge integration, and the role of emotions in learning processes. Currently serves on the board of the Chemistry Education Division of EuChemS.
Dr. Garay joined the City University of New York at the Bronx Community College campus in 2015. His research focuses on innovative technologies applied to education, His approach is called: VELEs (Virtual Experiential Learning Environments), a hybrid between traditional teaching and virtual interactive learning environments tailored to the purpose of the subject.