Abstract:

Since the chemical itinerary through Girona was first presented at this same congress fourteen years ago, it has undergone several changes and improvements that have made it a tool at the service of pre-university students, but also a tool for disseminating science and chemistry among society.

The communication aims to review the evolution of this itinerary: from publication on paper to a website in four languages; from a printed notebook to a project that has incorporated technological innovations, such as augmented reality, geolocation, and more recently, gamification.

The activity can be framed in the project Salters of chemistry in context. Concepts and skills are best acquired with the motivation of a real situation. Itineraries are a very powerful tool in this regard, as has been shown in other scientific disciplines. Chemistry is now included in this methodical strategy.

With the use of the Augmented Reality application, people can make the itinerary without the presence of a guide. The mobile device indicates the position and route of all the stops on the route, which can be recognized on a real image taken with the camera of the device. Once located at the corresponding stop, people can access all the information on the website of the itinerary.

Recently, the itinerary has shown how educational resources can be adapted and improved by turning them into video games, as well as, compared to other video games produced, providing information on the importance of educational narrative as a basis for educational video games.

The gamification of the itinerary was born from a work based on project-based learning (PBL). The project consisted of the creation of a video game for high school students in Computer Science Training Cycles. The project lasted one academic year. As a result, three strengths of the Chemical Itinerary have also been observed through the video game: mobile learning, location-based games, and augmented reality in education.

Furthermore, this itinerary is part of the Educational Resources of Girona City Council, so it is regularly offered to schools. This communication allows us to know the number of visits to the itinerary, as a sign of its interest and validity, as well as the adaptation that has been made to deal with the pandemic and the lack of mobility that it has entailed.

All the evidence shows that the itinerary motivates students, who are more interested in chemistry. They are aroused by curiosity, and this facilitates learning. The concepts and skills acquired during this activity can hardly be obtained through other educational strategies.

Keywords:

Chemistry, augmented reality, gamification, itinerary, geolocalization, contextualization.