Abstract:

Encouraging collaboration among students is a challenging task in in-person teaching at university-level degrees. In this sense, the use of gaming teaching strategies has proven effective in improving student-learning outcomes. In this framework, we proposed a team-building quiz (by students) based on the subject with a focus on sustainable development goals (SDG). The activity was designed to address the challenges of the climate crisis and biodiversity conservation (SDG 3 and SDG 13) and the theme of the course. Therefore, the main goal of the activity was to design a collaborative quiz in Plant Biology through SDG goals and later to play and solve it also collaboratively. With this activity, we aimed i) to investigate the effectiveness of a team-building quiz activity on improving student learning in Plant Biology. ii) to take learning to a new level, iii) to develop skills such as collaboration and iv) to work transversal competencies as SDG.
The team-building quiz activity consisted of a total of 5 hours, including 3 hours of non-face-to-face work and 2 hours in the classroom. Students form groups of 3-4 people and select one of the two playing platforms proposed: Kahoot (https://kahoot.it/) or Genially (https://genial.ly/es/). Before the first session (1 h), students have to create a pool of 10 questions related to the subject of plant biology and the previously commented SDG. The questions format should be of multiple choice or short answer mode. These questions are sent to the teaching team who provided initial feedback with corrections and proposals before the face-to-face session. In this first class, students clarified doubts about the feedback received and introduced the questions to the selected platform. On the second face-to-face day (1 h), each group played their questionnaires, all except their own. Teachers, when it is necessary, clarify the concepts that students have failed or not understood. To evaluate the activity, we implemented a three-step process: i) scoring of each member's work by their peers, which is then provided to the teaching team through a platform; ii) Teachers' scores of the questions and iii) the score obtained after playing. The results of our study indicated that the team-building quiz activity was highly effective in enhancing collaborative learning in Plant Biology. Students who participated in the activity demonstrated a significant improvement in their understanding of key plant concepts compared to those who did not (previous years). Working as a team, cooperatively, it is intended that students reflect on the concepts worked on in the subject and through an inverse process of elaboration of questions and their subsequent review in the classroom strengthen them. The use of gaming platforms improved student satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, and the activity was more effective than traditional test examinations for final scores. Furthermore, the activity helped to promote teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills among students. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of incorporating team-building activities in Plant Biology classes to enhance student learning and foster important skills necessary for success. The results of this study provide evidence for the relevance and effectiveness of team-building quiz activities in promoting collaborative learning and improving student outcomes.

Keywords:

Collaboration, gaming, motivation, sustainatility.