With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Antonio M. Seoane PardoUniversity of Salamanca
Game-based learning experiences within a History
CLIL classroom:a case study
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Index• Status quaestionis (i): History didactics in Spain• Status quaestionis (ii): Evolution of textbooks• Challenge: problems involved in History didactics• Framework: the EHISTO Project• Methodology: CLIL and game-based learning approaches• Lesson plan: a brief presentation• Activity: Columbus who?• Results and conclusions
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Status quaestionis (i): History didactics in Spain• “Most students consider History teachers as transmitters of
information” (Martínez, Miralles & Alfageme, 2008)
• Most common teacher tasks are
(Fenstermacher & Soltis, 1998)
Teacher as “the executive”
Teacher as “the executive”
DictationExplanationReading of texts
DictationExplanationReading of texts
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Status quaestionis (ii): Evolution of textbooks(Valls & López Facal, 2010)
BUT…Textbooks are made to be selected by teachers
o They are much more historiographically than didactically prepared• TB point on academic content rather than on didactic approaches
Creative and challenging tasks in TB tend to be ignored by teachers(Martínez Valcárcel et al., 2009; Merchán, 2005)TB are based on an objectivist conception of science
o No critical or divergent approaches, usuallyOmnicomprehensiveness: TB prefer to include more lessons and contents instead of reducing subjects with a deeper approach to each topic
BUT…Textbooks are made to be selected by teachers
o They are much more historiographically than didactically prepared• TB point on academic content rather than on didactic approaches
Creative and challenging tasks in TB tend to be ignored by teachers(Martínez Valcárcel et al., 2009; Merchán, 2005)TB are based on an objectivist conception of science
o No critical or divergent approaches, usuallyOmnicomprehensiveness: TB prefer to include more lessons and contents instead of reducing subjects with a deeper approach to each topic
PROSIncreasing number of sources and other historical documentsSpace devoted to questions, activities and historiographical techniques to be put into practice by studentsTasks for students to approach research of different consistency and difficulty
PROSIncreasing number of sources and other historical documentsSpace devoted to questions, activities and historiographical techniques to be put into practice by studentsTasks for students to approach research of different consistency and difficulty
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Challenge: Problems involved in History didactics(Borries, Körber & Meyer-Hamme, 2006)
•Are students ready to reflect on History and historiographical
consciousness or are they too young and immature?
•Are TB to be used by students independently or should be “decoded” by
teachers in classroom? Why are so difficult for students?
•Is school the best place for historical reflection (or we rather prefer them
to pass exams)?
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Framework: the EHISTO projectAIMS
•Extending TBs range throughout the use of Popular History Magazines
articles
•Promoting critical thinking by means of
• Different national approaches• Different methodological
approaches• History crossroads• Digital modules for teachers and
students
• Different national approaches• Different methodological
approaches• History crossroads• Digital modules for teachers and
students
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Methodology: CLIL and game-based learning approachesKEY DATA
Lesson: The misterious origin of Columbus
Age: 13 (2nd ESO – Compulsory Secondary School)
School: IES Campo Charro (La Fuente de San Esteban,
Salamanca, Spain)
Subject: Social Sciences, Geography and History
Topic: The discovery and colonization of America and its economic
impact
Remarks: - Game-based learning approach (role-play)
- CLIL context
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Lesson plan: a brief presentation (i)(University of Cambridge, 2011)
Activating prior knowledgeTag/image cloud: Columbus, discovery, America, sailor, Catholic Kings, vessels, expedition, etc.Questions: - Who was Columbus?
- What were the names of the ships of Columbus expedition?
- Who financed the voyage?- […]
Activating prior knowledgeTag/image cloud: Columbus, discovery, America, sailor, Catholic Kings, vessels, expedition, etc.Questions: - Who was Columbus?
- What were the names of the ships of Columbus expedition?
- Who financed the voyage?- […]
Learning outcomes and objectivesTo know about the different hypotheses regarding Columbus’ originsTo be able to compare, contrast and discuss different historical viewsTo be able to analyse and make conclusions based on evidencesTo be aware of cultural differences, religous issues, etc.
Learning outcomes and objectivesTo know about the different hypotheses regarding Columbus’ originsTo be able to compare, contrast and discuss different historical viewsTo be able to analyse and make conclusions based on evidencesTo be aware of cultural differences, religous issues, etc.
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Lesson plan: a brief presentation (i)(University of Cambridge, 2011)
Materials and resourcesVideo (EN-ES)Interactive map and OER created within EHISTO Project on “The origin of Columbus”Adaptations of Popular History Magazines’ articles (1 & 2)
Materials and resourcesVideo (EN-ES)Interactive map and OER created within EHISTO Project on “The origin of Columbus”Adaptations of Popular History Magazines’ articles (1 & 2)
Cross-curricular linksGeographyCitizenship educationEnglish
Cross-curricular linksGeographyCitizenship educationEnglish
Language supportWord bankSenence-level support (autobiographical narrative)
Language supportWord bankSenence-level support (autobiographical narrative)
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Activity: Columbus who? (i)STAGE ONE - THE GAME•16 students working in pairs•Teacher shared one “probable origin” for each couple•Students prepared their arguments and a 5 minutes presentation (in
English) using PHM articles, the OER and Internet•Classmates voted for the “most probable origin” according to the
representation
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Activity: Columbus who? (ii)STAGE TWO – REFLECTION•Social Sciences and Citizenship Education subjects involved•Questions to debate:
Why the origin of Columbus is disputable “specially” in Spain from
the XIXth century? Are there “clear” evidences or just the interest
in vindicating his origin? Issues involved in a possible Sephardic origin (links to the
expulsion of Muslims and Jews by the Catholic Kings) Religious issues in history and nowadays […]
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Results• Students perceived Columbus’ origin as a debatable question• What is written is not necessarily true• They were not aware of the interests involved in different narratives• Religious issues were not essentially different from ours at the
present time• Students were not aware of the process of building historical
consciousness… They are still unaware of it• We partly succeeded. Expectations were quite high regarding both
students interests and maturity• Possible evolution of EHISTO Project: gamification experiences of
History as a way for engaging students
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
References• Borries, B. V., Körber, A. & Meyer-Hamme, J. (2006). “Uso reflexivo de los manuales escolares de
Historia: resultados de una encuesta realizada a docentes, alumnos y universitarios” in Enseñanza
de las Ciencias Sociales, 5, p. 3-19• Martínez, N., Miralles, P. & Alfageme, Mª B. (2008). “A Reflection on the Class Teaching Sequence
with Particular Reference to History Classes in Spain” in Australian Journal of Teacher Education.
Vol 33 (6), p. 61-75• Martínez Valcárcel, N. et al. (2009). “El uso del libro de texto de Historia de España en Bachillerato.
Diez años de estudio, 1993-2003, y dos reformas (LGE-LOGSE)” in Didáctica de las Ciencias
Experimentales y Sociales, 23, p. 3-35• Merchán Iglesias, F. J. (2005). Enseñanza, examen y control: profesores y alumnos en la clase de
Historia. Barcelona, Octaedro• University of Cambridge. Teaching History through English – A CLIL approach. University of
Cambridge – ESOL examinations. Cambridge, 2011• Vals, R. & López Facal, R. (2010). “¿Un nuevo paradigma para la enseñanza de la Historia? Los
problemas reales y las polémicas interesadas al respecto en España y en el contexto del mundo
occidental” in Enseñanza de las Ciencias Sociales,10, p. 75-85
With the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union
Antonio M. Seoane PardoUniversity of Salamanca
Game-based learning experiences within a History
CLIL classroom:a case study