Description of how and why to use scavenger hunts in the classroom with an example from an economics course

1. CHASING
ECONOMIC
KNOWLEDGE
A L I C E L O U I S E K A S S E N S
M I C H A E L E N Z

2. 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

3. A R C H E O LO G Y
Mobile 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)

4. M U S E U M S
“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

5. R E S E A R C H S K I L L S
Improve 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. OUR GOOSECHASE

10. 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

11. 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

12. DESCRIBE YOUR
GOOSECHASE ,
IDENTIF Y POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS
G R O U P D I S C U S S I O N

13. ECONOMIC HISTORY OF A TOWN

14. REAL WORLD CONCEPTS

15. FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

16. ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS
• Vary the duration
• Web-based/physical/hybrid

17. Thank you.
Questions?
kassens@roanoke.edu
@RnningEconomist
enz@roanoke.edu @enz_mike