Presented at the det2014 Unworkshop 2014-07-03 at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

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“Key-terms”
a learning game for conceptual
consolidation
Pedro L. Fernandes
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
Oeiras, PT

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Purpose
● To create an engaging activity that helps to
consolidate new knowledge in the context of a
hands-on training course.
● To introduce improvements in training course
design based on enhanced incremental concept
consolidation.

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Launching the activity
● At the end of a day of intensive training, learners are
too tired to make the best NEW connections between
the newly acquired knowledge and the one that they
had before.
● At the beginning of the next day, the first activity is a
“wrap-up” session, where the instructor quickly
reviews the subject matter of the eve.
● Learners are invited to take notes, recording the “key-
terms” that they recognise as relevant to understand
the content.

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Data capture
● In a training room with computers, “key-terms”
can be collected in text files.
● Alternatively, learners can use mobile devices to
record “key-terms” in text messages, to be sent at
the end of the wrap-up session.
● The training facilitator (or the instructor) collects
all the texts and merges them together in a single
text file.

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Processing the texts
● In order to obtain a single list of unique “key-
terms” from the learners, the merged text file is
then expunged of repeated or redundant terms,
using simple text processing tools.
● The least relevant entries are removed in a quick
revision by the instructor.
● Terms are then printed in big card size pieces of
paper (suggested size: A5) using a large font size.

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Starting the classroom game
● The cards are held in a pile, one is taken at
random and placed in the middle of an empty cork
board.
● A set of rules is arranged between the instructor
and the learners, such as:
– Related terms should be pinned near to each other.
– Important terms should be placed higher.
– Optionally, left-to-right placement can reflect a
chronological order.

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Continuing the classroom game
● The learners carry on placing the cards on the
board until the pile is exhausted, using the
established rules.
● The Instructor overlooks the pinning operations,
but leaves as much room as possible for the
learners to collectively decide where cards are
placed.
● The instructor rearranges the board in needed,
explaining all his/her moves.

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The role of the learner

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The role of the instructor

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Arranged terms

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Testimonials
● The game helps a lot in identifying knowledge
that has been accidentally skipped.
● ... it was crucial for me to assess what I had
learnt and gain self-confidence.
● Playing “key-terms”revealed underlying
relationships between concepts that were
otherwise disconnected.

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Upcoming developments
● Documenting the results using mind-mapping
software, collectively.
● Comparing the learners' mind-maps with relevant
ontologies.
● Using the results to refine the course design.

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References
● Robert Chambers.
Participatory workshops – a sourcebook of 21
sets of ideas and activities. (Earthscan)
● Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, James Macanufo
Game Storming. A Playbook for Innovators,
Rulebreakers, and Changemakers. (O'Rielly)

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Upcoming developments
● Documenting the results using mind-mapping
software, collectively.
● Comparing the learners' mind-maps with relevant
ontologies.
● Using the results to refine the course design.