A collection of planned learning opportunities in Human Osteology and Physical Anthropology
Learning Opportunities
Game of Bones
All first years must learn
In Game of Bones, I combine prominent principles of gamification with popular culture and human osteology content in order to create an interactive learning environment that enhances student participation. Students are randomly allocated to houses and 30 minutes during each practical session is spent in playing the Game of Bones. The games are fast paced and directly linked to the content. Houses can earn Bravosi Bones, coins that I made from clay and spray paint, as part of the game. Real prizes (usually in the form of food) are awarded at the end of the semester to the house with the most coins.
The Amazing Modern Human Race
Traversing uncertainty
The Amazing Modern Human Race (AMHR) is an augmented reality game that takes the second year Palaeoanthropology students out of their comfortable classroom environment in to the hypothetically confusing world of the Palaeolithic. Just like their ancestors, students (now players) need to use their available resources, initiative and cooperative learning skills to solve problems and collect information in a physical world. During their strenuous journey, players are confronted with confusing information and conflicting theories about where modern humans likely originated and how they migrated over the planet. Players need to use logic, reason and critical thinking to analyse information and come to the correct conclusions based on science-backed evidence. The ultimate end-point of the AMHR is not so much the collection of information, however – it is learning about one-self and others as you work towards overcoming the frustrating experience of uncertainty.
The AMHR can be played in two ways: 1) as a physical augmented reality game on the Hatfield Campus of the University of Pretoria and 2) as a PowerPoint Game on a computer. Augmented reality integrates digital information with the player’s environment in real time. To achieve the digital integration, I designed the logistics of the physical version of the AMHR to revolve around QR codes and GPS coordinates. In PowerPoint, the player only had to click on the correct answer, and carefully planned animations and slide links would direct them to the next section. The information foundation for both versions of the game is identical. I’ve submitted the electronic version of the game with this discussion, though the physical version is playable as well, it does need to be set up beforehand.
Hominin Watch
Learning to observe
Observation is an important part of the scientific method, and by extension, understanding and quantifying primate behaviour. Modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) are part of the order of primates and can be observed like any other primate species.
Hominin watch serves as an introduction to qualitative research and strengthens the application of peer review.
Human Variation Essays
Exploring epistemological diversity
It is difficult to simulate concepts like empathy, epistemological diversity, and human diversity. I realised that there is no reason for me to simulate any of these concepts, because the students we have in class are our biggest resource; each of them a person, with their own living history. In order to explain cultural diversity and connect personal experiences with the content topic of human variation in Physical Anthropology, I have designed a learning opportunity in the form of a set of essays. These essays use the principle of “writing to learn” to not just simulate, but also immerse students within the content. There are two argumentative essays, a personal narrative and a short literature review, each with a different topic related to the content. Students choose one of the topics and write an essay about it. The essay is submitted online and then peer reviewed by four other students, according to a very specific rubric.