Historical Thinking Development Through Gamification

Abstract

In recent years, the literature has identified the need to influence teacher training so that teachers promote historical thinking metaconcepts and innovative methodological strategies that actually encourage learning of these history skills in the classroom. To that end, n=36 students of the Master's Degree in Teaching in Secondary Education at the University of Zaragoza (Geography and History specialty) were presented with two gamified experiences for secondary education, developed during the pandemic, so they could reflect on their usefulness, benefits, and possible challenges or limitations. Based on the preservice teachers' evaluation, their prior conceptions of the usefulness of gamification in encouraging historical thinking skills and the educational scope of introducing good practices in teacher training were analyzed using mixed methods research.