Abstract

HOOPER SIMPSON, Carlene  and  OSORNO FALLAS, Ricardo. Tourist rally: a gamified learning experience for an in-person educational tour. Innovaciones Educativas [online]. 2025, vol.27, n.42, pp.299-315. ISSN 2215-4132.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22458/ie.v27i42.5367.

The article shows how gamification methodology can transform educational experiences in an academic discipline with a strong practical component. The course “Technology Applied to Tourism” is a hybrid course that is part of the Diploma in Sustainable Tourism Management, offered by the Chair of Tourist Entrepreneurship at the Universidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa Rica (UNED). It has been offered since 2020, using active learning in combination with gamification methodology, educational rallies, and technological tools. The objective was to systematize the experience of using digital applications and gamification methodology, including the rally technique, to conceive innovative teaching strategies that enhance student participation and active learning during in-person tours. A qualitative descriptive approach was implemented for the recording and retrieval of data for this systematization. Additionally, a Google Forms® questionnaire directed at students was used, integrating both open and closed questions. The teaching staff utilized a log developed in Microsoft Word®, which established criteria for relevance and representativeness to showcase the systematization of the experience; the UNESCO approach was utilized. The main conclusion is that the rally promotes teamwork and active participation, as well as encourages local tourism. For future research, it is suggested to explore other didactic strategies that provide innovative guidelines for developing in-person tours.

Keywords : active learning; educational strategy; pedagogical innovation; educational game; teaching method.

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