Geogymkhana-Alicante (Spain): Geoheritage Through Education

Abstract

In recent years, the dissemination of geoheritage has made great strides in Spain, both at the legislative and outreach levels. As part of these efforts, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alicante organizes various activities to promote and enhance the learning of geology and the geoheritage of Alicante Province (Spain). One of these activities is Geogymkhana-Alicante, a key initiative for secondary schools that combines scientific, playful, and didactic elements. Organized annually since 2012, around 8000 students from 74 secondary schools have participated. The Geogymkhana consists of 10 guided stops along a 3 km-long coastal itinerary near Alicante city. These high-quality easily accessible outcrops are relatively close to numerous secondary schools, thereby allowing students to learn about their local geoheritage. The Geogymkhana is run by about 50 staff, including professors, undergraduate geology students, and other support staff from the university. Diverse pedagogical strategies create an enjoyable, yet scientifically sound, educational itinerary. Some stops (such as the “Miocene Strata” or “Discontinuous Geological Record”) comprise mainly explanations, whereas other stops (such as “Geological Time Race” or “Human Stratigraphic Superposition”) are based on games and dynamic activities. In short, Geogymkhana-Alicante is an effective tool to spread geoheritage knowledge amongst secondary school students. Moreover, it offers an inspiring model for implementation in other locations.