a day ago
Non-traditional learning tools helping students prepare for final exams
Grade 8 students got the chance to apply what they've learned throughout the school year to help the villagers of Ultima Examen.
As part of a field day to help students prepare for final exams, teacher Scott Hebert sets up various stations around the school field with activities, puzzles and riddles based on things they've learned throughout the year.
The event is designed to help them learn in a more engaging and interactive way than reviewing notes.
'It's a way to wrap up the end of that whole year of adventure where they're kind of chasing down bad guys, using their curriculum and knowledge to solve problems, help people out,' said Hebert, who teaches Grade 8 at St. Theresa Catholic School in Sherwood Park.
He likes to give students a way to learn with more freedom and creativity, so while Monday's event is just one day, his classroom is full of similar activities and learning tools the students are using on the field.
The students CTV News Edmonton spoke with gave the day high marks, saying it was 'such a great experience.'
'It's a really fun way to study, and you really get a lot of studying done,' said Hudson, one of the students. 'It helps you do well on all the tests.'
'We get to dress up, have a camp, and eat food. It's awesome,' added Jamie, another student.
Students field day
Students at St. Theresa Catholic School on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Connor Hogg/CTV News Edmonton)
It's part of a teaching style called gamification, the integration of game elements like point systems, leaderboards, badges, or other elements related to games into conventional learning.
This is the 10th year he's been doing the event, which covers math, social studies, science, physical education, language arts and religion.
The students compete as teams and are encouraged to get into character, come up with team names, slogans and team colours.
Some of the class favourites were trivia and sword fighting, other activities included preventing the bubonic plague, fighting dragons, practicing archery and building boats..
'They go really above and beyond, which I think makes it really, really fun and what makes the 16 hours of planning and being on the field getting this ready since Sunday worth it,' Hebert said.
Hebert does the work of setting the fictional village up, but he can't run it alone, which is where parent volunteers come in. They run the 20 stations around the village and help with the immersion of the event.
'I give each (volunteer) a kind of background story, who are you? Why do you need help? Here's how you could dress, here's how you could act, and that kind of thing,' Hebert said.
'Some parents really just show up, they're in costume, they just live and breathe it, which makes the experience for the kids so much better, because they're acting as if they are that person that needs that help, which makes it so much more alive and experiential for the kids.'
In addition to learning, the students are also competing for prizes that they get to choose, 'within reason,' Hebert said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Connor Hogg
