Projeto Genus: uma ferramenta pedagógica para auxiliar no processo ensino-aprendizagem de genética

Abstract

This work aims at the production of an educational object based on a game platform, entitled Genus Project. Our objective is to support and facilitate the understanding of classical mendelian genetics. This project is under a Professional Masters’ program in Scientific, Educational and Technological Formation – PPGFCET – at the Federal University of Technology, Paraná (UTFPR). Game platforms constitute important educational objects and motivational strategies to stimulate students’ learning. Games can also be considered as alternative proposals for the teaching of diverse aspects of scientific knowledge; in addition, they provide high quality interaction between students and teachers, encouraging cooperative relations between them. From the educational aspect, we focused on meaningful learning and active learning methodologies as pedagogical principles for the teaching of classical mendelian genetics at high school level. Hereditary phenomena are often pointed out as a especially difficult subject in the learning of genetics. Therefore, the Genus Project was developed in order to present alternatives to overcome those difficulties by establishing a science fiction scenario for the game – which is inspired by concepts of "gamification" – including traditional exercises and problems in genetics. In this way, the game stimulates students’ interaction, and promotes educational strategies to empower students and make them protagonists of their own learning process.