Aprendizagem baseada em problemas: desenvolvimento de um jogo educacional digital para auxiliar no aprendizado de conhecimentos de química

Abstract

In an era where education needs to be renewed, alternatives are sought to promote a transformative school that values the individuality of each student. In this context, methodological proposals are always welcome, as they can assist educators in modernizing their methodologies, staying updated, and exploring different ways to teach each group of students. One methodology, although longstanding, has been gaining prominence: Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). CBL can be employed both individually and in larger groups within a classroom, bringing the student's daily life into the classroom by proposing everyday Challenges for students to solve. This approach motivates them to seek creative and logical solutions, study, research, and test possibilities. Due to its versatility, PBL can be combined with playful methodologies, such as games or activities. In this case, the use of an educational Hangman game focused on chemistry knowledge is proposed, where students receive clues about elements of the periodic table to identify the element. Therefore, the primary objective of this work is to provide an alternative for learning chemistry knowledge using Challenge-Based Learning through a digital educational Hangman game for early years of regular compulsory education. The specific objectives are: i) to collect and filter content on chemistry knowledge applicable to the final years of compulsory education; ii) to develop the Hangman game; iii) to help students identify their main weaknesses in chemistry content; and iv) to stimulate attention, memory, and knowledge about chemistry. Within the current educational development process, attention is usually focused on the simple transmission of concepts and content using traditional methods. This work was developed to rethink part of the current educational process, introducing playfulness and the process of discovery as active methodological alternatives for the teaching-learning process. As a result of this work, a modular and flexible educational game was developed, allowing the studied methodology to be used in various subjects and contexts. By using clues and keywords, students can associate information playfully and achieve the necessary level of knowledge to make autonomous decisions, along with general knowledge that will assist them in their future. In the context of chemistry, it was possible to elucidate several difficulties in the teaching process of a highly technical subject with limited possibilities for discussions and arguments directly related to the subject, particularly in the final years of compulsory education.