Diálogos com licenciandos/as do Curso de Licenciatura em Química e os atributos dos jogos educativos

Abstract

This dissertation aims to understand how knowledge about the attributes of educational games emerges from the writings of Chemistry teacher education students at the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), enrolled in Supervised Internship IV (2022) and V (2024). The study adopts a qualitative approach, seeking to understand aspects of reality that cannot be expressed numerically. The empirical material consisted of experience reports written by the students, analyzed through Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA), which enabled the interpretation of meanings and understandings. The results indicate that the students recognize games as a methodology capable of making classes more dynamic and promoting learning. However, their perceptions reveal limited theoretical, methodological, and epistemological depth. The findings show fragmented understandings, marked by intuitive and weakly grounded practices, although traces of critical reflection and appreciation of games as formative tools have emerged. The study concludes that Chemistry teacher education programs should expand opportunities for discussion and reflection on this methodology, moving beyond application-oriented perspectives that reduce games to mere play. It also highlights the importance of game attributes, as combining the ludic and educational dimensions allows understanding how challenge, interactivity, and adaptability can enrich teaching practice and mitigate the paradox between fun and learning. Thus, the research demonstrates that educational games, when integrated with theory and practice, can contribute to a more critical, reflective, and well-founded teacher education, reaffirming playfulness as a powerful formative dimension in the initial training of Science and Chemistry teachers.