FROM GAME TO GEOMETRIC KNOWLEDGE: THE MEDIATING DIMENSION OF EDUCATIONAL GAMES IN THE LEARNING PROCESS

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the effects of using educational games — specifically Tangram and Geometric Dominoes — in the teaching-learning process of flat and spatial geometric shapes. The research was conducted with an eighth-grade class of elementary school, adopting an applied and qualitative approach, with an emphasis on active learning methodologies. The pedagogical interventions were organized through workshops, in which students participated in individual and collaborative activities mediated by the games. To assess the impacts of the proposal, assessment instruments were applied in the form of pre-test and post-test. The results showed significant gains in student motivation, in the development of cognitive strategies and in mathematical performance, indicating that the adopted approach contributed to a more engaged and meaningful learning process. It is concluded that the inclusion of educational games is a fundamental and viable strategy to favor teaching practice and expand the possibilities of teaching Geometry in the context of basic education.