Jogos educativos digitais com scratch: uma abordagem para o ensino de números inteiros no ensino fundamental

Abstract

The central objective of this research is to investigate the p otential of the Scratch digital platform in a lesson sequence with digital educational games aimed at teaching integers to 7th grade students in elementary school. Based on the principles of meaningful learning, educational games, computational thinking, a nd the guidelines of the Brazilian National Curriculum Base (BNCC), the proposal combines brief expository activities with digital games that explore the comparison of integers, absolute value, addition, subtraction (and its equivalence to the addition of the opposite), identification of Cartesian coordinates, and description of movements in the plane. The methodology adopted is based on the use of teaching sequences as a structuring strategy for the teaching and learning process of mathematics, in addition to exploratory research on the proposed theme. The study was developed in a public school class, in a context of technological infrastructure limitations, using as main data collection instruments: an initial diagnostic assessment, an exit assessment, and a feedback questionnaire. The Scratch applications were built by the teacher researcher based on diagnosed conceptual difficulties, functioning as "conceptual laboratories" to support the transition from concrete to abstract concepts, with a strong emphas is on visual representations and immediate feedback. The results indicated a significant increase in average correct answers, a consistent reduction in standard deviations, and greater homogenization of the class's performance, particularly in the more abs tract questions , where the greatest gains were observed. Participants with the lowest initial performance were the ones who improved the most, highlighting the inclusive nature of the teaching sequence. The feedback questionnaire revealed high acceptance o f the games, a perception that the applications helped to understand rules of signs and coordinate content, as well as increased motivation to study mathematics. As a final product, an educational resource is presented, consisting of a complete script of t he teaching sequence, guidelines for the replicating teacher, assessment instruments, and a detailed description of the conception of a model game in Scratch, which, although not applied to the class, serves as a reference for the creation and adaptation o f new games in different school contexts.