Virtual gamification methodologies in biology teaching: a focus on the initial training of teachers

Abstract

The teaching-learning process is individual and has specificities according to each person. Therefore, the exclusive use of the traditional teaching model does not meet all these demands. Active methodologies, such as virtual gamification, promote more engaging and playful learning, leveraging the technological devices present in today's classroom routine. Moreover, gamification is an inclusive methodology, especially for neurodiverse students. This study explored the dissemination of knowledge about the pedagogical potentials of virtual gamification through a quali-quantitative analysis of the knowledge of undergraduates in Biological Sciences at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Data collection was conducted through the free Google Forms platform. From the analysis of this data, it was possible to infer that this educational methodological approach is not widely disseminated in the undergraduate Biological Sciences program at UERJ. This is because the knowledge has an incipient scientific production with various theoretical discussions surrounding the topic, but with few academically recorded classroom applications. Additionally, the positive potentials of this methodology for the learning of neurodiverse students are still underexplored and underreported.