Aprender jogando: o uso da plataforma Kahoot! no Ensino de Ciências sob a perspectiva da Aprendizagem Baseada em Jogos Digitais

Abstract

With the increasing use of Digital Information and Communication Technologies in the educational field, it has become necessary for teachers to seek new ways to make classes more engaging. Marc Prensky introduced the term “digital natives” to describe generations that grew up immersed in digital technology, for whom traditional content-centered teaching often seems disconnected from their realities. In this context, games are no longer used solely for entertainment, but are also understood as a cognitive manifestation capable of promoting advances in learning. Thus, this research investigated the use of the Kahoot! platform in Science Teaching from the perspective of Digital Game-Based Learning (GBL), aiming to contribute not only to students’ acquisition of new knowledge but also to the development of skills.The theoretical framework is grounded in the ideas of Piaget and Constructivism, together with Huizinga and the concept of Homo Ludens, both of which dialogue with Bloom’s Taxonomy, understanding learning as an active movement in which the subject interacts, experiments, and re-signifies knowledge. The methodological approach adopted was mixed-methods, using the following data collection instruments: pre- and post-tests, experience questionnaires, construction diaries, and the creation of quizzes by the students themselves. The study was conducted in two public schools in Manaus with 8th-grade students from middle school.The results indicate that the use of digital platforms, when properly planned, promotes the collective construction of knowledge as well as student protagonism. It is concluded that learning through play goes beyond the mere assimilation of content, transforming students into active, critical, and participatory subjects, thus redefining learning in the contemporary educational context.