ELECTRONIC GAMES AND LEARNING: WHAT DO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE SAY ON THE SUBJECT?

Abstract

This article presents the results of an exploratory study carried out with school students in Santa Catarina, Brazil, seeking to fi nd out their opinions and ideas about electronic games, and what they learn through them. The results showed that the students believe they learn a lot from these games and would like them to be included as a school activity. Among those who said they would not like to play electronic games in school, we fi nd the idea that the school is not a place for fun, but for study. From the answers on what they learn through these games, we identify the skills contained in the typology of learning content (factual, conceptual, procedural and attitudinal). We conclude that the survey shows an acceptance of electronic games and their potential for learning. Their inclusion in the school, based on a planning that prioritizes mediation, could guide the experiences that young people already have with electronic games, seeking to promote a more critical and refl ective view of this experience.