Analysis of the board game experience with “Galápagos” for teaching biologic evolution contents

Abstract

In the present text we will discuss the analyzes conducted on an experience shared between four Biological Sciences undergraduates students with a didactic game developed by us to teach Biological Evolution (EB) contents. Our objective was to verificate the potentialities of the game in terms of teach and learning of this school content trough the relationships constructed between the game and the players. We made use of a qualitative research approach. Our data collection utilized the audio and video recording of the participants playing. We transcribed part of the speech that related to the content of EB. To select the events we look for controversies, moments in which there was disagreement between the players and the game. As well, we identified moments in which the game evidenced situations around the teaching learning of concepts of Biological Evolution. Our results identified three categories, namely: i) Establishing controversies: Gameplay and reality collided; ii) Identifying gaps around the learning of science contents and iii) Widening or re-meaning concepts biological evolution learned. We realized that the game allows different relationships between reality (physical world) and the world played (virtual world), but that it was necessary to make adaptations to make these relationships possible. We consider that the elaborated game presents a significant potential of an auxiliary resource in teaching contents such abstract and complex as Biological Evolution. At the same time, it entertains and allow a greater interaction between the apprentices-players.