BETWEEN CHALLENGES, MISSIONS AND LEARNING: GAMIFICATION AS A PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGY IN BASIC EDUCATION

Abstract

The presence of digital technologies and game-related languages in the daily lives of children and adolescents has fostered new discussions about teaching and learning in Basic Education. In this context, gamification has been incorporated into pedagogical practices as a way of organizing learning experiences through challenges, missions, narratives, progression, cooperation, and feedback. This article analyzes the contributions and limitations of gamification in schools, focusing on engagement, motivation, participation, learning, inclusion, and teacher mediation. The study adopts a qualitative, bibliographic, and analytical-interpretive approach. The discussion shows that gamification does not simply mean using games, platforms, or scoring systems. Its pedagogical potential is related to intentional planning, curricular alignment, the suitability of challenges to students' characteristics, and the creation of experiences in which error, collaboration, and progress monitoring have formative meaning. Risks associated with excessive competition, dependence on rewards, unequal access to technology, and superficial use of digital resources are also examined. It is concluded that gamification can broaden schools' methodological possibilities when used critically, inclusively, and contextually, without replacing teacher mediation or reducing learning to entertainment.