APPLICATION OF GAMIFICATION IN THE TEACHING OF BASIC MATHEMATICAL OPERATIONS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a gamified application to support the teaching of basic mathematical operations in the early years of elementary school, composed of a three-dimensional educational game and a web platform for teacher monitoring, integrated through an application programming interface. The game was developed in the Unity engine using the C# language, and the web platform in React. Regarding the method, a qualitative study was conducted, including a literature review on mathematics learning, digital technologies and gamification, followed by the development of the solution and its evaluation through a feasibility study in a first-grade class with six participants, in a single session, using paper-based pre-tests and post-tests and direct observation during gameplay. The participants used the system autonomously, and performance in the game reached 88.3% correct answers, with response time and observed solving strategies revealing fluency differences not captured by the written instruments. It is concluded that the application is technically and operationally feasible in a real school setting as a complementary resource to the teacher's activities, although the data do not allow inferences about its effect on learning, which supports future studies with a comparison group.