RESUMO

Screener, a board game supplemented with online resources, was introduced and distributed by the Brazilian Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics to postgraduate programs as an instructional tool for the process of drug discovery and development (DDD). In this study, we provided a comprehensive analysis of five critical aspects for evaluating the quality of educational games, namely: 1) description of the intervention; 2) underlying pedagogical theory; 3) identification of local educational gaps; 4) impact on diverse stakeholders; and 5) elucidation of iterative quality enhancement processes. We also present qualitative and quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of this game in 11 postgraduate courses. We employed the MEEGA+ online survey, comprising thirty-three close-ended unipolar items with 5-point Likert-type response scales, to assess student perceptions of the quality and utility of Screener. Based on 115 responses, the results indicated a highly positive outlook among students. In addition, we performed a preliminary evaluation of learning outcomes in two courses involving 28 students. Pre- and post-quizzes were applied, each consisting of 20 True/False questions directly aligned with the game's content. The analysis revealed significant improvement in students' performance following engagement with the game, with scores rising from 8.4 to 13.3 (P<0.0001, paired t-test) and 9.7 to 12.7 (P<0.0001, paired t-test). These findings underscore the utility of Screener as an enjoyable and effective tool for facilitating a positive learning experience in the DDD process. Notably, the game can also reduce the educational disparities across different regions of our continental country.

RESUMO

Stress and anxiety caused by assessments are often related to the student's insecurity regarding the knowledge to be evaluated, while teaching strategies that increase effective learning can assist in reducing it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that the use of an active methodology, associated to formative assessment, could reduce students' anxiety and stress, when compared to the traditional method, by promoting greater learning. New students enrolled in the same discipline of a Dentistry course were invited to participate in the study and were divided into two groups: traditional method and active methodology. The traditional method group received two lectures, delivered orally. The active methodology group received a lecture about cardiac cells and the autonomic control of cardiac function, with home study of the cardiac cycle using a textbook. In the second class, an individual formative assessment was applied. Afterwards, a group activity was performed with an educational game about the cardiac cycle, followed by a group formative assessment. After applying the traditional or active methodology, test 1 was carried out. Immediately before this test, saliva samples were collected for determination of the concentrations of the stress biomarkers cortisol and α-amylase. The students also answered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire, used for anxiety level determination. The score obtained in the test 1 was significantly higher for the active methodology group, compared to the traditional method group. No significant differences between the groups were observed for baseline cortisol and salivary α-amylase concentrations, or for anxiety scores. Before test 1, traditional method group presented higher concentrations of salivary cortisol and α-amylase, compared to the respective baseline values, while the active methodology group showed no difference between the baseline and test 1 levels. Before test 1, there were increases in anxiety levels, relative to the respective baseline values, regardless of the teaching methodology used, but this increase was greater for the traditional method group, compared to the active methodology group. These results showed that the active methodology, associated to formative assessment, decreased test stress and anxiety, with improved student performance in comparison to traditional lectures.

RESUMO

As trajetórias de estudantes que ingressam no Ensino Superior envolvem inúmeros desafios. A necessidade de incorporar novos papéis à formação universitária, a possível separação do núcleo familiar, as expectativas acadêmicas e os interesses profissionais em torno do ingresso na universidade e a integração da população estudantil são exemplos do que constitui as experiências de universitários. Esse relato tem por objetivo apresentar a adaptação e o uso do jogo de cartas Travessias como estratégia de construção de espaços de diálogos educativos promotores de integração na universidade, partindo da compreensão ampliada das juventudes e dos processos de mediação na relação com estudantes ao longo das suas experiências no Ensino Superior. O uso do jogo serviu como um potente recurso educativo para promover espaços seguros de partilhas e percepções entre os estudantes acerca de suas vivências universitárias.(AU)

The trajectories of students entering higher education involve numerous challenges. The need to incorporate new roles into university training, leaving the family home, academic expectations and professional interests surrounding students, and the integration of the student population are examples of what constitutes the experiences of university students. This experience report outlines the adaption and use of the card game Travessias (crossings) as a strategy to build spaces for educational dialogue that promote student integration into university life based on a broad understanding of youth and mediation processes in student relationships throughout their experiences in higher education. The game is a powerful educational resource for promoting safe spaces for students to share perceptions of their university experiences.(AU)

Las trayectorias de estudiantes que ingresan en la enseñanza superior envuelven innumerables desafíos. La necesidad de incorporar nuevos papeles en la formación universitaria, la posible separación del núcleo familiar, las expectativas académicas y los intereses profesionales alrededor del ingreso en la universidad y la integración de la población estudiantil son ejemplos de lo que constituyen las experiencias de universitarios. El objetivo de este relato es presentar la adaptación y el uso del juego de cartas Travesías como estrategia de construcción de espacios de diálogos educativos promotores de integración en la universidad, partiendo de la comprensión ampliada de las juventudes y de los procesos de medición en la relación con estudiantes durante sus experiencias en la enseñanza superior. El uso del juego sirvió como un potente recurso educativo para promover espacios seguros de comparticiones y percepciones entre los estudiantes sobre sus vivencias universitarias.(AU)

RESUMO

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an active methodology combined with a lecture on undergraduate student learning and levels of stress and anxiety. The active learning methodology consisted of a lecture of 50-min duration, study at home with a textbook, an educational game activity, and three formative assessments on the topic of the cardiac cycle. In a following class, the students provided saliva samples to evaluate their levels of stress, received an anxiety test, and then undertook an exam to assess their understanding of the cardiac cycle. The traditional teaching methodology consisted of two lectures (∼2-h duration) on blood pressure control systems, delivered orally. In the third class, the students provided saliva samples, received an anxiety test, and then undertook an exam to assess their understanding of blood pressure control systems. The level of stress was assessed with the concentrations of the stress biomarkers cortisol and alpha-amylase in saliva. Anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. The students achieved significantly higher average scores in exams when the active learning strategy was applied compared with the use of traditional theoretical classes. The active methodology resulted in significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety, as well as improved student performance, compared with the use of traditional lectures.

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This work describes the educational game "Integrating Synapse, Muscle Contraction, and Autonomic Nervous System," which was developed to assist students in understanding and integrating concepts related to the physiology of synapses, muscle contraction, and the autonomic nervous system. Analysis was made of the effect of the game on learning and the students' opinions about it. Dentistry students were divided into control and game groups. They attended lectures about the topics, after which the control group students were submitted to a test, whereas the game group performed the game activity before undertaking the test. The mean score was significantly higher for the game group, compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Pharmacy students also attended lectures about these topics; in the next class, the students performed a pretest and the activity with the educational game. After the game, a posttest was applied. The mean scores were significantly higher for the posttest than for the pretest (P < 0.05). Students of medicine attended the lectures and performed the activity with the educational game, without the learning assessment. All of the students answered a question, using a 5-point Likert-type scale, concerning whether they thought the activity with the game was useful for learning. The mean scores obtained by the dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine students were 4.7 ± 0.6, 4.9 ± 0.3, and 4.3 ± 0.1, respectively. The educational game increased the learning of the undergraduate students, in agreement with their opinions of the strategy.

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RESUMO

The aim of this work is to describe the "Muscular System Game," created to assist in the teaching-learning process concerning the physiology of the muscular system, and to evaluate its effect on the learning of university students. Participating in this study were first-year undergraduate students of the pharmacy course (game group, n = 21, 5 men and 16 women, age 23.57 ± 4.92 yr) and the nursing course (control group, n = 22, 2 men and 20 women, age 22.90 ± 4.93 yr), who had the same level of preparation. After theoretical classes concerning the physiology of the muscular system, all students were instructed to study the topic. In the next week, the students of the game group performed the activity with the board game, and the students of the control group undertook a guided study activity, which contained a list of exercises with the same questions used in the game, to be answered by groups. In the week following these activities, all of the students answered evaluation questions about the topic. The scores obtained for the two groups in the evaluation were compared using Student's t-test for unpaired samples, considering a significance level of 0.05. The score obtained for the control group (5.78 ± 0.38) was significantly lower than the score for the game group (7.50 ± 0.47; P < 0.05). The results obtained indicating that the use of an educational board game about the physiology of muscle contraction resulted in significantly improved learning, compared with the use of guided study.

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RESUMO

As crianças brasileiras, sobretudo de famílias de baixa renda, apresentam uma prevalência significativa de parasitoses intestinais. As intervenções educativas podem estimular ações que contribuam para a prevenção deste tipo de infecção. Os jogos educativos são uma ferramenta lúdica que fazem do educando um agente ativo no processo. Foi desenvolvido um jogo de tabuleiro para ensinar hábitos de saúde que promovem a prevenção de parasitoses intestinais. O jogo foi testado em 98 escolares entre sete e 13 anos, aplicando pré e pós-teste. Os resultados do pós-teste foram significativamente superiores aos do pré-teste. Os dados indicam que as crianças que realizaram o jogo apresentaram um acréscimo significativo no conhecimento que possuíam sobre hábitos de saúde que previnem parasitoses intestinais. Todavia, parte dos sujeitos apresentavam conhecimento prévio dos conteúdos abordados, e as crianças mais velhas tenderam a ter um pior desempenho.

The incidence of intestinal parasitological infections among Brazilian children, especially among those from low-income families, is high. Educational interventions can encourage actions that help to prevent this type of infection. Additionally, educational games are playful tools that lead students to engage more actively in the learning process. The objective of this study is to evaluate an educational tool for children that teaches them how to avoid intestinal parasitological diseases: a board game developed for this purpose. The game was tested among 98 school children aged 7-13, who took a pre-test before the game and a post-test afterward to measure their knowledge. The post-tests results were significantly better than the pre-test ones. Our data show that overall, after playing the board game, children had a significantly better knowledge of the health habits needed to prevent parasitological infections. Still, some of them had prior knowledge of the content addressed and the older ones tended to have the weakest performance.

Los niños brasileños, sobre todo los de familias de baja renta, presentan una prevalencia significativa de parásitos intestinales. Las intervenciones educativas pueden estimular acciones que contribuyan con la prevención de este tipo de infección. Los juegos educativos son una herramienta lúdica haciendo del aprendiz un agente activo en el proceso. Se desarrollo un juego de tablero donde se enseñaban los hábitos de salud que previenen parásitos intestinales. El juego fue experimentado en 98 escolares entre siete y 13 años, que realizaron una prueba previa y una prueba después del juego. Los resultados de la prueba final fueron significativamente superiores que los de la prueba previa. Los datos revelan que los niños que realizaron el juego presentaron una significativa mejora de conocimiento respecto a los hábitos de salud que previenen parásitos intestinales. Sin embargo, parte de los niños tenían conocimiento anterior de los contenidos abordados y los mayores tendieron a un peor desempeño.