Game intervention in developmental and learning processes

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the relevance of a children’s attitudes record protocol that performed in gaming context during an intervention program. The theoretical framework is based on Piaget’s approach and on contemporary studies about the use of games and its implication to psychological development. The study was conducted with 80 protocols related to eight Children aged from 7 to 11 years old assisted once a week, during three semesters, at the Laboratory of Studies about Development and Leaning of the Psychology Institute at University of São Paulo. These protocols recorded attitudes and procedures manifested while playing regarding: (1) introduction to the game situation; (2) playing the game; (3) dealing with conflicts and (4) analyzing the results of their actions when playing. The analysis generated the construction of empirical indicators For this study empirical indicators to the situations (1) and (4), grouped as to the interest and autonomy. The results show that interest was the most prominent indicator, which seems to point out that the work with games contributed to promote the child curiosity and the attitude construction favorable to learning and development. They also indicated that the interest alone doesn’t lead to change, requiring autonomy to evaluate the performance and action awareness. The conclusion was that the gaming intervention program stimulates children beyond the initial interest, motivating them to actively implicate when facing challenges, aiming to modify unsatisfactory procedures by the ability to autonomously think about their actions and developing new strategies.