Gamification for Graphic Education: A Case Study on Innovative Methodology

Abstract

This paper presents a case study on the Commercium & Cognitionis project, which aligns technology and playfulness, implementing the use of smartphones and gamification as pedagogical tools that value didactic content and interaction. Aiming at students of the Visual and Graphic Languages discipline of a Journalism course in Brazil, the proposal is aligned with the insertion of urban youth into a highly imagetic and technological contemporary culture. The study reflects research which demonstrates journalism students’ lack of interest in visual communication contents and the dynamics of a game that combines competition and collaboration in the search for knowledge to solve the proposed challenges. Adopting active pedagogical methods which exploit skills and abilities in the game allowed the combination of systemic and procedural evaluation in the discipline, as well as the evaluation of knowledge construction. To reach the play goal, it was necessary for the student-player to pursue the didactic objectives, as the evaluation of the experience indicates that dedication to the game positively influenced the academic dedication, also stimulating access and meaningful learning on the programmatic contents and guaranteeing autonomy and independence in the educational process.