Gamification in teaching equivalent fractions and decimal numbers

practical applications with High School students

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of gamification in teaching equivalent fractions and decimal numbers in a class of 20 third-year high school students, all aspiring teachers. The objective was to evaluate how the application of adapted educational games could influence students’ engagement, understanding, and academic performance. This exploratory research, with a qualitative approach, was carried out at the Escola Estadual de Ensino Fundamental e Médio Professora Maria Trindade de Oliveira, in Ibatiba, Espírito Santo, Brazil. The methodology involved the creation and application of games such as UNO and Memory, adapted to mathematical content, in addition to direct observation and questionnaires. Data were analyzed through content analysis of open-ended responses and descriptive statistics of closed-ended responses. The results indicated that gamification significantly enhanced student engagement, improved the understanding of mathematical concepts, and fostered interaction and collaboration in the classroom. The playful approach made classes more dynamic and facilitated the learning of complex content. However, it was observed that some students evaluated the strategy only partially positively, revealing limitations in the generalization of results and the need to deepen research in different contexts and with larger samples. It is concluded that gamification is a promising pedagogical methodology, and its continuous application and expansion to other subjects and educational contexts is recommended.