PC-Game: um framework conceitual para o desenvolvimento do Pensamento Computacional por meio da estratégia de autoria de jogos no ambiente de programação Scratch

Abstract

This thesis was developed in the research line Technologies, Languages, and Education of the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Sergipe, in association with the Research Group on Informatics in Education (GEPIED) during the 2021-2025 period. The research aims to present the PC-Game framework for developing Computational Thinking and computer programming learning in high school education, including both the framework's design and implementation, along with verifying the results obtained among high school students. The study seeks to contribute to developing Computational Thinking pillars among incoming high school students through game authorship. For game creation, students used the Scratch environment due to its ease of learning and suitability for young audiences. The PCGame framework features the digital game The Legend of the Fifth Sun, designed to exercise Computational Thinking pillars through an engaging, game-based activity. At the time of thesis defense, this game is in its final development stage, with its interfaces being evaluated by students from the Human-Computer Interaction course. The theoretical framework guiding this thesis draws from authors addressing the following themes: cyberculture education, constructionism, creative learning, meaningful learning, Computational Thinking, game authorship, and the Scratch programming environment. The research adopted the Design Science Research methodology, structured into six stages: problem identification, objective definition, design and development, demonstration, evaluation and communication. To demonstrate the framework's applicability, extended action research was conducted with firstyear students from the Electrotechnics and Building Construction technical programs integrated with high school education at the Federal Institute of Sergipe, Estância campus. Data collection instruments included questionnaires, participant interviews, and participatory observation, aiming to gather information about both learning progress and student experiences during PCGame framework implementation. For qualitative data analysis, the Discursive Textual Analysis was applied. The analysis yielded two final categories: "Game authorship as a strategy for developing Computational Thinking and programming learning" and "New perspectives for the classroom: student as knowledge builder, teacher as mediator." The results support the thesis that: a) PC-Game constitutes an appropriate educational artifact for developing Computational Thinking in high school students through digital game authorship in Scratch; b) It is possible to promote Constructionist, Creative, and Meaningful Learning by integrating students' prior knowledge and interests while establishing new pedagogical practices where teachers act as mediators in the knowledge construction process.