O RPG como ferramenta mobilizadora do pensamento crítico no desenvolvimento de competências socioemocionais no ensino de ciências

Abstract

This dissertation aims to investigate the use of Role-Playing Games (RPGs) as a pedagogical tool to promote critical thinking and develop socio-emotional competencies in science education. The research was carried out with high school students from a public school located in the Baixo São Francisco region, in Sergipe, Brazil, and was grounded in the Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, involving cycles of planning, intervention, and refinement. The educational intervention consisted of the collaborative development of a digital RPG, built using RPG Maker MV and thematically centered on real environmental issues from the students' local community. Data analysis combined the theoretical matrix (critical thinking × socio-emotional competencies), students’ interaction records, and expert evaluations of the game prototype. The findings indicate that the RPG served as a dynamic formative device, capable of mobilizing key competencies such as decision-making, argument analysis, empathy, social awareness, and collaboration. The game enabled students to engage in meaningful, context-driven learning experiences, reinforcing youth protagonism and the reflective construction of knowledge. Ultimately, this study highlights the potential of RPGs as interdisciplinary, critical, and affective teaching strategies that integrate science, culture, and subjectivity in students' holistic development.