Role Playing Game (RPG) : ensino dos elementos da matemática em um curso de administração com base nos princípios da teoria da flexibilidade cognitiva

Abstract

The Cognitive Flexibility Theory and the Role Playing Game were used as principles to structure the RPG Flex game, configured as an appropriate teaching strategy to lead students and teachers to experience a pedagogical reality capable of contributing to the teaching of mathematics elements in the Undergraduate Course.of Business. The study presented a central theoretical framework on the Theory of Cognitive Flexibility, the Role Playing Game and teaching methodologies to guide the theoretical aspects that can structure a critical reflection on the formation of the adopted teaching strategy. The objective was to analyze how the Role Playing Game can contribute to flexibilize the cognition of mathematical knowledge in multiple representations in the Business Course based on the principles of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory. The research identified the relationship between the indicated teaching strategy and the principles of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory; evaluated the teaching structures of the researched component to create and implement RPG as a teaching strategy based on the principles of the Cognitive Flexibility Theory; investigated the students' cognitive development related to the teaching of mathematics elements in multiple situations experienced in the Role Playing Game; and investigated whether the Role Playing Game is a teaching strategy that can promote cognitive flexibility in the knowledge of mathematics elements in multiple situations experienced by Financial Management students in the Business Course. The means of investigation are documental and action-research in nature, and the methods employed have a quantitative and qualitative approach. The research involved professors and students of components of Financial Management of the Business Course, used the dimensions of knowledge of the cognitive process of Bloom's Taxonomy and the principles of the Theory of Cognitive Flexibility to structure the questionnaires and forms to collect and analyze the data. In order to analyze the data and obtain the results, a triangulation was carried out, consisting of the analysis of documents, questionnaire, observation and interview. The most relevant results indicated that, despite making the knowledge of the elements of mathematics more flexible, in some moments of the game, the students neglected the principle related to “avoiding the excess of simplification and rules” of the Theory of Cognitive Flexibility. Despite this being an innovative experience for students in remote teaching, they had difficulties managing the information, time and the adopted game format. For the teachers, the RPG Flex presented itself as a teaching strategy that can make flexible and evaluate the students' knowledge; simulate a future reality, socialize the knowledge of mathematics explained in the classroom and; promote interdisciplinarity. As a conceptual and methodological contribution, it was possible to create a teaching strategy linked to an immersive methodology capable of expanding the study of pedagogical RPG games to teach mathematics in an interdisciplinary way within the scope of Business, using a manual for face-to-face application and a virtual environment for application. in a virtual classroom.