Learning vermicomposting: the use of digital games in child education

Abstract:

TThe objective is to present a digital educational game aimed at Early Childhood Education based on vermicomposting and discuss the limits and possibilities of its use to promote Environmental Education. The material is the product of a professional master's thesis in Environmental Science Teaching produced during the years 2020/2021. For the sake of accuracy in relation to its potential, the game was tested by professionals in a municipal school in the city of São Carlos-SP who work in Early Childhood Education. As affordances of the material, the participants pointed out the educational and playful characteristics to be explored with young children. The perceived limitations relate to the configuration of the game as an evaluative instrument; some teachers were uncomfortable evaluating the children's learning. The material produced in this study can foster discussions on formative assessment in Early Childhood Education and point at ways to carry out a diagnosis of learning without this mischaracterizing the objectives at this stage of schooling.

Keywords:
Early childhood education; Environmental education; Digital games; Learning evaluation