The use of software Mapavox for teaching graphics and games to blind and low vision students: a development through practices

Current policies on education to visually impaired point for a growing trend of including students with special educational needs in regular schools. However, most often this inclusion is not accompanied by an appropriate professional trained or infrastructure, which has been presented as a big problem for regular school teachers who have students with visual impairments in their classroom. Based on this situation, the Group of Extension in Tactile Cartography from UNESP - University of the State of São Paulo - Campus de Rio Claro - SP - Brazil has been developing educational material of geography and cartography to blind students at a special school. Among the materials developed in this study highlight the development of graphics and board games provided with sound capabilities through MAPAVOX, software developed in partnership with UFRJ - Federal University from Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil. Through this software, sound capabilities can be inserted into built materials, giving them a multi-sensory character. In most cases the necessary conditions for building specific materials to students with visual impairments is expensive and beyond the reach of features from a regular school, so the survey sought to use easy access and low cost materials like Cork, leaf aluminum, material for fixing and others. The development of these materials was supported by preparation in laboratory and its subsequent test through practices involving blind students. The methodology used on the survey is based on qualitative research and non comparative analysis of the results. In other words, the material is built based on the special students perception and reality construction, not being mere adaptations of visual materials, but a construction focused on the reality of the visually impaired. The results proved were quite successful as the materials prepared were effective on mediating the learning process of students with disabilities. Geographical and cartographic concepts were seized by the students through the technology used, associated with the use of materials that took into account in its building process the perception of the students.

Brazilian Students and Working Capital: An Analysis of Their Decisions When Using Virtual Market Business Games

This study aims to demonstrate that data from business games can be an important resource for improving efficiency and effectiveness of learning. The proposal presented here was developed from preliminary studies of data from Virtual Market games that pointed the possibility of identifying gaps in learning by analyzing the decisions of students. This proposal helps students to refine their learning processes and equips tutors with strategies for teaching and student assessment. The proposal also complements the group discussion and/or debriefing, which are widely used to enhance learning mediated by games. However, from a management perspective the model has the potential to be erroneous and miss opportunities, which cannot be detected because of the dependence on the characteristics of the individual, such as ability to communicate and work together. To illustrate the proposed technique, data sets from two business games were analyzed with the focus on managing working capital and it was found that students had difficulties managing this task. Similar trends were observed in all categories of students in the study-undergraduate, postgraduate and specialization. This discovery led us to the analysis of data for decisions made in the performance of the games, and it was determined that indicators could be developed that were capable of indentifying inconsistencies in the decisions. It was decided to apply some basic concepts of the finance management, such as management of the operational and non-operational expenditures, as well as production management concepts, such as the use of the production capacity. By analyzing the data from the Virtual Market games using the indicator concept, it was possible to detect the lack of domain knowledge of the students. Therefore, these indicators can be used to analyze the decisions of the players and guide them during the game, increasing their effectiveness and efficiency. As these indicators were developed from specific content, they can also be used to develop teaching materials to support learning. Viewed in this light, the proposal adds new possibilities for using business games in learning. In addition to the intrinsic learning that is achieved through playing the games, they also assist in driving the learning process. This study considers the applications and the methodology used.

Educative games and expositive lesson: Comparison of educational techniques on sitting posture

Introduction: Studies on education in health are important for the concretion of action of promotion of the health. Objective: To verify the changes of theoretical knowledge on sitting posture, evaluated at two moments (initial and final,) considering two programs of education (expositive lesson and operative groups). Methods: 75 pupils had been citizens, of both the sexes, three 4as series of a public school, evaluated previously (A1) on seated position; group 1 was submitted to a procedure of expositive education, the 2 educative games in the 2 and, the 3 to no intervention. After one week they had been reevaluated (A2). For the moments the test of Wilcoxon was applied and between the Kruskal groups Wallis. Results: In the comparison inside of the groups, of 2 and 3 they had presented increase in the number of rightness on position seated in the after-test, with statistical significant difference, whereas in the group has controlled, such fact did not occur. In the comparison between groups, at the first moment (A1), 2 groups e 3 had not presented significant difference statistical (p > 0,05), however, in as moment notices that it had difference statistics between the three groups (p < 0,01), being that the G3 presented minor frequency of errors (md = 5) in relation to the g2 (md = 8) and g1 (md = 10). Conclusions: It can be affirmed that educative techniques that supply information and promote debates and exchanges of experiences between the participants increase the possibilities of incorporation of the contents related to the sitting posture.

Tormentas e inimigos: relações dialógicas entre a literatura de fantasia e os role playing games

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Games contando histórias: uma discussão sobre a narrativa nos JRPGs

Pós-graduação em Letras - IBILCE

Practising Arithmetic Using Educational Video Games with an Interpersonal Computer

Studies show the positive effects that video games can have on student performance and attitude towards learning. In the past few years, strategies have been generated to optimize the use of technological resources with the aim of facilitating widespread adoption of technology in the classroom. Given its low acquisition and maintenance costs, the interpersonal computer allows individual interaction and simultaneous learning with large groups of students. The purpose of this work was to compare arithmetical knowledge acquired by third-grade students through the use of game-based activities and non-game-based activities using an interpersonal computer, with knowledge acquired through the use of traditional paper-and-pencil activities, and to analyze their impact in various socio-cultural contexts. To do this, a quasi-experimental study was conducted with 271 students in three different countries (Brazil, Chile, and Costa Rica), in both rural and urban schools. A set of educational games for practising arithmetic was developed and tested in six schools within these three countries. Results show that there were no significant differences (ANCOVA) in the learning acquired from game-based vs. non-game-based activities. However, both showed a significant difference when compared with the traditional method. Additionally, both groups using the interpersonal computer showed higher levels of student interest than the traditional method group, and these technological methods were seen to be especially effective in increasing learning among weaker students.

Artemídia preferente: fenômeno jogar & ler nas histórias em quadrinhos interativas (HQI) com os games de RPG

This artistic-scientific process aims to innovate the concept of Interactive Comics by adding them into the concept of RPG games and Single-Adventures. To make it properly done, there will be some issues about Interactivity, history of the Comic Strip and Mangas, and their techniques of use. Also, there will be other issues involving Electronic Comics and Interactive Comics, in addition to the concept of the RPG games and Single-Adventures, so that the reader of this paper could understand the practical result of every issue combined into one. The identification of these issues is made from a bibliographic and iconographic research, and it will also be displayed throughout the content. Some decisions will be thrown along this paper for the reader to decide and, therefore, understand the Interactivity process in a better way. The combined issues’ result will be presented in my interactive website, http://a3studios.com.br/iss/home (address not final) or http://amstarproductions.net (final address), where the readers will have to experience the “Play&Read” phenomenon. Furthermore, this work is inserted in the line of the research Artistic Processes and Procedures of the Department of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of UNESP, whose methodology used was the Freinet Educational Cybernetics, developed in the research group Media Arts and Videoclip leaded by the leading advisor for this Final Course Work. The result and discussion of artistic and scientific research were reported in monographs such as this that I present, with the following versions: PDF version for dissemination in the virtual repository of the Institute of Arts’ Library; hardcover version for physical collection at the Library of Institute of Arts; The Printed Version for the board of examiners; and an appropriated template version for submission to International Scientific Congress in the area of Arts.

101 Games inesquecíveis de Super Nintendo

Não disponível

A indústria criativa de games no Brasil

The games are a worldwide fever, since 80's is becoming more popular and featured in the media, in the culture and economy. The sector fits in creative economy, a sector of economy that is growing gaining prominence for being a driver for economic, cultural and environmental development. The producing process, competition and logic of cultural games industry differ from traditional economy. The article seeks to show what is necessary to the game industry be able to establish and remain on the market, and what is the obstacles that this industry will face in Brazil, a potential creative economy country

O papel dos games na construção de conteúdos midiáticos educativos

The goal of our article is build – including universes to support empirical research in communication – an educational matrix for a different order of analysis, incorporating new possibilities available for the advancement of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). For this goal we use the game, as a source of playful learning and formation of being. Introducing the interaction from game plataform as middle convergent, where it is possible the diffusion and expansion of knowled in constant way that enables education and information exchanges oustide the status quo of schools, increasing the e effectiveness of knowledge fixing and interest to acquire it.

Games independentes: plataformas de inovação das novas mídias no contexto da economia criativa

Creative spaces need freedom. Any productions, especially with artistic content, need space to mistakes, that is, for an attempt away from the standard. The independent production environment is recognized in different artistic sectors as a space for innovation, to be free of the serial production logic. The major innovations in the international scenario of games came from the independent productions. Great classics revolutionized the aesthetics and functionality of this new media. This project aims to analyze the productive chains of Brazilian independent games, starting with a regional analysis. The goal is to observe the factors responsible for the innovation that these games can offer, the management aspects of creative processes, articulation of innovative agents and resources mobilized. Brazil currently has the fourth largest gaming market in the world with expectation of strong growth for years to come, but arises in the international market as a consumer. Given this regional demand is necessary to study the tools of production, even to help fill that need. Not only the production of games should be thought, the media coverage is also another important factor, in view of the economic importance of this segment. Understanding the mechanisms of innovation in the gaming universe, its impact on the formation of public and coverage of specialized journalism in this new media are possible outcomes of future studies and research that scientific research can contribute