Is the game the excalibur for science teaching? notes to think the playful in teaching concepts and in teacher training

Abstract

Generally speaking, the legend of King Arthur tells the story of a predestined boy who would have become king by taking from a stone the famous magic sword called Excalibur. Using this story as a metaphor, this article has as objective to problematize innatism and apolitical conceptions of the playfulness for the teacher education. Like the idea of playfulness as a magical way to solve all the problems of the school; besides bringing notes for the use of the playful as a way to teach scientific concepts. Taking the cultural-historical psychology as a reference, the article, as a theoretical nature, pointed out as one of its results the idea that, in oder to the playfulness contributes to the learning of scientific concepts, he must put the student in activity, so that the even mobilize their psychological processes. In order for such factors to occur, the activity needs to be designed so that the concepts occupy a prominent place during the game. Another result of the article points to a ludo-political formation by the Science teacher, so that games and other playful activities are consciously used to bring with them a more critical world view of reality, not just a reproductive view of prejudice. Finally, it advocated the importance of moving towards a more conscious and systematic use of the play in the teaching of science.

Keywords

• ludicidade
• formação do professor
• ensino de conceitos
• ensino de ciências