Learning through play: educational games for teaching and learning about climate change and its impact on public health

• Grant number: 25/20342-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Sylmara Lopes Francelino Gonçalves Dias
• Grantee: Isabella Farias Fernandes
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 25/03867-2 - Climate Education for high school students in the municipality of São Vicente-SP Brazil: development of teaching materials and teaching-learning strategies, AP.R

Abstract

This scientific initiation project aims to produce and apply a prototype educational game for teaching and learning about climate change and public health. Specifically, it aims to: i. systematise information about educational games for teaching the relationship between climate change and public health; ii. review the Dengame game available in Appendix A; and iii. produce a prototype educational game.WORK PLANThe following activities are planned for the project proposed here: 1. systematic review of the literature (SRL) on serious games as educational and pedagogical material, applied to environmental and climate issues; 2. conducting research and collecting primary data through interviews, questionnaires or direct observations in schools, in order to obtain specific information about the region in which the participating schools are located and identify the possibilities for games and their applicability; 3. systematising information and organising material for the production of serious games on active teaching-learning strategies, covering: active methodologies, serious games, climate change, coastal zones and climate justice; 4. applying the Dengame Educational Game in a climate of action (provisional name) with secondary school students and gathering feedback for adjustments; 5. New round of game application with validation by students, teachers, and experts; 6. Assist in promoting the game at schools, in the state education network, in academic environments and through widespread publicity; produce and align content for availability on the co.educa digital platform.EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTSThe participating scholarship recipient will learn qualitative research methods (including collection, analysis, interpretation and communication strategy). The aim is to acquire skills in topics such as climate justice, social technologies, child and youth engagement, internal and external communication of socio-environmental policies, among others. Experience participatory research strategies and practices and active teaching-learning methodologies relevant to the training of future education professionals. It is hoped that this proposal will, among other results, i. contribute to the diversification of the co-educa platform's content repository; ii. create support material for teachers in state schools in São Vicente; and iii. to a certain extent, contribute to the National Common Core Curriculum based on its competencies and skills by teaching stage and school year. It is also hoped that this research will become the embryo of social and participatory technology solutions for monitoring, preventing and recovering from climate disasters.