GAME OF BASE CHANGE: GAMIFICATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

We developed a game called "Base Change" to be applied in the course of Numerical Calculus, in the undergraduate engineering classes Mechanical and Production at the Federal Center for Technological Education Celso Sudoku da Fonseca (CEFET/RJ) and at the Celso Lisboa University Center (CEL). We used the Gamification methodology, which is widely used in basic education but rarely used in higher education. Our objective is to encourage students to study the topics of number bases and base change, in which they experienced difficulties during explanations and exercises throughout the classes. We organized a tournament using the game, where students competed against each other in a single-elimination bracket style, which is a tournament system where the loser of each match is eliminated while the winner advances to the next round until only one champion remains. In each round, the student increases their point total, which will be converted into extra credit points on the exam. At the end of the competition, we administered a satisfaction questionnaire, collecting student opinions about the activity, and conducted a statistical survey, which showed a high rate of satisfaction from the students, indicating how important such activities are for engagement and motivation in their studies.