Role-Playing Game (RPG) no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de Matemática: uma análise de pesquisas acadêmicas produzidas entre os anos de 2020 e 2025

Abstract

Mathematics has historically been a curricular component marked by learning difficulties among Basic Education students. In this context, it becomes essential to investigate alternative methodologies that contribute to making the teaching and learning process more meaningful and motivating. Games, particularly Role-Playing Games (RPGs), show potential for promoting engagement, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Furthermore, it can be observed that games have been explored in the field of mathematics education through the work of Grando (1995, 2000, 2004) and Kishimoto (2010, 2017). Thus, this study aims to investigate how RPGs have been explored in research related to mathematics teaching and learning, identifying the contributions, limitations, and perspectives of this approach. To this end, a literature review was adopted as the methodology, based on the perspectives of Pizzani et al. (2012) and Gil (1999), with searches conducted in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD), considering publications between 2020 and 2025. After filtering and refining the selection criteria, and considering the relevance of the studies found, eight research works were selected and analyzed in depth. The results indicate that the use of RPGs proved to be a positive strategy at different educational levels, promoting motivation, social interaction, development of mathematical skills, and student agency. However, challenges such as the need for adequate pedagogical time, rigorous planning, and teacher proficiency in both mathematical content and game dynamics were highlighted. It is concluded that RPGs constitute a powerful didactic resource for Mathematics teaching, especially when contextualized, well-structured, and accompanied by intentional teacher mediation, emerging as a promising methodology for future research and practices in Mathematics Education.