Methodological strategies in Genetics Teaching: from gamification to bioinformatics

Douglas Alves Silva –

Dalton Ferreira Matos

Mayse da Silva Fagundes

Delma Holanda de Almeida

ABSTRACT: Biology involves several areas of knowledge, being considered a multidisciplinary area, studying life in the most diverse areas, such as genetics, a sphere of biology that studies the mechanisms of heredity, seeking to understand the phenotypic characteristics of living beings throughout the ages generations. In view of this, the teaching of genetics is considered challenging, having a diversity of concepts related to the area, making it difficult for students to learn. Given the existing difficulties in teaching genetics, the objective of this study is to carry out a literature review, with emphasis on active methodologies, gamification and bioinformatics as an alternative that can overcome these existing difficulties. Given what was raised, it is clear that genetics is considered an area of paramount importance for society, as it is widely discussed, however, students still have great difficulties, requiring, therefore, that educators innovate in different ways. Methodologies in classes, as is the case of active methodologies that have a range of methods that can be used in the teaching and learning of students. In particular, gamification is one of those methods that could arouse students’ interest in genetics, as this methodology uses the concept of games and is therefore a promising method, as games are part of young people’s lives. In addition, another tool that can be used to enhance the teaching of genetics are the bioinformatics tools, which can help students in more complex content, as bioinformatics works directly with concepts that are part of genetics.

Keywords: Teaching; Active methodologies; Bioinformatics