SERIOUS DIGITAL GAMES CREATED FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: a scoping review

Resumo

Purpose: To map the state of the art on serious digital games used for science communication. Methodology: A PRISMA-ScR scoping review searched SciELO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and Scopus with Portuguese/English strings. From 341 records, 34 studies (1993-2023) in Portuguese, English or Spanish were included. Data were charted and synthesized narratively with descriptive statistics. Findings: Most studies were conducted in schools or universities. Games covered 29 themes (notably health, sustainability and STEM) and diverse genres; iterative and collaborative design were common. Evaluation remains dominated by short-term questionnaires, often with small convenience samples and limited attention to accessibility or long-term outcomes. Conclusion: The review outlines priorities for theory-informed design, clearer reporting and mixed-method, longitudinal and inclusive evaluations, and highlights narrative as a promising lever for future public engagement.