BRINQUEDOTECA UNIVERSITÁRIA: POSSIBILIDADES NA FORMAÇÃO DO/DA PEDAGOGO/PEDAGOGA EM UMA INSTITUIÇÃO DE ENSINO SUPERIOR DE IMPERATRIZ ¬ MA

Abstract

This study investigates the university playroom (brinquedoteca) as a meaningful educational space for undergraduate students in the Pedagogy program, conceptualizing it as a pedagogical laboratory that offers multiple opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and investigation. Play, a millenary human practice, is examined here in its cognitive, physical, and cultural dimensions, in connection with the fields of Early Childhood Education, the use of toys, and teacher training. The central research question is: What is the role of the university playroom in the teacher education process of Pedagogy students at a Higher Education institution in the city of Imperatriz? The main objective is to understand how the university playroom contributes to the teacher training process of these students, considering this space as a laboratory that should be primarily used by professors of core pedagogical subjects. The theoretical framework is based on the works of Kishimoto (2007), Teixeira (2014), and Azevedo (2010), among others. This is a qualitative study, in which data were collected through semi-structured interviews, space observation, and questionnaires. The results indicate that the playroom is frequently used by the institution, often fostering a connection between children from the community and the university through play. Furthermore, the playroom stands out as an environment conducive to both practical and theoretical understanding of childhood in all its complexity, contributing to a more sensitive and integrated teacher education aligned with the demands of Early Childhood Education.