LABIA BLOCKS: BLOCK-BASED PROGRAMMING, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GAMIFICATION IN INTRODUCTORY WEB GAME EDUCATION

Abstract

This study presents and analyzes LabIA Blocks, an educational platform developed to support introductory programming and digital game creation by integrating block-based programming, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, gamification, and artificial intelligence. This is an applied, descriptive, and technological development study whose objective is to describe the construction of the tool, its features, and its potential pedagogical applications for teachers and students. The methodology comprised a functional and documentary analysis of the final version of the system, an examination of the block catalog and the teacher and student areas, and the association of the platform’s features with the principles of active methodologies, computational thinking, and project-based learning. The analysis revealed an environment that combines a visual editor with code generation, a contextual AI Tutor, planning in Portugol, progressive challenges, ready-made games, original game creation, and teaching resources for organizing classes, registering students, publishing activities, and monitoring submissions. The expected outcomes of its pedagogical use include fostering a gradual understanding of programming logic, experimentation, debugging, autonomy, and student agency by connecting introductory web development concepts with practical game-creation scenarios. The study concludes that LabIA Blocks has potential as an integrated teaching resource for active and gamified programming learning experiences.