Readers of the journal Education Sciences probably agree that playing games comes naturally—we all know how to play some game—however, because of the complexity of gaming, it is almost exclusively limited to mammals with regard to all animals: almost 80% of mammals use some sort of game for learning

This study aims to identify the set of elements in the educational process that affect the creation of a teaching profile consistent with the principles of sustainability. In this research, we focus on identifying those sustainability attributes related to understanding social interaction and its role in the learning process of logical-mathematical knowledge. Social interaction is an essential part of the principle of collaboration. The study participants were 133 future teachers, students of the degree in Early Childhood Education at the Universidad de Cádiz (Spain). Qualitative methods and techniques were used to collect data, and mixed methods and techniques were employed for their analysis. The data relating to the student’s perception of the importance of social interaction in learning were gathered through the final reports produced by the students. The data were processed by classifying them into categories and subcategories. The meaning condensation method used enabled identifying 33 sustainability attributes linked to socio-cultural learning. Those attributes identify and describe the internal dynamics of cooperative learning and show the synergies and interrelationships between social interactions, socio-cognitive conflict and language. The results stress the importance of a meaningful understanding of the role of social interaction in learning in order to promote the principles of sustainability.

This article reflects the opinion of future Early Childhood Education teachers at the Universidad de Cádiz on the usefulness and degree of satisfaction of SketchUp, a 3D modelling software programme, after they participated in a workshop for didactic-mathematical training. They had to use the software to design and model their ideal nursery school in 3D, supported by clearly stated and well-defined educational pillars. This study aims to ascertain the students' perceptions of the use of this resource with the intention of assessing its suitability to offer more appropriate initial training regarding mathematics education. It seeks to make the most of using the software programme and minimise the obstacles encountered. Opinions were collected from a sample of 203 students who responded to two questionnaires designed ad hoc. The results are organised around a SWOT analysis and show a satisfactory global evaluation.

This study focuses on exploring students’ emerging difficulties during a problem posing task in an early childhood education classroom (4–5 years old). Through a single case study, and by considering the problems posed as an indicator of the students’ mathematical performance level, the difficulties inherent in the process of posing problems based on a given situation are characterised. The results reveal the existence of difficulties both in the exploration phase of the problem situation and in posing the problems themselves. This shows that the main difficulties are related to a lack of accuracy in language, which is typical of this stage, and to the notion of a non-mathematical problem that prevails in the students.