Diseño e implementación de laboratorios virtuales para la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales en dos instituciones educativas rurales de Cundinamarca: Análisis desde la perspectiva docente.

Abstract

This communication is situated within the field of science education in two rural contexts and aims to analyze and implement virtual laboratory practices using simulators, in order to understand teachers' perceptions in two educational institutions in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia. This project arises due to the limited access these institutions have to laboratory resources, infrastructure, internet connectivity, and technological equipment—factors that directly affect teaching and learning processes in the area of ​​Natural Sciences. The overall objective is to evaluate the design and implementation of virtual laboratories as a strategy for teaching Natural Sciences in two rural educational institutions in Cundinamarca through the teachers' perspectives. The proposal consists of the design and implementation of a virtual laboratory that integrates physics, chemistry, and biology content tailored to fourth, fifth, and seventh grades, seeking to promote learning through experimental activities. The project is being developed during the year 2025 at the IED Fidel León Triana, in the municipality of Vergara, and at the IED El Carmen, El Salitre headquarters, in the municipality of Guasca, Cundinamarca. Subsequently, to assess the pedagogical relevance of the virtual simulator, a semi-structured interview was conducted with teachers from the participating institutions. The responses obtained show that the simulator offers clear and timely information, covers topics appropriate for the established grade levels, and is considered a self-directed learning tool, easy for both teachers and students to use. Furthermore, the teachers highlighted its usefulness as a pedagogical and didactic resource for teaching science in rural contexts with limited infrastructure. In conclusion, the project yielded positive results in the teachers' perceptions: the survey provided important and necessary data on the capabilities of teachers and educational institutions for implementing the project, as well as data on the suitability of the virtual laboratory for its application, and teachers' recommendations regarding the content presented and the need to develop more content for the virtual tool. This analysis of the data obtained also fulfills the objectives set forth in this project.