Enseñanza de la cinemática desde el enfoque STEM mediante el uso de la microBit del programa nodos de pensamiento computacional en el grado décimo del colegio de Boyacá

Abstract

The teaching of kinematics in secondary education represents a pedagogical challenge due to the persistence of traditional methodologies focused on formula memorization, limited experimentation, and the weak connection between physical concepts and real-life contexts. This issue was identified among tenth-grade students at Colegio de Boyacá, located in Tunja, where difficulties were observed in understanding and differentiating variables such as distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration. The general objective of this research was to foster the learning of kinematics concepts through modeling, simulation, and experimentation activities using the Micro:bit and the MakeCode platform, integrated with the STEM approach and discovery-based learning as didactic strategies. Methodologically, the study was conducted during the first semester of 2026 under a mixed-methods approach, using a pre-experimental pretest-posttest design applied to a group of tenth-grade students. The sample consisted of 60 students selected through convenience sampling. Data collection instruments included entry and exit questionnaires, checklists, performance rubrics, and an observation log. The pedagogical intervention was structured into three sessions focused on the analysis of distance and displacement, speed and velocity, and acceleration, through digital simulators, MakeCode programming, and experimentation with Micro:bit. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ conceptual and procedural understanding of kinematics. The average performance increased from 10 points in the pretest to 14.46 points in the posttest, on a 15-point scale. Likewise, conceptual understanding increased from approximately 69.3% to 95.4%, while practical problem-solving improved from 61.5% to 98.3%. The normalized Hake gain was 0.89, classified as high, and Cohen’s d effect size was 3.19, indicating a highly significant impact of the intervention. It is concluded that the integration of the STEM approach, Micro:bit, and MakeCode promotes meaningful learning of kinematics, strengthens computational thinking, and transforms physics teaching into a more active, contextualized, and interdisciplinary learning experience.