Robótica educativa como estrategia didáctica para el fortalecimiento del pensamiento computacional en estudiantes de tercer grado de primaria bajo el enfoque STEM

Abstract

In education, especially at the elementary level, the traditional curricular structure is prioritized, characterized by the fragmentation of knowledge, rote memorization, and the lack of connections to everyday life. This situation limits the development of students’ scientific and logical thinking, since experiential and meaningful learning practices are reduced. Considering the above, the articulation of computational thinking and STEM education was proposed through the implementation of a didactic strategy integrated with robotics, with the purpose of capturing the group’s interest and, from there, developing computational thinking skills in an integrated manner with pedagogical practices that benefit third-grade students at Sister Johanna School in different areas. Therefore, the research adopted a qualitative approach aimed at identifying the level of computational thinking among third-grade students and, based on the information obtained, designing a didactic strategy according to their needs. It is important to clarify that this approach was implemented due to its feasibility in interpreting needs, analyzing educational processes, and acting according to what was observed. Likewise, the spiral model of action research proposed by Stephen Kemmis and Robin McTaggart (1988) was implemented, involving cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection. These cycles allowed not only the identification of the problems, but also the development of a self-reflective process and the implementation of the necessary adjustments. In the main phase, difficulties faced by the students regarding computational thinking skills were identified, such as structural thinking, systems thinking, abstraction, pattern recognition, algorithms, and sequences. Based on these findings, a strategy was created in which, through the narrative of a capybara, students completed missions involving different activities designed to develop and strengthen the previously mentioned skills. During the reflection phase, the data collected through a post-test were analyzed and interpreted in order to evaluate the impact of the strategy, while also making the necessary adjustments for future implementation. Based on the results obtained in the post-test, it can be concluded, in relation to the general objective of the research, that the didactic strategy based on educational robotics under the STEM approach successfully strengthened computational thinking among third-grade students at Sister Johanna School in Barranquilla. This is particularly evident in the high number of correct answers achieved in questions related to sequences, pattern recognition, algorithms, abstraction, and debugging, where in most cases the percentages of correct responses were almost total. Although some questions presented minor isolated errors, the overall results show significant progress in logical reasoning and sequential problem-solving dynamics. Furthermore, this demonstrates that the activities developed through robotics generated more participatory and practice-oriented learning processes.