Software educativo para el proceso cognitivo en la asignatura programación en los estudiantes de 2do informática, colegio Dr. José Ochoa León

Abstract

Some of the main problems in teaching and learning in the subject of programming is the fear of problem solving, due to the apparent complexity it represents, which directly affects the level of motivation of students in the classroom environment. Precisely, it was this situation that was taken into consideration for the development of this project. Indeed, this problem was detected in the students of the high school "Dr. José Ochoa León", through a SWOT analysis, which allowed to identify particularities arising in the learning of programming. Therefore, it was decided to create a tool that would benefit and improve the development of cognitive processes in students and, consequently, enhance the acquisition of knowledge of the subject. This is how "Katharos" was created, an online educational software that is characterized by the interactive and detailed presentation of the contents, in addition, it provides the student with spaces where he/she can apply and check the knowledge learned in a progressive way. For the development of this Online Educational Software, we made use of tools such as a code editor, where the codes belonging to the different sections that make up the prototype were structured, to finally be hosted on a server, and can be accessed through the Internet. As for the construction of the interface, aspects such as the appropriate sequence of the unit topics and the application of the color theory were considered. The operation and effectiveness of the Educational Software was reflected in the results obtained in the realization of two experiences carried out jointly by the main roles involved in the process, we are talking about the teacher and students. In the first instance, in a previous approach made with the teacher of the subject, it was possible to know the initial impressions of the prototype, where from a discussion and the application of a data collection instrument, the teacher said he was satisfied with the appearance and contents of "Katharos", reason why the observations made were minimal. With respect to the execution of the second experience, it was carried out with the students belonging to the participating course, this approach consisted of a previously planned experimental class, where the Online Educational Software was incorporated. In this intervention, it was evidenced that the students were significantly motivated to use "Katharos" to learn the basic concepts of programming, and to put into practice their knowledge through gamification activities, which were successfully approved. Consequently, the results of this final approach were positive, because the students were able to interact with the software without any complications, and they remained participative during the course of the experience. Subsequently, by means of a survey, they declared that they felt totally in agreement with the continuous application of "Katharos". They even expressed their interest in learning through this type of resources in other subjects. In short, based on the perceptions obtained regarding the introduction of "Katharos", it is necessary to highlight the educational software as a tool that has an important representation in the teaching and learning of programming, since it can raise the levels of assimilation of what is learned, and motivation, factors that give the student the necessary confidence to solve problems in an optimal way.