Juegos educativos digitales en el desarrollo del pensamiento lógico matemático en los estudiantes de preparatoria.

Abstract

The present research paper titled "Digital Educational Games in the Development of Logical-Mathematical Thinking in High School Students" arises from observations made at a private educational institution in the city of Machala, where it was evident that high school students face difficulties in the logical-mathematical domain due to the limited use of digital educational games. Various studies support this issue, indicating that, despite having the necessary technological resources in the classroom, teachers still resort to traditional teaching methods and do not incorporate innovative strategies that include digital games as a means of learning; this is due to a lack of information and unfamiliarity with platforms. Therefore, the objective was set to "describe how digital educational games develop logical-mathematical thinking in high school students at the Private Educational Unit 'Mi Mágico Mundo'." To carry out this research, a quantitative approach was used, with a descriptive study type. As data collection instruments, a questionnaire with closed-ended questions and an observation guide were applied to 5 high school teachers. As a result of the analyzed data, it was proposed to design a didactic guide for digital educational games aimed at teachers, in order to facilitate their implementation in the classroom. Concluding that, it was possible to describe how digital games develop logical-mathematical thinking in high school students, the most relevant finding was that by combining play with learning, student motivation increases, leading them to develop skills in the logical-mathematical domain. What helped the most during the research were the current studies, as they provided advantages and difficulties encountered in educational practice. On the other hand, the biggest challenge was finding concrete information about the implementation of these games in the classroom, given that some of the reviewed studies came from English-speaking countries, and others focused on the use of more sophisticated programs or technologies like augmented virtual reality.