Realidad aumentada y ABP en ciencias naturales: impacto en la comprensión científica y el pensamiento crítico en educación básica.

Sometimes, teaching science in school feels like a race to cover the syllabus. But this study came from a different question: what if, instead of just explaining, we let students explore, ask questions, make mistakes, and learn at their own pace? That idea led us to try something simple—combining classroom projects with augmented reality, and seeing what would happen. For eight weeks, students from fifth to seventh grade in public schools along Ecuador’s coast worked on projects led by their teachers. They used AR resources and digital platforms that didn’t just “show” content—they helped students experiment and see things differently. It wasn’t magic, but it was something new. At the end, we compared how they were before and after, using tests that looked at their understanding of science topics and how they reasoned. And yes, there were clear improvements. They didn’t just know more—they were more engaged. They asked questions, gave opinions, and thought things through. In the classroom, you could see they were more relaxed, more confident. Some even started helping each other without being asked. We also realized something important: the technology alone didn’t make the difference. What really mattered was how it was used—with intention, with purpose. It wasn’t just thrown in. And behind it all, there was always a teacher guiding the process. So, does this kind of approach work? It does—but only if there’s a clear plan behind it. When there’s structure, support, and space for students to take part, learning becomes something more alive, something that feels real. And that’s what we wanted to show with this project.