Mathematics and Physics Laboratories in Zone 6: Impact on Student Motivation (Original)
Keywords:
Laboratory; mathematics; student motivation; active methodologies; educationAbstract
This research analyzes the impact of the project "Exploring Science through Mathematics and Physics Labs in Educational Institutions of Zone 6" on the motivation of third-year high school students, with the objective of examining the motivational effect of practical and experimental activities in Mathematics and Physics laboratories. Under a quasi-experimental design with a quantitative approach and longitudinal cut, a Likert-type pretest and posttest was administered to students from 22 educational institutions, reaching 906 participants in both the initial assessment and the follow-up evaluation. The proposal consisted of the implementation of didactic guides and practical activities in Mathematics and Physics laboratories, promoting active and experimental methodologies. The results show an increase in the median motivation score from 3.33 (medium level) to 4.11 (high level), according to the established interpretation criteria (scale 1-5). Data were analyzed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon test (p < 0.001), which shows that the differences between before and after the implementation of the laboratories are statistically significant. The study concludes that the use of laboratories favors student motivation, strengthening meaningful learning and supporting the relevance of active methodologies in the Ecuadorian educational context.
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