Diagnosis for the desing of a didactic sequence using visual block programming as a History teaching strategy in primary education

Abstract

According to specialized literature, educational institutions at all educational levels are constantly seeking new teaching strategies to motivate and consolidate meaningful learning in students. The use of video games in education is a relatively recent trend and, as it is based on the principles of gamification, it has presented positive results on meaningful learning. This text presents the results of the diagnosis phase that allow us to assess whether it is possible, subsequently, to design a didactic sequence for a thematic unit of the subject of History, which involves the development of a video game using visual block programming as a technological tool based in gamification. This diagnosis was applied in an educational institution in the central area of ??Veracruz, Mexico. The field of study was primary education. Three questionnaires were applied: 1) Teacher digital literacy questionnaire; 2) Student technological skills questionnaire; 3) Technological infrastructure questionnaire. The findings suggest that there must be a technological update in the institution; Teachers are willing to incorporate digital technology into their teaching processes, but they require knowledge of block programming; Students show sufficient skills to participate as video game content creators. In conclusion, there are favorable conditions to propose an educational innovation strategy that involves video games as a teaching resource for teaching History at the primary level.