Authors:
Miguel Ferrando-Rocher, José Ignacio Herranz-Herruzo, Eva Antonino-Daviu, Felipe Vico-Bondía
Abstract:
Electromagnetics courses are frequently perceived by undergraduate students as abstract and mathematically demanding, often resulting in low conceptual confidence and limited engagement. This paper reports a multi-course teaching experience conducted across three undergraduate electromagnetics-related subjects delivered at two campuses of the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. A coherent set of student-centered instructional strategies was progressively integrated into regular teaching sessions without modifying curricular content or increasing contact hours. Pre-course questionnaires were used to characterize students’ initial attitudes, expectations, and learning pReferences, revealing consistently low conceptual confidence, high expected difficulty, and a strong demand for interactive and applied learning approaches. These findings directly informed the design of the instructional intervention. Post-course results indicate systematic improvements in students’ self-reported conceptual confidence, perceived applicability of electromagnetics content, and engagement across all courses and academic levels. The findings suggest that embedding lightweight but coherent student-centered strategies into standard electromagnetics instruction can significantly enhance students’ learning experience without disrupting existing curricular structures.
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Authors:
Maribel dos Santos Miranda-Pinto
Abstract:
This article presents the ScratchJr–Coding as Another Language (CAL) curriculum, translated into Portuguese by researchers from the Arcacomum Association as part of a project funded by the Scratch Education Collaborative (2022–2024), part of the MIT Media Lab. The translation process was supported and validated by the DevTech Research Group (https://sites.bc.edu/codingasanotherlanguage/scratchjrcurricula-portuguese) Between February and May 2025, a pilot study was conducted in a preschool educational setting aimed at exploring the implementation of the curriculum’s lessons. The article describes the main features of the CAL curricula, highlighting their potential for cross-curricular integration across various areas of learning, from Kindergarten to the $2^{\mathrm {nd}}$ Grade of primary education. The results show benefits in terms of creativity, collaboration, communication, responsibility, and sense of community. The study concluded that the CAL curriculum is relevant within the Portuguese educational context, and its expansion and teacher training are recommended to enhance its implementation.
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Authors:
Samara Guzman-Enriquez, Maria Teresa de J. Castillo-Escobedo, Vanesa Amparo Ayala-Mariaca, Rosa Amelia Dominguez-Arteaga, Alma Delia Buendia-Rodriguez
Abstract:
This study analyzes the scientific evidence (2016–2026) regarding the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into undergraduate education, framed within a model of socio-technical tensions and multilevel governance. This systematic review followed the PRISMA 2020 protocol across five databases (IEEE Xplore, Scopus, WoS, SciELO, and Redalyc) using a Five-dimensional Boolean strategy (technological, cognitive-pedagogical, ethical, academic integrity, and governance). Following the screening of 134 records and the application of CASP criteria (threshold > 7/10), 38 articles were selected. The results reveal a hegemony of Scopus (79%) and an exponential acceleration of publications in 2025 (74%). The ecosystem is dominated by Large Language Models (45%), with primarily instrumental use in academic writing (27%) and learning support (22%). A critical trade-off was identified between operational efficiency and risks of cognitive atrophy, algorithmic bias, and privacy concerns. The research concludes that GenAI integration is a phenomenon of mediated contingency, where educational success depends on systemic alignment. A critical governance gap is identified due to the lack of operationalization of human oversight, compromising the integrity of the ecosystem. In response, a Responsible Integration Framework is proposed, underpinned by multilevel validation mechanisms. Within this framework, national regulation (Macro) is translated by the institution (Meso) so that human oversight in the classroom (Micro) transcends ethical ideals to consolidate as a functional, sovereign, and profoundly ethical pedagogical praxis.
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Authors:
Maria Berrocal Arévalo, Eduard Muntaner-Perich, Jordi Freixenet, Marta Peracaula-Bosch
Abstract:
Persistent underrepresentation of marginalized groups in computing underscores the need for pedagogies that advance equity and cultural relevance. Beyond preparing students for future careers, coding in elementary school can serve as a new form of literacy, a written language that fosters metacognition and creative reasoning. Programming is thus not merely a technical skill but a cognitive and expressive practice that helps learners reflect on their thinking and iteratively refine ideas. Equity frameworks such as Culturally Responsive Computing and Culturally Responsive–Sustaining Computer Science call for aligning computing education with students’ cultural identities, community knowledge, and lived experiences. Despite their promise, a gap remains between these frameworks and everyday classroom practice in early grades. This paper presents an intervention proposal ScratchJr-based, analyzed through the lens of the Culturally Responsive–Sustaining Computer Science Framework, illustrating how such approaches can be enacted in practice. Grounded in Coding as Another Language and Coding as a Palette of Virtues, the project engages young learners in reinterpreting traditional folk narratives across diverse cultural contexts. Through storytelling and block-based programming, students develop computational thinking alongside creativity, empathy, and intercultural awareness. The proposed design suggests that such cross-curricular, culturally anchored computing experiences can support identity development, foster inclusion, and broaden participation from the earliest stages of schooling. The work offers a concrete, replicable model for translating equity-oriented pedagogies into sustainable classroom routines.
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Authors:
Guilherme Gonçalves, Mónica Romão, Bruno Peixoto, Luciana Bessa, Miguel Melo
Abstract:
This study investigates the impact of virtual agent realism in immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) on foreign-language vocabulary learning. Specifically, it compares the effectiveness of a realistic (human-like) pedagogical virtual agent versus an abstract (non-human-like) one in delivering instructional content. A between-subjects experiment was conducted with 17 participants, divided into two groups, were exposed to either the realistic or abstract agent in an iVR Search-and-Find vocabulary learning task. Learning outcomes were measured using pre- and post-tests (based on word matching translations for 10 German-Portuguese item pairs), while presence-related experiences were assessed via the Igroup Presence Questionnaire and Temple Presence Inventory. Both groups demonstrated significant vocabulary acquisition improvements. However, no significant differences were found between the realistic and abstract agent groups in either learning outcomes or presence scores. The findings suggest that the visual realism of virtual agents may not significantly influence language learning effectiveness or user presence in these iVR environments. These preliminary results imply that abstract agents could be as effective as realistic agents for this type of foreign-language instruction, potentially reducing development resources without compromising learning benefits.
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Authors:
Juan F. Florez Marulanda, César A. Collazos, Julio A. Hurtado, Christian Sturm
Abstract:
Previous research has sought to identify factors and moderators that influence students’ perceived social presence of their instructors in face-to-face, remote, synchronous, and asynchronous (MOOC) classes, which affect engagement levels. However, few studies have examined instructors’ social presence in remote courses mediated by immersive augmented reality virtual classrooms and identified how instructor’s teaching experience affects this perception. This case study uses a sample of 198 students with 11 instructors and Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests to determine whether years of teaching experience moderates students’ perceived social presence of their instructors, associating it with both individual and methodological factors of instructors. The results show that “teaching experience” moderates students’ perceived social presence of their instructors during synchronous remote classes mediated by an immersive virtual classroom. This moderator, “teaching experience,” is influenced primarily by verbal and nonverbal immediacy behaviors exhibited by instructors during classes and, to a lesser extent, by instructional methodological factors, along with other unknown factors cultivated throughout their teaching experience.
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Authors:
Jorge Domínguez-Herrera, José Rafael Rojano-Cáceres
Abstract:
This research proposes a guideline that outlines the redesign process of a web system by compiling a set of tools and techniques aimed at improving accessibility for users with visual functional diversity (blindness). It is worth mentioning that the study adheres to the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standards using automatic evaluation programs and screen readers. The paper presents the selection process for these tools and techniques, which constitute the guideline composed of five stages: 1) training on accessibility issues, 2) initial system exploration, 3) evaluation with users and experts, 4) requirements analysis, and 5) recoding. It also specifies the artifacts to be produced at each stage and how they are used in subsequent phases. The guideline was applied to the institutional system “MiUV” which is used by the Universidad Veracruzana community, including faculty members, administrative staff and students—some of whom have visual functional diversity. The results showed that the proposed process was effective in guiding the redesign to improve accessibility. However, opportunities for improvement were also identified in each phase of the redesign process.
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Authors:
Jéssica Fabiana Mariano dos Santos, Luiz Antônio de Oliveira Nunes
Abstract:
This article presents a STEM-based approach to teaching free fall by integrating Arduino, PLX-DAQ, and Excel. PLX-DAQ, originally an Excel add-in for serial communication with Arduino, was modified in this work, and these changes were important to enable full bidirectional communication. Through a custom-developed graphical interface in Excel, parameters can be sent to the Arduino, allowing experiment configurations to be adjusted in real time while also enabling efficient data acquisition and analysis. A photogate system was connected to an Arduino Uno, enabling precise measurement of the fall times of an acrylic bar of alternating stripes of different masses. The results show that the system enables highly accurate calculations of gravitational acceleration, with deviations of less than 2% from the expected values. This experimental setup offers educators a low-cost and effective tool to address common student misconceptions about free fall, while fostering a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles governing motion and reinforcing the role of the scientific method in physics education.
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Authors:
Itzel Berenice Guerrero Alfaro, Jaime Muñoz-Arteaga, Gabriela Citlalli López Torres, Carina Soledad González González
Abstract:
Universities continue to face significant challenges in delivering inclusive education, particularly in addressing accessibility barriers and the limited availability of adapted learning resources for students with disabilities. Despite progress in policy development, most institutions lack structured methodologies to identify and remove these barriers iteratively. This study proposes an Inclusive Agile Scrum Model that integrates inclusion criteria, Personal Learning Environment (PLE) principles, and Scrum’s adaptive structure to support systematic, user-centered resource design in higher education. The model was applied at the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes through a case involving the adaptation of educational materials for a student with hearing impairment. Scrum roles, events, and artifacts were reconfigured to incorporate accessibility-oriented tasks, continuous feedback loops, and transparent communication channels. A pre–post evaluation demonstrated measurable improvements in accessibility, interaction, task completion, and adaptation time. To contextualize institutional needs, a comparative analysis of Mexican universities was also conducted, revealing that although most institutions provide basic infrastructure, few have formal inclusion policies, and none employ agile methodologies to guide inclusion processes. Findings show that the proposed model effectively supports the detection, prioritization, and resolution of accessibility issues while enabling rapid, iterative adaptations aligned with students’ needs. This work advances existing knowledge by moving beyond isolated uses of agile methods in education and generic inclusion models toward a conceptually grounded, replicable, and empirically validated inclusive Scrum framework. The study positions agile methodologies as a promising pathway to strengthen accessibility practices and foster more equitable learning environments in higher education.
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Authors:
Isabel Guerrero García, Jesús Alberto Verduzco Ramírez, Cesar Amador Sánchez, Pedro Rocha Medrano, Oliver Yahir Rivera Manzo
Abstract:
The digital transformation of higher education has driven the incorporation of intelligent systems aimed at academic support and competency development, particularly in courses related to entrepreneurial training. In this context, this article aims to design and evaluate a prototype of an AI-based educational virtual agent built upon a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture, intended to support the learning process in the Entrepreneurial Culture course. The prototype was designed and developed using an Agile methodology based on SCRUM, enabling an iterative and incremental construction process centered on the pedagogical and technological requirements of the institutional context. The virtual agent was implemented in a web environment and integrates semantic retrieval mechanisms, natural language generation, and contextual knowledge management to provide personalized guidance in business plan development and academic inquiry resolution. To evaluate the prototype’s quality, functional testing and the System Usability Scale (SUS) were applied in accordance with the criteria established in the ISO/IEC 25010 standard. This analysis enabled assessment of the system’s performance in terms of usability, functionality, efficiency, and reliability from the end-user perspective. The results indicate an average SUS score of 72.96, reflecting an acceptable level of usability according to international software quality standards for educational systems.
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