Y. Rodríguez1, M. Díaz2, P. Rojas1, E. Navarro2, M. Vargas2
Currently, many primary school teachers have limited training in educational technology, which restricts their ability to design innovative, engaging, and motivating teaching activities. The integration of technology in the classroom is basic and does not sufficiently address the need for pedagogical transformation.
This project was developed in two stages. The first stage, funded by Universidad Andrés Bello's Community Engagement grant, involved designing interactive scenarios based on texts from a third-grade reading book. A robot was developed using open-source technology and connected via Bluetooth to a web application featuring multiple-choice questions related to the texts. The robot advances as students answer questions correctly, thereby encouraging reading comprehension through immediate feedback.
The second stage focused on implementing this technology in third-grade classrooms to evaluate its impact on students with special educational needs. The goal was to promote using modern tools, such as artificial intelligence, that can adapt to these students' specific needs, thereby enhancing their reading speed, vocabulary acquisition, and overall reading comprehension.
The intervention was carried out over two months, with weekly sessions led by a classroom teacher and a special education specialist. Key reading skills, such as locating, interpreting, relating, and reflecting on information, were assessed. Student participation and motivation were also recorded and analyzed.
The results showed significant improvements in all evaluated skills: at least a 5% increase in locating and interpreting and over 20% in reflecting. These results are consistent with previous studies that have highlighted the positive impact of educational robotics on reading skills and student engagement without negatively affecting emotional or behavioral indicators.
This experience suggests that interactive technologies can facilitate more personalized attention and open new possibilities for pedagogical innovation in school settings.
Keywords: Comprensión lectora, robótica, innovación, educación inclusiva.