This study was developed within a Natural Sciences classes with 6th-grade students at a Portuguese public school. The research focused on the creation and use of an educational chatbot, programmed by the students, on the topic of the human respiratory system. A chatbot is a digital tool designed to carry out conversations with human beings using mainly natural language and where its functionalities can be based on simple programming of pre-programmed interactions. The main objectives were to understand how this experience contributed to learning of scientific content and to the development of digital competences as part of the European Digital Competence Framework for Education (DigCompEdu). The study also aimed to understand and identify the difficulties experienced by the students during the process of programming and designing the chatbot's interactions.

A mixed-methods approach was adopted, using pre and post-intervention questionnaires, direct observation, analysis of multimodal narratives, and a semi-structured interview. The methodology was based on the active participation of students working collaboratively, integrating scientific knowledge with digital and technological skills. The results showed that the development of the chatbot was a motivating strategy that promoted student engagement, encouraging a more autonomous, creative, and critical appropriation of content. Difficulties were identified regarding programming logic and the structuring of some dialogues, but significant progress was also observed in scientific understanding and the use of digital tools. It is concluded that the integration of digital resources created by students themselves can represent added value in the teaching of Natural Sciences, promoting meaningful learning and the development of essential skills in the context of today’s society.

Keywords: Educational Chatbot, Natural Sciences, Programming, Digital Competencies.