Aproximación a la enseñanza de las ciencias (física) a través de actividades que involucran los fluidos y las máquinas simples en el contexto rural dentro del programa Viva la Escuela del Ministerio de Educación Nacional

Abstract

This thesis, carried out as an internship, was part of the Ministry of National Education's (MEN) Tutoring Program for Comprehensive Learning and Training (PTA/FI 3.0) at the Guillermo León Valencia School, located in the Integrated and Campoamor campuses of the municipality of Duitama. The main objective was to promote a center of interest focused on cross-curricular and comprehensive activities for students, with an emphasis on scientific and environmental education. The redesign of the school day, proposed in the National Development Plan (PND), seeks to renew classroom time by incorporating cultural, recreational, and scientific activities. With this approach, support programs were designed to strengthen the management capacities of certified territorial entities (ETCs) and schools, adapting them to the needs of their educational communities. Within PTA/FI 3.0, centers of interest were used to personalize education according to student preferences. This included a diagnostic survey of approximately 2,000 children and young people, which identified their interests and guided the planning of activities aligned with the principles of C.R.E.S.E. education. Activities, such as creating recyclable toys, promoted academic development as well as environmental awareness and life skills. The main objective of the internship was to implement a center of interest for students at the Campoamor campus, integrating science and climate change education, one of the pillars of C.R.E.S.E. The "Toy Lab: A World of Scientific Experiences" initiative involved practical workshops where students built toys with recycled materials, focusing on physics concepts such as simple machines and hydrostatics. The purpose was to motivate students to formulate hypotheses about how toys worked and validate them through construction and play. During the internship, training was also conducted for the institution's teaching staff, with the aim of contextualizing the new guidelines of the Ministry of National Education. In addition, various meetings and presentations were arranged before the Ministry of Education to showcase the work carried out at the institutions. To implement the toy lab center of interest, the approval of the trainer and tutor was obtained, and the workshop was shared with the school's administration, who offered their support in managing the materials. The constant support of the trainer and tutors was key to the success of the internship, providing guidance and support from the beginning. Although some teachers resisted change, others enthusiastically embraced the proposal of cross-curricular projects. During the development of the focus area, we observed an increase in the students' curiosity and enthusiasm, which fostered their overall development.