Desarrollo de actividades didácticas basadas en realidad aumentada para fortalecer el aprendizaje del tiro parabólico en estudiantes de educación media

Abstract

The research originated from a difficulty observed in secondary school students when studying projectile motion: although many visually recognize the trajectory, they have limitations in explaining how initial velocity, launch angle, gravity, maximum height, flight time, and horizontal range interact. This situation highlights the need to incorporate strategies that connect the graphical, mathematical, and physical representations of the phenomenon. In response, the work aimed to develop didactic activities based on Augmented Reality that would strengthen the understanding of projectile motion through interactive and pedagogically oriented experiences. The study began with a review of theoretical frameworks and research background related to the use of Augmented Reality in science and physics education. From this review, didactic possibilities, design criteria, and teacher mediation needs were identified. Subsequently, an interactive application was designed and programmed in Replit, organized around three scenarios familiar to the students: shooting a ball into a basket, knocking down an object, and jumping over a net before reaching a target. The tool allowed users to modify the launch angle, initial velocity, and gravity, observe the trajectory, consult equations, and analyze motion data. It also incorporated three-dimensional visualization and Augmented Reality resources. The proposal was structured with guiding questions, challenges, prediction, comparison, and explanation activities, and instruments applied before and after the intervention to identify changes in students' interpretations. The results showed progress in understanding the relationships between the main variables of projectile motion. After interacting with the proposal, the students demonstrated a greater ability to explain how variations in angle and initial velocity modify the maximum height and range, as well as to recognize the effect of gravity on the trajectory and flight time. Improvements were also observed in the articulation between drawings, graphic representations, mathematical expressions, and verbal explanations. Interaction with concrete situations facilitated the formulation of predictions and the comparison between launches, while the possibility of modifying parameters allowed for contrasting prior ideas with the behavior observed in the simulation. These findings suggest that dynamic visualization facilitates the interpretation of abstract concepts when presented through equations or static representations. It is concluded that Augmented Reality can be a relevant resource for strengthening the learning of projectile motion when integrated into a didactic sequence with pedagogical mediation. The contribution of the technology depends not only on showing a trajectory in a digital environment, but also on encouraging students to observe, compare, formulate hypotheses, modify variables, and justify their results. The proposal made it possible to bring the physical phenomenon closer to recognizable situations and foster active participation in the analysis of the motion. Consequently, the use of interactive tools, accompanied by questions, challenges, and spaces for reflection, can contribute to a meaningful conceptual understanding of learning and a better relationship between mathematical language, visual representation, and the physical interpretation of projectile motion.