Development of a STEM Teaching Strategy to Foster 21st-Century Skills in High School Students Through Gamification and Low-Cost Biomedical Technologies

Bibliographic Data

ID22045192
AuthorsKelly J Marin-Mantilla (Central University), William D Moscoso-Barrera (0000-0002-6779-7056, Central University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue12
Pages1624
Publication date2025-12-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci15121624
OpenAlexW4416941434
LanguageEN
References cited17

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is essential for the development of 21st-century skills, particularly in a world driven by technological innovation. However, in vulnerable school contexts, access to meaningful STEM experiences remains limited. This study addresses this issue through the design and implementation of a didactic strategy in a public high school in Bogotá, Colombia, based on two educational resources: the BioSen electronic board, which is compatible with Arduino technology and designed to acquire physiological signals such as electrocardiography (ECG), electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG), and body temperature; and the Space Exploration instructional guide, which is organized around contextualized learning missions. This study employed a quasi-experimental mixed-methods design that combined pre–post perception questionnaires, unstructured classroom observations, and a contextualized knowledge test administered to three student groups. Findings demonstrate that after eight weeks of implementation with upper secondary students, the strategy had a positive impact on the development of 21st-century skills, such as creativity, computational thinking, and critical thinking. These skills were assessed through a mixed quasi-experimental design combining perception questionnaires, qualitative observations, and knowledge evaluations. Unlike the control groups, students who participated in the intervention adjusted their self-perceptions when facing real-world challenges and showed progress in the application of key competencies. Overall, the results support the effectiveness of integrating low-cost biomedical tools with gamified STEM instruction to enhance higher-order thinking skills and student engagement in vulnerable educational contexts

Educational technology · Faculty Development · Frontalis muscle · High tech · Information technology · Instructional design · Perception · Professional development · Biomedical and Engineering Education · Educational Games and Gamification · Science Education and Pedagogy

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