Minecraft como ambiente de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las Ciencias Naturales. Un estudio de caso cuasiexperimental

Introduction: this article presents the results of an evaluative process around the integration of Minecraft as a virtual teaching and learning environment for the mastery of the scientific content of the subject of Natural Sciences in the upper elementary school, highlighting a constructivist learning approach, the promotion of problem-solving skills, critical thinking and the integration of new technologies in traditional teaching environments. Method: a quasi-experimental design was implemented, incorporating an experimental group and a control group with a total of 57 participants. A questionnaire was used as a pre-test and post-test to measure the conceptual understanding of scientific contents, which were evaluated after one month of application. Results: the experimental group had a significant majority in academic performance, marking the effectiveness of a virtual environment such as minecraft versus traditional pedagogicalism. Conclusions: it was demonstrated that Minecraft can improve science learning and facilitate the integration of ICT in education, becoming a virtual environment conducive to be replicated in various contexts and educational levels.