Algoritmia con gamificación: desarrollo de pensamiento computacional en niños con TEA
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Neuta Montenegro, Juan Carlos
[1]
;
Caicedo Magin, William
[1]
;
Collazos, Cesar
[1]
;
Ortega, Manuel
[2]
-
[1] Universidad del Cauca
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[2] Universidad de Castilla
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- Localización: TecnoLógicas, ISSN-e 2256-5337, ISSN 0123-7799, Vol. 29, Nº. 65, 2026
- Idioma: español
- DOI: 10.22430/22565337.3535
- Títulos paralelos:
- Algorithmic Thinking Through Gamification: Developing Computational Thinking in Children with ASD
- Enlaces
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Resumen
- español
El pensamiento computacional se ha consolidado como una competencia esencial en la educación actual, al promover habilidades de resolución de problemas, lógica y creatividad en un entorno cada vez más digital. Sin embargo, los niños con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) de nivel 1 enfrentan barreras, como dificultades en la abstracción, rigidez cognitiva y sensibilidad sensorial, requiriendo enfoques pedagógicos inclusivos que minimicen frustración y fomenten autonomía. Esta investigación evaluó la eficacia de un laberinto digital con gamificación para desarrollar pensamiento computacional en niños con TEA de nivel 1. El objetivo principal fue medir cómo esta intervención fortalece habilidades algorítmicas clave en un grupo piloto de cuatro estudiantes de la Fundación CENIDI. La metodología fue exploratorio-descriptiva, fundamentada en el Diseño Centrado en el Usuario (DCU) y marco MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics). Esta se estructuró en tres fases: 1) investigación contextual con encuestas a docentes, observaciones en aula y entrevistas a terapeutas para definir los requisitos de diseño; 2) diseño y desarrollo en Unity de un laberinto digital adaptado a preferencias visuales y necesidades sensoriales; y 3) evaluación con pretest (plataforma Pilas Bloques) y postest (laberinto con gamificación), donde se midieron métricas como tiempo de ejecución, número de errores, eficiencia del código y uso de bucles. Los resultados demostraron una mejora notable en el desempeño algorítmico de los participantes, con un aumento del puntaje global promedio del 42,4 % en el pretest al 77,5 % en el postest. Se observó una mayor capacidad para planificar secuencias, una reducción de la frustración y un incremento en la autonomía. En conclusión, los hallazgos sugieren que los laberintos gamificados, diseñados con un enfoque centrado en el usuario, son una estrategia pedagógica prometedora y efectiva para la enseñanza inclusiva del pensamiento computacional, ofreciendo una alternativa innovadora y adaptada a las particularidades de los niños con TEA.
- English
Computational thinking has established itself as an essential skill in today's education, promoting problem-solving, logic, and creativity in an increasingly digital environment. However, children with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face barriers, such as difficulties with abstraction, cognitive rigidity, and sensory sensitivity, which require inclusive pedagogical approaches that minimize frustration and encourage autonomy. This research evaluated the effectiveness of a digital maze with gamification to develop computational thinking in children with Level 1 ASD. The main objective was to measure how this intervention strengthens key algorithmic skills in a pilot group of four students from the CENIDI Foundation. The methodology was exploratory-descriptive, based on User-Centered Design (UCD) and the MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics) framework. It was structured in three phases: 1) contextual research with teacher surveys, classroom observations, and therapist interviews to define design requirements; 2) design and development in Unity of a digital maze adapted to visual preferences and sensory needs; and 3) evaluation with a pretest (Pilas Bloques platform) and posttest (maze with gamification), where metrics such as execution time, number of errors, code efficiency, and loop use were measured. The results showed a notable improvement in the algorithmic performance of the participants, with an increase in the overall average score of 42.4% in the pretest to 77.5% in the posttest. A greater ability to plan sequences, a reduction in frustration, and an increase in autonomy were observed. In conclusion, the findings suggest that gamified mazes, designed with a user-centered approach, are a promising and effective pedagogical strategy for the inclusive teaching of computational thinking, offering an innovative alternative adapted to the particularities of children with ASD.
- español
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