Intervención didáctica para el fortalecimiento del bioconocimiento en escolares de educación básica y media en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

A didactic intervention through laboratory experiments was developed with nine middle school students in four schools of the city. For this purpose, plants available in local markets were used, as well as common materials and reagents in secondary schools. In addition, the assessment of young people and children with respect to biodiversity was investigated. Questionnaires were applied to 593 students aged between 9 and 18 years. The relationships between connection and empathy with nature, well-being, value orientation and environmental concern were evaluated. The questionnaires were digitized with the programs: TeleForm © -Reader and TeleForm © -Scan Station. The statistical analysis was developed in the SPSS program version 24.0. As a result of this research work, the laboratory guides of five easy-to-assemble experiments are presented, which show the potential of local plants as a source of natural products with antimicrobial and antifungal potential. In addition, the presence of major compounds was evidenced by thin layer chromatography and qualitative reactions. The analysis of the surveys shows that indicators of the perception of biodiversity as a basis for bio-knowledge are associated with the attitudes and values of the students included in the study. The development of this experimental work strengthens the didactic strategies oriented to the preservation of biodiversity and establishes a baseline to aboard, from the classroom, the valuation of our environment and the preservation of our natural resources.