'Desafío Playablanca’: An Innovative Educational Experience In The Training Of Secondary Education Teachers

Abstract

This study, part of the 'Desafío Playablanca' initiative, explores methodological innovation in secondary education teacher training, focusing on gamification and active learning strategies. It addresses the impact of these methodologies on student motivation and academic performance in e-learning environments, a relatively underexplored area. Using a quantitative research design, participants were divided into four groups based on motivation levels—two control and two experimental—to assess the innovative strategies' effects. The study analysed academic performance in oral expression, written expression, visual-spatial, and logical-mathematical skills, using grades collected at the beginning and end of the study and statistical tools such as the Shapiro-Wilk test, Student's T-test, and Wilcoxon test. Findings revealed that the motivated experimental group (Group B) showed significant improvements in all skills, validating the effectiveness of gamified learning. The unmotivated experimental group (Group D) also improved, indicating benefits irrespective of initial motivation levels. Control groups showed no significant changes, underscoring the intervention's positive impact. The 'Desafío Playablanca' project enhances e-learning knowledge by demonstrating that active learning methodologies, like gamification and flipped classrooms, significantly enrich educational experiences, increase engagement and motivation, and improve knowledge assimilation and application. This research offers a scalable, replicable model adaptable across disciplines, promoting dynamic, interactive, and student-centred learning environments, and supports a shift towards more engaging, participatory, and technologically integrated educational practices.