Social Software Engineering: Developing Interactive Video Games to Support Educational Lag in Rural Communities of Baja California Sur, Mexico

Educational lag is a social issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in rural communities. Addressing this challenge requires innovative approaches, especially the use of educational technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration. This paper presents a case study in which students from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS) developed a set of educational video games as part of an integrative interdisciplinary project, involving students from Software Development Engineering and Education Sciences programs. Using the Social Software Engineering (SSE) approach, the project focused on creating digital tools that are relevant to the local educational context of a rural middle school, in collaboration with Escuela Secundaria Técnica No.8. The project not only provided a comprehensive educational experience for university students but also aimed to mitigate the educational lag in rural areas. The paper discusses the theoretical background, including the importance of SSE, integrative projects in higher education, the impact of educational technologies on rural communities, and university social responsibility. The methodology outlines the stages of video game development and highlights the importance of user participation in ensuring cultural and contextual relevance. The results demonstrate the potential of these educational games to enhance learning experiences, while the discussion addresses the limitations, including the need for objective, long-term assessments. Future work involves evaluating the usability of these games in real classroom settings, facilitated by teachers, and an ongoing collaboration agreement that will allow the games to evolve based on educational outcomes and feedback. This study underscores the crucial role of universities in promoting educational equity and social responsibility through the development of tailored technological solutions.