Simulador PhET como herramienta didáctica en el aprendizaje de funciones lineales en estudiantes de Décimo de Educación General Básica

The objective of this research was to analyze the influence of the PhET simulator on the learning of linear functions in tenth-grade students in General Basic Education at the Chaguarpamba Educational Unit in Ecuador. A mixed approach with a quasi-experimental design was used, forming an experimental group that used the PhET simulator and a control group that worked with traditional methodology. A structured 10-item test, validated by expert judgment and pilot testing, was administered to assess five dimensions of linear function learning before and after the intervention. A focus group was also interviewed to identify student perceptions of the tool. The pretest results showed similar levels of knowledge between the two groups, and in the posttest, the experimental group obtained a significant improvement in their grades, confirming the alternative hypothesis that the use of the PhET simulator improves academic performance. Regarding the students' perception of the use of the simulator, the majority of participants indicated that PhET motivated them and facilitated their understanding and retention of linear function concepts. It is concluded that PhET is an important teaching tool for strengthening the learning of linear functions in tenth-grade students. Its implementation is recommended in educational contexts similar to the study, considering that to obtain optimal results, the teacher must plan the problems and/or exercises that they intend to develop in class.