Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación

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Universidad Indoamérica

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Impact of Interactive Digital Environments: Literacy Development in Middle School
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda
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Figueroa-Oquendo, Alfredo
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Pacheco-Chalen, Grace
This study examines the impact of interactive strategies supported by digital tools on the development of literacy skills in seventh-grade students in Basic Education. The objective is to determine whether the use of platforms such as Canva, Genially, Kahoot, and Google Docs enhances academic performance in reading comprehension and written expression. A quantitative methodology with a quasi-experimental design was applied, distinguishing between an experimental group that received a technological intervention and a control group that followed traditional methodologies. The results, validated through statistical tests, show significant improvements in the experimental group in terms of both academic achievement and motivation. The study concludes that the pedagogical integration of digital tools enhances autonomous, participatory, and meaningful learning, offering new perspectives for educational innovation in school settings. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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Health Consciousness and Dietary Behavior: A Theory of Planned Behavior Analysis of Organic Food Adoption Among Young Consumers
(MDPI AG, 2026-06-16)
Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda
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Morales-Urrutia, Diana
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Mantilla-Falcón, Luis
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Ibarra-Torres, Oscar
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Córdova, Patricio
The adoption of healthier dietary behaviors has become a critical public health concern, particularly among young populations facing structural and economic constraints. Within this context, organic food consumption can be understood not only as a market choice but as a form of health-related behavior influenced by psychological factors. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examines how health consciousness and core cognitive determinants shape dietary health behavior through their influence on behavioral intention and self-reported consumption patterns. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed using data from 384 young consumers in an emerging market context (Ambato, Ecuador). The proposed model was tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). The findings indicate that perceived behavioral control is the strongest predictor of intention to engage in organic food consumption, followed by attitude and subjective norms. Health consciousness is positively associated with attitude and indirectly influences behavioral intention through this pathway. No significant relationship was found between perceived behavioral control and attitude. Behavioral intention shows a strong association with self-reported consumption behavior. These results highlight the central role of perceived feasibility in shaping health-related dietary behaviors in constrained contexts, where structural barriers may limit the translation of positive attitudes into action. The study contributes to the health psychology literature by providing context-sensitive evidence on how cognitive and motivational factors interact within the TPB framework to influence dietary behavior. Implications for promoting healthier consumption patterns emphasize the need to address both psychological drivers and structural constraints. © 2026 by the authors.
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Gamification and Digital Collaboration as Strategies to Enhance Literacy Skills
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026-08-02)
Lozada-Calvache, Raquel
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Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda
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Toasa, Renato
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Escobar-Bermudes, Diego
Literacy is a key competency for lifelong learning and academic achievement. However, international assessments such as PISA 2022 reveal a sustained decline in reading comprehension, with deeper losses in Latin America and persistent digital divides. In Ecuador, ERCE 2019 results already showed delays in reading and writing, reinforcing the urgency of developing innovative pedagogical strategies. This study analyzed the impact of interactive activities supported by digital tools on literacy skills among elementary school students in Quito. A quasi-experimental design was applied with two groups: an experimental group (n = 31) that participated in an intervention using Canva, Kahoot!, Genially, Google Docs, and Google Meet; and a control group (n = 32) that continued with traditional methods. The intervention lasted twelve weeks and included eight activities aimed at creative reading, collaborative writing, and digital storytelling. Results showed significant improvements in the experimental group (+1.49 points compared to + 0.84 in the control group; p < 0.05). Beyond quantitative gains, increases in motivation, collaboration, and active participation were observed, providing empirical evidence of the relevance of integrating interactive digital strategies to strengthen literacy in Latin American school contexts. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2027.
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The Biometric Imperative: Low-Cost Facial Recognition to Counter Critical Access Vulnerabilities in High-Insecurity Contexts
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Zapata, Mireya
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Vargas-Bustamante, Miguel
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Cevallos-Sornoza, Angie
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Álvarez-Tello, Jorge
Rising insecurity in Ecuador, especially on urban areas of Guayaquil, has exposed the high vulnerability of public and educational institutions to unauthorized access. Conventional security control measurements base on physical credentials, or passwords have proved to be insufficient, driving the need for technological solutions for secure access control. In this context, facial recognition has emerged as a feasible biometric solution, even though its implementation gets limited when applied to resource-constrained environments. This study presents and validates an access control system developed with accessible and budget-friendly hardware, open-source tools, aimed at strengthening security in vulnerable spaces. The research adopted a quantitative, experimental, and applied approach, evaluating prototype performance through indicators of operational reliability, correct authentication rate, and rejection of unauthorized attempts under diverse environmental conditions. Results show that the system achieved an identification success rate of 97% of legitimate users and blocked 95% of non-authorized attempts, with an average response time of under two seconds and high resistance to basic spoofing attempts. These findings confirm that low-cost biometric solutions can achieve satisfactory levels of security and usability, contributing to the democratization of technology and offering a replicable and ethical alternative for educational institutions in high-insecurity contexts
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Road Drainage Infrastructure Diagnostics and Deficiency Indexing in ENSO-Vulnerable Andean Corridors: A STEM–PjBL Field Assessment
(MDPI AG, 2026-05-15)
Benavides-Muñoz, Holger Manuel
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Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio
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Benavides-Ortega, Leirys María
Road drainage infrastructure in ENSO-vulnerable Andean regions faces compounding threats from climatic variability, geometric inadequacy, and systemic maintenance neglect. This study presents a STEM-integrated Project-Based Learning (PjBL) diagnostic framework applied to 42 road segments along corridors connecting Loja, Ecuador, selected through a purposive-stratified spatial-coverage protocol. Using ArcGIS Survey123, standardised field data were collected on structure presence, geometry, failure modes, and condition across four structure types: crown gutters, road gutters, hydraulic chutes, and culverts. The Composite Drainage Deficiency Index (DDI, 0–100) was derived from five equally weighted binary indicators and validated through Monte Carlo Dirichlet weight-perturbation analysis and jackknife leave-one-out resampling, confirming rank-order invariance to admissible alternative weightings. The results reveal severe systemic deficiencies, including crown gutters absent at 88.1% (95% CI: 75.0–94.8) and road gutters at 81.0% (95% CI: 66.7–90.0) of sites. Every segment exhibited at least one drainage failure (100%; 95% CI: 91.6–100). The DDI identified 73.8% of segments in the High or Critical band (DDI ≥ 60; mean = 60.2 ± 20.4). Hierarchical clustering isolated one geometric outlier whose exclusion altered the aggregate metrics by <1.2%. These findings establish a georeferenced baseline for maintenance prioritisation and validate the methodological reproducibility of academically integrated field protocols for infrastructure diagnostics. © 2026 by the authors.
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The illusion of flexibility and the limits of teacher autonomy in the Ecuadorian curriculum
(Frontiers Media SA, 2026-05-21)
Núñez Torres, María Giovanna
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Buele, Jorge
Introduction Curriculum reforms in Latin America emphasize flexibility, contextualization, and teacher autonomy. In Ecuador, the 2016 curriculum operationalizes these through Skills with Performance Criteria (PC). Methods An analytical–interpretive approach was applied, examining the national curriculum alongside literature on educational governance and critical pedagogy. Results The PC-based structure, with its criteria and indicators, organizes planning, evaluation, and documentation around predefined outcomes. While this promotes coherence, it fragments practice into discrete units. Contextualization occurs in teaching, but validation relies on standardized references, creating tension between adaptation and assessment. Teacher work is structured by planning and verification processes. Discussion Interpreted as controlled freedom, autonomy is recognized but bounded, and flexibility emerges as a practice shaped by technical constraints.
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Towards Accessible and Sustainable Universities: Web Accessibility and Human–Computer Interaction in Latin America
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Acosta-Vargas, Patricia
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Acosta-Vargas, Gloria
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Salvador-Acosta, Belén
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Salvador-Ullauri, Luis
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
This study examines web accessibility in Latin American higher education institutions from a Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) perspective, highlighting its relevance to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). A quantitative and descriptive research design was applied to 50 universities included in the 2025 Webometrics Ranking, using automated HCI-based evaluation tools (WAVE and Google Lighthouse) to assess compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. The evaluation identified 1,238 accessibility errors and 1,393 contrast-related issues, with most violations concentrated in the Perceivable (67.23%) and Operable (28.36%) principles. Countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia exhibited the highest levels of noncompliance, while others showed comparatively lower error densities. These results indicate that accessibility barriers in university websites are primarily systemic, stemming from deficiencies in visual perception, navigation, and semantic structure rather than isolated implementation flaws. The findings reinforce the view that web accessibility should not be treated solely as a technical compliance task, but rather as a human-centered, sustainability-oriented dimension of interaction design. Integrating accessibility within HCI frameworks can enhance digital inclusion, reduce educational inequalities, and promote the development of resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital ecosystems in higher education across Latin America. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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Living Heritage and Knowledge Dialogue: Intercultural Revitalization of Muleteering as a Strategy for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Saraguro, Ecuador
(MDPI AG, 2026-07-09)
Quezada-Sarmiento, Pablo Alejandro
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Martínez-Gallego, Francesc Andreu
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Salas-Alvarez, Wilson
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Chango-Cañaveral, Patricia Marisol
The rapid transformation of rural societies and the progressive decline of traditional livelihoods have placed numerous expressions of intangible cultural heritage at risk of disappearance. In the Saraguro territory of southern Ecuador, muleteering (arriería) historically functioned as a means of transportation, trade, and cultural exchange, facilitating the transmission of knowledge, values, and practices among generations and diverse social groups. This study examines muleteering as a form of living heritage and explores its revitalization through intercultural dialogue and the recovery of ancestral knowledge. A qualitative ethnographic approach was employed, integrating documentary analysis, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews with former muleteers, community elders, cultural leaders, and local residents. The findings indicate that muleteering contributed significantly to territorial connectivity, economic exchange, collective memory, and the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge related to mobility, animal management, and community cooperation. Participants recognized muleteering as a central element of Saraguro’s cultural identity and emphasized its role in fostering intercultural interaction and inter-generational learning. The study concludes that the revitalization of muleteering through dialogue of knowledge can contribute to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, strengthening cultural continuity, and supporting culturally sustainable development in indigenous territories. © 2026 by the authors.
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Analysis of Age to First Calving in Ecuadorian Charolais Cattle Using Linear and Survival Models
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Cartuche-Macas, Luis Favian
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Lozada-Rivadeneira, Edwin
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Quezada-Sarmiento, Pablo Alejandro
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Vargas-Jurado, Napo-león
The Charolais breed has successfully adapted to the Amazonian conditions of Ecuador. The implementation of reproductive and molecular biotechnologies has positioned this breed as the most genetically significant for improvement programs in the region. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for age at first calving (AFC) under Normal and survival models. Data included animals born between 2010 and 2021, with calving records spanning from 2012 to 2024. The total number of records was 700 after editing. Sire and animal models were considered for the analysis of AFC. The mean AFC was 3.44 years with a standard deviation of 1.19 years. Contemporary group had a significant effect on AFC, but type of cross and multiple ovulation and embryo transfer status had no impact. Under normality assumptions, heritability estimates ranged from 0.17 to 0.21 for sire and animal models, respectively. On the other hand, for the Weibull survival model heritability ranged from 0.45 to 0.74 for sire and animal model, respectively. Estimates for the sire and animal models under Normal assumptions were similar to those reported in literature and thus suggest appropriate model fit. This constitutes an additional step into routine genetic evaluation in Ecuadorian beef cattle. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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U-Net Models for Breast Cancer Detection: Improving Diagnostic Accuracy and Specificity
(2024)
Dayanara Yánez-Arcos
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Ayala-Chauvin, Manuel Ignacio
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Elena Blanco-Romero
Breast cancer remains a critical global health issue, necessitating continuous research and innovative approaches for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. This study evaluates the effectiveness of U -Net models in enhancing diagnostic precision and efficiency using real hospital samples. We aim to improve key diagnostic metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity through the application of U-Net models. Our image classification model, tailored for 256 × 256 × 3 input images, excels in detecting and categorizing tumor cells. The architecture begins with initial convolutional layers featuring 64 filters, progresses to layers with 128 filters, and includes a Dropout layer to prevent overfitting. The deep network for object detection utilizes both region proposal and regression/classification approaches, achieving 92.27% confidence and 100% accuracy. Additionally, our deep learning algorithms accurately segment nuclei in histopathological images, employing a clustering strategy that delivers 88.81% confidence and 100% accuracy. Visual results demonstrate precise tumor cell localization and prediction confidence. Performance metrics from ten experimental runs indicate average confidence levels between 74.19% and 92.31%, with 90.0% accuracy and specificity in benign analysis. The model's ability to classify non-carcinomas versus carcinomas achieved an AUC of 0.78, illustrating its effective differentiation between classes.
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Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación

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