Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación

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Universidad Indoamérica

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Interdisciplinary Perspectives on FinTech and Blockchain in Cryptocurrency Platforms: A Systematic Literature Review on Accessibility, Usability, and Digital Inclusion
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Luis-Chinchilla, Jose
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Jadán Guerrero, Janio
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Calle-Jimenez, Tania
According to recent studies, the application of agile methodologies in the development of cryptocurrency platforms can increase efficiency in improving accessibility and usability in digital financial systems by up to 35%. This study conducts a systematic literature review on the integration of FinTech and blockchain technologies, with a particular focus on accessibility and usability in digital platforms. Based on the PRISMA 2020 framework, indexed publications from the Scopus database published between 2021 and 2025 were analyzed. The results reveal a sustained growth in scientific output, especially during the period 2023–2025, with a notable concentration of publications from countries such as Malaysia, Spain, and Ukraine. The main contributing fields include business, computer science, and economics, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the topic. Furthermore, the findings highlight the role of FinTech and blockchain in modernizing financial services, improving transactional efficiency, and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to environmental sustainability and digital inclusion. Finally, the study recommends expanding future research to include multiple databases and additional keywords in order to generalize the findings and deepen the understanding of the impact of these emerging technologies. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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Green transition and productive structure in Latin America: the role of innovation, finance, and the energy matrix in ALADI countries
(Frontiers Media SA, 2026-06-22)
Morales-Urrutia, Ximena
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Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda
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Solórzano, Melissa
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Naranjo-Gaibor, Jefferson Napoleon
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Acosta-Vargas, Patricia
Introduction The green transition in Latin America takes place within structurally heterogeneous economies characterized by dependence on primary exports, uneven technological capabilities, and partially diversified energy matrices. This study examines how technological innovation, financial development, renewable energy consumption, trade openness, economic growth, and industrialization influence CO 2 emissions in member countries of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI). Methods A balanced panel dataset covering 11 ALADI countries for the period 2000–2021 was analyzed using a two-step System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM) estimator. This approach addresses endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity, and the dynamic persistence of emissions. Additional robustness analyses were conducted using pooled Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Random Effects (RE) estimators. Results The findings indicate that structural factors are the main determinants of CO 2 emissions. Industrialization and trade openness exert positive and statistically significant effects, highlighting the role of productive structure and international integration in shaping environmental outcomes. Economic growth is also positively associated with emissions, suggesting that production expansion remains linked to environmental pressure. In contrast, technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, and financial development do not exhibit statistically significant effects in the dynamic specification. Discussion The results suggest that the green transition in ALADI countries is not automatic and cannot be driven solely by technological progress or financial expansion. Persistent structural characteristics, including carbon-intensive productive systems and patterns of global economic integration, continue to constrain environmental sustainability. Achieving a successful transition therefore requires deeper transformations in productive structures, industrial policies, and energy systems to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.
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Bridging Two Worlds: Sensor Technologies and AI for Fruit Detection in Latin America and Beyond—A Scoping Review
(MDPI AG, 2026-08-10)
Parrales-Bravo, Franklin
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Gracia-Chinga, Joan
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Jadán Guerrero, Janio
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Vasquez-Cevallos, Leonel
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Cevallos-Torres, Lorenzo
This scoping review synthesizes 35 studies on sensor technologies and artificial intelligence for fruit detection, classification, and quality assessment, contrasting Latin American and international research traditions. The analysis suggests notable differences in technological approaches between the included Latin American and international studies: Latin American research tends to emphasize in developing accessible, practical solutions using classical computer vision and low-cost hardware, while international studies more frequently employ through deep learning architectures, multi-modal sensing, and complete robotic automation systems. Across the included studies, relatively limited attention was given to AI-assisted decision support for agricultural practitioners, insufficient consideration of inclusivity, and the scarce integration of environmental sustainability into intelligent sensing system design. The review identifies that only 8 of 35 studies originate from Latin America, suggesting an uneven geographical distribution of the available evidence. The included studies generally reported high accuracy values, yet these findings must be interpreted with caution given the reliance on curated datasets that may not represent real-world variability. The reviewed evidence suggests that future research may benefit not from one approach dominating the other, but from a thoughtful integration of complementary strategies, including knowledge transfer, edge computing democratization, and human-centered design. Overall, this review suggests that the ultimate goal extends beyond accuracy metrics to the transformation of agricultural practices that enhance food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability across the global agricultural landscape. It is important to note that this work does not propose or validate a new fruit detection algorithm but rather synthesizes and critically evaluates existing scientific evidence regarding sensor technologies and artificial intelligence applied to fruit detection and quality assessment. © 2026 by the authors.
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Designing the UI/UX of a Gamified Platform to Raise Awareness About Water Conservation Using the User-Centered Design Method
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Jadán Guerrero, Janio
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Piedra Ansatuña, Mario
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Sanchez-Gordon, Sandra
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Acosta-Vargas, Patricia
Water conservation and responsible usage are critical to ensuring the sustainability of life on Earth. Raising awareness about these practices is essential to fostering behavioral changes in everyday life. This study aimed to design a gamified environment, integrating both digital and physical mediums, to promote awareness of water conservation. The proposed solutions included digital games, board games, interactive maps, and card games, blending entertainment with education. The research employed the Game Thinking methodology, involving ten master’s students specializing in user experience design. The process adhered to the principles of user-centered design across all phases. Initially, the problem of water scarcity was explained to participants, who subsequently proposed design concepts tailored to this issue. These concepts were developed into prototypes and tested with users representative of the intended age groups. Preliminary results from the first usability tests revealed areas for improvement. Feedback from peer reviews highlighted the need to enhance narrative elements, interface design, usability, and accessibility. Iterative refinements based on this feedback significantly improved the prototypes’ alignment with the project’s educational objectives. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the potential of gamification as a powerful tool for promoting water conservation awareness. Future work will focus on completing functional prototypes and evaluating their impact in real-world settings to measure their effectiveness in instilling responsible water usage behaviors
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Gender Barriers, Equity and Social Sustainability in Rural Agriculture: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach from Ecuador
(MDPI AG, 2026-07-14)
Núñez-Naranjo, Aracelly Fernanda
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Ruiz-Guajala, Mery
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Almagro, Galo
Gender equity has become a key component of sustainable rural development and socially sustainable agricultural systems. This study examines the relationship between perceived gender barriers, gender equity, and social sustainability in agriculture in Tungurahua Province, Ecuador. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was employed using survey data collected from 930 farmers during 2025. Descriptive analyses were used to assess perceived levels of gender equity and social sustainability, while structural equation modeling was applied to evaluate the relationships among the study constructs. The findings reveal high perceived levels of gender equity (80.3%) and social sustainability (88.3%) among participants. The structural model indicates that perceived gender barriers are significantly associated with gender equity (β = 0.383, p < 0.001), and gender equity is positively associated with social sustainability (β = 0.350, p < 0.001). No significant direct effect of perceived gender barriers on social sustainability was identified. The results suggest that gender equity may represent an important pathway linking perceived gender barriers and social sustainability in rural agricultural systems. These findings highlight the importance of promoting equitable access to productive resources, training opportunities, and leadership participation to strengthen social sustainability and inform gender-responsive rural development policies in Ecuador. © 2026 by the authors.
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The hierarchical scaffolding model of executive functioning in university students: a self-reported explanatory approach
(Frontiers Media SA, 2026-07-29)
Díaz-Guerra, Diego D.
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Hernández-Lugo, Marena de la C.
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Ramos-Galarza, Carlos
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Broche-Pérez, Yunier
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
Introduction Executive functions are cognitive processes that are fundamental to academic success among university students. However, most explanatory models have been developed using laboratory-based tasks, which limits their ecological validity. Self-report measures offer a complementary approach by capturing perceived executive functioning in real academic contexts. Objective To construct and validate an explanatory model of executive functioning in Cuban university student Methods A cross-sectional sample of 1,233 students was analyzed (mean age = 20.08 years, SD = ±1.02; 59.3% women). The Cuban adaptation of the UEF-1 was administered. Analyses combined decision trees using the CHAID method to identify predictors and structural equation modeling (SEM) to confirm the relationships among variables and construct a unified model. Results The final model showed satisfactory fit (CFI = 0.915, RMSEA = 0.048, SRMR = 0.045). Executive functions were organized into four hierarchical levels: (1) Metacognitive Evaluation and Supervision, comprising Conscious Monitoring of Responsibilities and Behavioral Verification for Learning; (2) Emotional and Behavioral Regulation, comprising Conscious Regulation of Emotions and Conscious Regulation of Behavior; (3) the Operational Attentional System; and (4) Goal-Directed Action and Task Resolution, comprising Decision-Making and Management of Elements to Solve Tasks. Conclusion The proposed model constitutes the first unified explanatory framework of executive functioning in Cuban university students, specifically as assessed through self-report measures. Its four-level hierarchical structure provides an empirically grounded guide for future research and interventions, capturing the subjective dimension of executive performance as a complementary and ecologically relevant level of analysis closely tied to academic adaptation and self-regulation.
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FLAG: Fatty Liver Awareness Game for Liver Health Literacy in Last-Semester Software Engineering Students
(MDPI AG, 2026-05-01)
Parrales-Bravo, Franklin
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Borbor-Albay, José
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Jadán Guerrero, Janio
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Vasquez-Cevallos, Leonel
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects approximately thirty percent of the global population, yet public awareness remains dangerously low among young adults facing occupational risk factors. This study introduces the Fatty Liver Awareness Game (FLAG), an educational serious game designed to improve liver health literacy among software engineering students at the University of Guayaquil. While evaluated with this specific sample, FLAG is intended for the broader target population of young adults in developing nations who face occupational sedentary risk and limited access to preventive health education. Through a controlled experiment with fifty participants randomly assigned to game-based or traditional lecture instruction, the game demonstrated superior effectiveness, with a twenty-percentage-point advantage in post-test scores and a seventy-two percent reduction in incorrect responses compared to fifty percent in the lecture group. The large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.43) and reduced performance variability among game participants indicate that interactive, feedback-rich learning environments can outperform passive instruction for this population and content domain. While the present design does not isolate the contribution of individual game elements—such as narrative framing, explanatory feedback, or mini-game interleaving—the results establish FLAG as a replicable model for digital health interventions targeting underserved populations at critical developmental junctures. Future component analyses are needed to determine which specific design features drive the observed advantages. © 2026 by the authors.
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Educational Chatbot for Basic Algebra: An Interactive System to Reinforce Mathematical Competencies in High School Students
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026)
Gómez Pérez, Bárbara Catalina
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Chacón-Castro, Marcos
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Valenzuela, María
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Jadán Guerrero, Janio
One of the most common problems experienced by high school students is difficulties in basic algebra. These obstacles often stem from early conceptual gaps that are not detected or corrected in time. Consequently, it is essential to design digital tools that facilitate teaching and learning among secondary school adolescents. The main purpose of this project is to describe the software design of an educational chatbot for basic algebra, detailing the system infrastructure and engineering requirements that support the chatbot, prioritizing its architecture over educational expectations, metrics, achievements, and impacts. Initially, a group of 40 high school students were given an algebra diagnostic test to identify common limitations in basic algebra topics typically taught in the eighth grade. Subsequently, descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the collected data to assess students’ performance and determine the thematic content for academic reinforcement. The chatbot was developed in Python and Streamlit as the application framework, since this combination allows seamless integration between backend and interface in a single platform. This project, in addition to presenting a data-driven educational solution, also contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by promoting equitable access to quality learning through technology software architecture for future valuations and continuous improvements. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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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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