Las prácticas de laboratorio y el aprendizaje significativo en ciencias naturales con estudiantes de décimo grado de educación general básica de la Unidad Educativa Juan León Mera “La Salle”, de la ciudad de Ambato

Abstract

This research project addresses the characteristics of laboratory practices and meaningful learning among tenth-grade students of General Basic Education in the subject of Natural Sciences at the Juan León Mera “La Salle” Educational Unit, located in the city of Ambato. The study responds to the need to strengthen pedagogical strategies that foster active participation in order to promote a deeper understanding of scientific content. A quantitativequalitative methodological approach was applied, under a non-experimental, cross-sectional descriptive design, using techniques such as surveys, interviews, observation, and descriptive statistical analysis. The findings reveal that although laboratory practices are adequately planned and students show interest, their implementation is sporadic and lacks sufficient opportunities for reflection and autonomous inquiry. Based on the analysis carried out, it is concluded that there is a solid theoretical foundation regarding the pedagogical value of experimental practices in the meaningful construction of knowledge. Furthermore, while students achieve the expected learning outcomes, very few attain a deep mastery of the content. Therefore, the need to implement laboratory practices in a systematic way is emphasized in order to enhance the quality of learning in Natural Sciences.