REVISTA KRONOS
INSTITUTO ACADÉMICO DE IDIOMAS REVISTA KRONOS
UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL ECUADOR 6(2), AGOSTO 2025 - ENERO 2026, PP. 38-51
pISSN 12631-2840
eISSN 2631-2859
kronos.idiomas@uce.edu.ec
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29166/kronos.v6i2.7976
CC BY-NC 4.0 —Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional
© 2026 Universidad Central del Ecuador
Karla Esther Espinoza Castro | Universidad Nacional de Educación, UNAE-Ecuador
Evelyn Aracely Cabrera Romero | Universidad Nacional de Educación, UNAE-Ecuador
Diana Elizabeth Chimbo Sumba | Universidad Nacional de Educación, UNAE-Ecuador
Erick Eduardo Quizhpi Guallpa | Universidad Nacional de Educación, UNAE-Ecuador
abstract Education in Ecuador has experienced significant transformations particularly related to policy and curric-
ulum. For example, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) indicators are used in
English curriculums. However, these changes do not seem to have impacted the methodology teachers use in class. In
this sense, Virtual Reality (VR) has become a powerful tool to innovate education to go hand in hand with the current
society and technology advancement. This study shows the pre-service students’ perceptions about using the software
Blender and Unity to develop 3D instructional materials to teach Science using English as the means of instruction. To
examine these perceptions, the authors created and delivered a training course about using Blender and Unity to 40
pre-service students. At the end of the course, the authors administered a questionnaire to identify their perceptions
concerning Unity and Blender. In general, pre-service students manifested that the course developed their skills to cre-
ate 3D instructional materials. However, problems related to the characteristics of computers and access to individual
devices detected pre-service students’ willingness to develop 3D instructional materials.
keywords educational technology, teaching Science, virtual reality, 3D instructional resources.
fecha de recepción 05/03/2025 fecha de aprobación 17/10/2025
Percepciones de los profesores en formación sobre el uso de Blender y Unity
para desarrollar materiales didácticos 3D para la enseñanza de las ciencias
resumen La educación en Ecuador ha experimentado transformaciones significativas, particularmente en el ámbito
de políticas públicas y diseños curriculares, es este sentido, un ejemplo notable es la incorporación de los indicadores
del Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCER) en los currículos de inglés. No obstante, estas
transformaciones no han generado un impacto equivalente en las metodologías implementadas por los docentes en el
aula. En este contexto, la Realidad Virtual (RV) emerge como una herramienta potencialmente transformadora para
la innovación educativa, permitiendo a las instituciones mantenerse a la vanguardia de las demandas de la sociedad
contemporánea y el acelerado avance tecnológico. La presente investigación analiza las percepciones de estudiantes
en formación docente respecto al uso de los softwares Blender y Unity para el desarrollo de materiales didácticos
tridimensionales orientados a la enseñanza de Ciencias, utilizando el inglés como medio de instrucción. Para exami-
nar dichas percepciones, se diseñó e implementó un curso de capacitación sobre el uso de Blender y Unity, en el cual
participaron 40 estudiantes de formación docente. Al finalizar la intervención, se aplicó una encuesta para identificar
sus valoraciones sobre ambas herramientas. Los resultados evidencian que, en términos generales, los participantes
reconocen que el curso contribuyó significativamente al desarrollo de competencias para la creación de materiales
didácticos en 3D. Sin embargo, se identificaron factores limitantes relacionados con las especificaciones técnicas de los
ordenadores disponibles y la falta de acceso a dispositivos individuales, elementos que disminuyeron la predisposición
de los futuros docentes hacia el desarrollo de materiales didácticos tridimensionales
palabras clave tecnología educativa, enseñanza de Ciencias, realidad virtual, recursos didácticos 3D.
Trainee teachers' perceptions on the use of Blender and Unity to
develop 3D didactic materials for science teaching
Espinoza K. et al
39REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
INTRODUCTION
Education in Ecuador has experienced significant transformations in the last decades. These
transformations revolve around the accessibility to education and the teaching and learning
methodology, both of which favor Ecuadorians. As a result, more people can access prima-
ry and secondary education, unlike some decades ago. Regarding the teaching methodol-
ogy, most teachers have been adapting their techniques and instructional resources to the
demands of the current society, aiming to improve the quality and equity of the education-
al system. An example of these changes is evident in the reform of the Ecuadorian consti-
tution in 2008, where education was declared a fundamental right and, therefore, free at
all levels (primary, secondary, and university). In tandem with this reform, the state cre-
ated quality standards and curriculum modifications at all educational levels, intending to
prepare citizens who adapt to the new predominant and evolving current trends (Consti-
tución de la República del Ecuador, 2008; Cabrera y Jerves, 2022) of the modern world.
In 2021, the Ministry of Education implemented the new prioritized curriculum
for the elemental, medium, and superior sublevels of General Basic Education and high
school. This modification highlighted the development of the communicational, mathemat-
ical, socioemotional, and digital competencies. With this new focus, the national authorities
aimed to prepare students for the contemporary world through a holistic teaching and
learning process.
Despite the government’s intention to change the country’s educational system,
some institutions still use traditional teaching methods, mainly based on lectures, which
tend to limit students’ active participation, restricting the development of their critical
and scientific thinking. Regarding infrastructure, an aspect beyond the teachers’ influence,
schools have few laboratories and few experimental and technological resources. Thus,
innovative methodologies must integrate knowledge experimentation and inquiry as the
cornerstone of primary and secondary education’s teaching and learning process.
In this context, it is paramount to mention the importance of English in the national
educational system. In Ecuador, English is taught both in private and public educational
institutions. In the public system, this language is taught from year two to the last year of
high school. However, despite its popularity, English language teaching in public schools
faces different challenges: a lack of specialized teachers, the absence of? innovative meth-
odologies, and continuity of learning (Murillo and Rosales, 2024). The limited number of
specialized teachers reduces the effectiveness of developing the students’ communicative
competency, particularly in primary education. Furthermore, Torres and Estrella (2022)
mention that teaching English in secondary education becomes more challenging since the
number of hours assigned to teach this subject is insufficient to achieve the English level
determined in the national English curriculum.
These challenges must be addressed using innovative approaches and considering the
technological advances and the diversity of the teaching and learning methodologies, dig-
ital tools can help improve the learning process. Among these emerging technologies, the
one that has been gaining popularity in education is Virtual Reality (vr). This technology
allows teachers to create immersive environments which facilitate students’ learning. In
the case of English Language Teaching (elt), vr provides students with the opportunity to
immerse in real-life situations. Creating environments that help teachers simulate situations
where students can interact with native speakers of English.
VR’s advantages to education, particularly to elt, are indisputable. Unfortunately,
English teachers do not usually take advantage of this tool because it is perceived as chal-
lenging. However, this perception is incorrect since vr is currently based on specialized
software, which, with proper training, allows teachers to create innovative teaching re-
sources (Espinoza et al., 2022; Soutto-Ferreira, et al., 2021).
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
40 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Training pre-service teachers on using these technologies prepares them to face the chal-
lenges of modern education. Additionally, integrating technological tools in pre-service
education contributes to developing the necessary digital competencies in the growing
technological world (Velastegui-Hernández, et al., 2024). Moreover, it allows pre-ser-
vice teachers to model immersive instructional materials that can be adapted to diverse
students’ educational needs. These resources also facilitate learning and increase students’
motivation and comprehension of abstract concepts, particularly in science. Above all, it
paves the way for integrating different areas, for instance, Science and elt, through inter-
active student experiences.
In this regard, the authors created and carried out a training course on using Blender
and Unity to provide technological skills to future experimental Science teachers. These
tools are free and allow teachers to develop interactive, tridimensional environments.
Blender transforms bidimensional images in 3D models, and Unity provides functionality
and motion (Hamid, et al., 2021). The objective of this course was to develop immersive
digital resources to facilitate the process of teaching and learning Science.
This study examines the pre-service teachers’ perceptions about the use of Blender
and Unity to create 3D instructional resources for teaching Science. Through this research,
the authors aim to identify the advantages and challenges of using these technological tools
to construct more dynamic, inclusive, and effective pedagogical practices.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (vr) is a technological system where a computer generates a digital envi-
ronment. In this environment, users can interact, operate, and visualize specific activities
in real time (Pimentel et al., 2023). With this technology, users can also create simula-
tions in 3D, which combine a multisensorial experience that mixes vision, hearing, and
touch to immerse users in a digital environment that simulates a physical context. More-
over, RV facilitates interaction with other users within a virtual environment (Toala et al.,
2020, Espinoza et al., 2022).
Virtual reality’s capacity to submerge users in digital environments is connected to the
concept of immersion. According to Pérez et al. (2021), this refers to the generation of
the perception of a physical presence in a world that is not real. According to the degree
of immersion, there are three levels of vr, namely, a) non-immersive, where users interact
with the virtual environment using a monitor of a computer, a mouse, and a keyword; b)
semi-immersive, where the visualization of the digital world is done through VR goggles;
and c) fully immersive when the users interact with the digital environment through the
use of specific devices such as vr gloves, vr shoes, vr headsets among other devices which
amplify the users’ sensorial experiences.
Virtual Reality in Education
In the educational field, vr has become a tool that has allowed teachers to enrich and re-
inforce their teaching and learning processes in the last decade. Its implementation favors
the development of students’ creativity, motivation, and interests. Additionally, vr facili-
tates the comprehension of abstract concepts and enhances the development of technolog-
ical and cooperative skills (Elias et al., 2021). This way, vr positively influences students’
academic performance, allowing teachers to create interactive and immersive experiences.
Espinoza K. et al
41REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Experiences that actively involve students and stimulate the development of critical think-
ing, problem-solving, and creativity.
VR can transform existing educational models, integrating theory and practice by
creating immersive student learning experiences. It also helps overcome the geographic
barriers of learning by offering students access to 3D replicated objects from different
places. This widens students’ learning opportunities in global contexts (Sousa et al.,
2021). Teachers can use vr to create the same activity in different languages, adjusting to
students’ specific needs in tandem with the diverse educational contexts. Time also does
not become an impediment since, through VR, teachers can recreate historical scenarios in
different époques, amplifying the students’ capacity to assimilate knowledge (Magallanes
et al., 2021).
Virtual Reality in English Language Teaching
VR has emerged as an innovative tool in elt because it allows students to interact in dig-
ital environments that simulate situations where real communication exchanges occur.
When English teachers use vr, they facilitate the development of linguistic skills, particu-
larly oral comprehension and speaking fluency, since they can situate students in different
interactive contexts where they practice the language in a natural and pertinent manner
(Ordóñez-Proce et al., 2023). Practicing English in natural contexts increases students’
confidence and reduces their anxiety when using the language with others.
When teachers incorporate vr in their language classes, there is a high student accep-
tance rate since it adapts to their interests and expectations (Agurto y Guevara, 2023).
According to Moreno and Galván (2020), vr enhances active and collaborative method-
ologies that increase students’ participation and engagement. Similarly, Pérez-Barioluengo
et al. (2024) add that this technology contributes to developing the students’ technological
competencies, increasing their learning commitment. Since teachers are moving from a
traditional memorization method to more interactive and immersive learning experiences,
students retain their knowledge and improve their grades in English.
To take advantage of the vr benefits, combining vr knowledge, teacher training, and
the application of innovative teaching methods to achieve significant learning and, in the
case of English, the development of linguistic competency is paramount.
Virtual Reality in Teaching Science
In the teaching context, Science is a subject that revolves around teaching and learning
natural phenomena using English as the means of instruction. Turpo-Gebera and Gonza-
les-Miñán (2020) mention that Science refers to the «science of doing» based on explor-
ing and identifying natural processes using a scientific approach to create regulated and
controlled natural scenarios. However, teaching Science faces different challenges.
According to Valenceja (2021), Spanish-speaking students have difficulties in these
classes due to the linguistic barrier since this subject is taught in a different linguistic code.
Furthermore, Robles (2021) adds that the standard methodology used in Science is a
lecture, which promotes temporal learning based on memorization that limits the compre-
hension of content and knowledge application. Pérez and Martínez-Aznar (2020) high-
light that to learn this subject effectively, it is necessary to incorporate experimental and
contextualized activities connected to reality where students can visualize and manipulate
knowledge. In these regards, VR helps teachers make the teaching and learning process in
Science more effective because they can generate dynamic and visual environments. Envi-
ronments that promote students’ interaction with their peers and their teachers. Teachers
who infuse vr into their teaching practice can integrate different elements that reinforce
the theoretical content from an experimental approach.
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
42 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Concerning the target language, Science teachers can present the information to their stu-
dents in English in a contextualized and interactive manner, primarily using technical and
scientific vocabulary pertinent to the Science content. In this sense, vr bridges the gap be-
tween traditional and innovative methods, transforming students’ learning experiences by
making them more immersive and interactive.
Challenges of using Virtual Reality in Education
The implementation of vr in education poses challenges that need to be faced by educa-
tion stakeholders to plan effective strategies for its proper application in educational insti-
tutions and minimize the adverse effects that changes of this nature can bring.
The vr faces problems involving physical and technological infrastructure, internet
access, and a lack of technological competencies among teachers. Physical and technological
infrastructure refers to the availability of enough space for students and classrooms and
technological devices, such as computers and peripherals. Proper and stable internet access
is fundamental so vr systems can operate without problems. Finally, the technological com-
petencies are necessary to adapt and apply the right educational applications and platforms
(Crespo et al., 2024). Another challenge of using vr in education is the one mentioned by
Morales-Cadena et al. (2024); they highlight that one of the main challenges is the lack
of investment in technological devices needed for correctly using vr. Thus, it is necessary
that stakeholders try to look for enough funding so their educational institutions can ben-
efit from the advantages that vr can offer to innovation in education independently of the
student’s socioeconomic context.
Beyond the mentioned challenges, another problem is that some teachers resist
adopting innovative methodologies in their teaching practices and prefer to maintain the
traditional teaching methods with which they are more familiar. As regards data protection,
teachers must be aware of data management and take the necessary actions to protect this
information (Peña y Cuzco, 2023).
The role of teachers in Virtual Reality
To properly infuse vr in education, the teacher’s role is fundamental in all stages, for in-
stance, in the design, development, and application of vr. Lerma et al. (2020) mention
that VR is an innovative didactic tool. However, teachers must be qualified for its appli-
cation. Teachers’ capacity to adapt to the pedagogical demands and their flexibility to use
the emerging technologies are key factors for an effective practical integration of vr in
teaching and learning.
García-Herrera and Guevara-Vizcaíno (2024) coincide that vr is a facilitator of
change and is presented as a revolutionary resource that enhances a transformation in the
teaching and learning process. Thus, teachers must be familiar with the resources and con-
tents pertinent to vr. The teachers also need to know the technical use of the vr resources
and can use them to create practices that enhance the development of cognitive, critical,
and collaborative skills.
vr activities design must be related to the effective transformation of knowledge and
teaching methodologies. For this reason, teachers must combine pedagogy with technology.
In this sense, during the planning stage, teachers must consider students’ academic and
linguistic level, the contents to teach, key concepts, learning theories, and students’ special
needs. Including these elements allows teachers to optimize vr’s potential as a pedagogical
tool (Angulo et al., 2023).
Espinoza K. et al
43REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
METHODOLOGY
This study aims to answer the following research question:
RQ: What are the pre-service students’ perceptions of using Blender and Unity to develop
3D instructional materials to teach Science?
In order to answer this question, the authors organized a training course on using Blend-
er and Unity to model 3D human organs to teach Science. The course consisted of six in-
struction hours for four weeks and was offered to pre-service students. The content of
the course was: a) anatomic modeling and texturization to create 3D human organs, b)
exporting 3D models from Blender to Unity, guaranteeing correct materials transfer and
texture, c) developing interactive animations in Unity to simulate biological behavior (ex-
pansion, contraction and turning) through animator, d) implementing particles systems to
represent biological effects, e) acknowledging the advantages of Blender and Unity soft-
ware to teach Science. Furthermore, the authors delivered the course using the institu-
tional moddle platform.
After finishing the course, the authors designed? and applied a survey to capture the
pre-service students’ perceptions about using Blender and Unity to develop 3D instruc-
tional materials to teach Science. A survey is defined as a quantitative research method
composed of items aiming at drawing responses from a population or a sample (Aarons,
2020). This specific survey aimed to analyze how pre-service students perceived the ef-
fectiveness of using Blender and Unity to develop instructional resources to teach Science.
Following the survey design, the authors constructed a questionnaire comprising
fourteen items grouped in three sections. The first section aimed at exploring the char-
acteristics of the participants; the second examined the extent of the methodology of the
training course to understand Blender and Unity; the third students’ overall satisfaction
with the resources used in the training course.
Two of the fourteen items were multiple choice, and a Likert scale was used for
the twelve remaining items. The objective of this scale was to provide respondents the
opportunity to rate their satisfaction and usability of Blender and Unity in developing
instructional materials.
When the questionnaire draft was finished, the authors had it validated by two experts.
In general, they did not suggest structural changes. Their comments mainly referred to the
wording of some items, being more concise when writing the items, and avoiding using
technical words to facilitate the respondents’ comprehension. Henceforth, the authors
accepted the experts’ comments and piloted the instrument.
The authors piloted the questionnaire with eleven pre-service students. These respon-
dents had the same characteristics as the actual respondents but did not answer the final
questionnaire. The data from these eleven students was coded, and using the jasp software,
the authors computed the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to measure the reliability (internal
consistency) of the questionnaire. The value obtained was 0.841, meaning the instrument
had a good consistency. To do a deeper analysis the authors computed the individual item’s
reliability; the results are presented in Table 1.
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
44 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Table 1. Individual Item Reliability
Item Cronbach’s
Type of high school 0,864
Did you use your computer in the training? 0,841
Do you think your computer’s performance when using blender was optimal? 0,851
Did your computer’s technical specifications allow optimal performance of blender and
unity during the workshop?
0,880
Did the blender and unity workshop draw your interest and encourage you to actively
participate in the proposed activities?
0,825
Do you feel you had the necessary prior knowledge and basic technical skills to use the
software in the workshop?
0,824
was it easy to understand the basic functions of blender and unity? 0,831
Do you think the organization of the lessons facilitated a clear and effective understand-
ing of the content?
0,845
Do you think the role played by the researchers during the workshop was appropriate
to optimize learning?
0,817
Were the answers or solutions provided by the researchers clear and did they help re-
solve the questions raised during the workshop effectively?
0,802
Did the workshop allow you to acquire the skills necessary to create 3d educational
resources in blender and unity?
0,799
Are you satisfied with the teaching resources used in the workshop? 0,796
Do you think your personal characteristics (training, technological resources, skills)
influenced how you perceived the workshop’s effectiveness?
0,801
Would you be interested in participating in future workshops to further your learning
and use of blender and unity?
0,805
Table 1 shows the results of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient computed per each item. The
majority of the items showed good consistency, considering that the values were higher
than 0.8. Only items 11 and 12 showed an acceptable consistency. Based on these results,
and considering the results of most of the items, the authors administered the question-
naire to the forty students who attended the training course using Google Forms.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The authors used the software jasp to conduct the statistical analysis using the question-
naire data. To present the results in this section, the authors grouped them in three sec-
tions as follows.
Participants Characteristics
The forty participants who attended the course were pre-service students enrolled in third
semester of the Education in Experimental Sciences Undergraduate Program in a public
university. These students come from different types of high schools. In Ecuador, there
are two types, general high school [Bachillerato General Unificado] where all students fin-
ish their secondary studies with general knowledge, and technical high schools where stu-
dents specialized in a technical profession, for instance, mechanics.
Espinoza K. et al
45REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Students access university teaching undergraduate programs regardless the high school di-
ploma they have. This results in a variation of students’ existing knowledge when they at-
tend university, as shown below in Graph 1.
Graph 1. High School Diploma of the Pre-service Students
Graph 1 shows that most participants (65%) come from general high school [Bachillerato
General Unificado]. This means that, in theory, they have almost the same general knowl-
edge. Or at least they have received the same academic content in their high schools. Op-
posite to the 35% of participants from technical high schools, whose knowledge is more
in the technical areas than Sciences in general.
To use Unity and Blender, participants must have basic knowledge of how computers
operate and a personal computer which must not be basic. The inconvenience with a basic
computer is that these two programs are too heavy to run properly in these devices. For
example, the operating system needs to be minimum Windows 10, Big Sur 11 for Mac
OS or Ubuntu 24.04, and a minimum ram of 8 GB to avoid problems using Unity and
Blender. In this sense, 42,5% of participants mentioned that they did not have issues with
their computer performance. Whereas the remaining 57,5% mentioned their work with
the software was affected.
During the course, 60% of pre-service students owned a computer. The rest shared
one with their classmates or borrowed one from friends or family. This limited the
pre-service students’ time to practice autonomously outside the classes. About the tech-
nical characteristics of the computers, 60% of participants mentioned that their devices
met the requirements for installation and work with Unity and Blender. On the other
hand, 32,5% stated that their computers worked adequately on some occasions, and 7%
mentioned that their computers did not allow them to work on the course due to their
technical limitations.
Participants’ Satisfaction with the Methodology Used in the Training Course
To measure the level of satisfaction with the training course, the authors used a Likert scale
with five options as follows: a) strongly agree, b) agree, c) neither agree nor disagree, d)
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
46 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
disagree, and e) strongly disagree per each item. The participant’s selections are shown
below in Table 2.
Table 2. Participants’ Satisfaction with the Course
Items 1 (%) 2 (%) 3(%) 4(%) 5(%)
The training course increased Interest and active participation 25 42,5 22,5 5 5
It was not difficult to understand the basic functions of Unity
and Blender with the instructor’s explanations
22,5 35 35 7,5 0
The curriculum organization was clear, and the sequence helped
achieve the learning outcomes
25 55 20 0 0
The instructors answered all my questions and concerns about
the use of Unity and Blender effectively
30 55 12,5 2,5 0
The course helped participants develop their skills in modeling
3D instructional materials
30 47,5 22,5 0 0
* Strongly agree= 1; agree = 2; neither agree nor disagree = 3; disagree = 4; strongly disagree = 5
Table 2 shows that pre-service students were generally satisfied with the training course.
Particularly with the instructors, 30% of participants strongly agreed, and 55% agreed that
the instructors solved their questions and concerns about using Unity and Blender. This
is a crucial aspect to consider since the instructors are the ones that define the effective-
ness and quality of the course. Also, they need to be very knowledgeable of the content
since they must solve all their students’ doubts and concerns that emerge in all teaching
and learning processes. Moreover, when Science is the «science of doing» (Turpo-Geb-
era and Gonzales-Miñán, 2020). Science and the English linguistic competency are un-
derstood and developed through the implementation of practical activities that resemble
real-life scenarios.
The second aspect of the training course that participants valued was the organization
of its curriculum; 25% of participants strongly agreed, and 55% agreed with this aspect.
This shows the significance of a well-organized and contextualized curriculum in achieving
learning outcomes. VR is an innovative tool in teaching; however, to make the most of
it, teachers need to know how to use it (Lerma et al.,2020). Well-qualified teachers can
develop quality interactive resources using vr.
Apart from the technical knowledge, participants needed to develop their skills to
model the instructional materials in 3D. This course was also successful; 30% of par-
ticipants strongly agreed, and also 47,5% agreed. This high percentage of pre-service
teachers agreeing that they have developed their skills to develop instructional materials
in 3D shows the effectiveness of the course. However, 22.5% of participants exhibited
indifference (neither agree nor disagree) in this facet. These results can be connected
to the limitations and performance of the participants’ computers, as explained in the
previous section. These limitations can also be connected to the participants’ difficulties
in understanding the essential function of Unity and Blender where 35% of pre-service
teachers chose the option neither agree nor disagree. In the same vein, 35% selected the
same choise (neither agree nor disagree) regarding their interest and active participation
in the course. These late results can also be linked to pre-service teachers’ limitations with
their computers.
Satisfaction with the Resources Used in the Course
The four authors were the instructors of this course, and the instructional resources they
used were interactive presentations, instructional videos, and the software Blender and
Unity installed on their personal computers. Except for the software, all resources were
uploaded on the moodle. To measure the level of satisfaction with the resources used in
Espinoza K. et al
47REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
the training course, the authors used a Likert scale with five options as follows: a) strong-
ly agree, b) agree, c) neither agree nor disagree, d) disagree, and e) strongly disagree per
each item. The pre-service teachers’ selections are shown below in Table 3.
Table 3. Participants’ Satisfaction with the Course
Items 1(%) 2(%) 3(%) 4(%) 5(%)
The resources used in the training course facilitated
the understanding of Unity and Blender
35 40 20 5 0
The access to the resources and the pre-service teach-
ers’ level of technical knowledge helped them under-
stand the use of Unity and Blender
20 60 15 5 0
The resources helped develop pre-service teachers’
skills in using Unity and Blender regardless of their
previous knowledge
40 42,5 15 2,5 0
* Strongly agree= 1; agree = 2; neither agree nor disagree = 3; disagree = 4; strongly disagree = 5
Table 3 shows that the resources used in the training course were effective and well re-
ceived by the pre-service teachers, helping them achieve the learning outcomes. For in-
stance, 35% of participants strongly agreed, and 40% agreed that the resources used by the
authors facilitated the understanding of Unity and Blender. The remaining 20% showed
indifference (neither agree nor disagree) to the resources, which can be explained by the
pre-service teachers’ limitations have with accessing computers and the technical limita-
tions of some computers. Concerning the access to the resources and pre-service teach-
ers’ technical knowledge, 35% of participants strongly agreed, and 40% agreed that they
could access the resources without any complication. The ease of access to the resourc-
es can be the result of the use of moodle since the resources are available to students at
any time. Furthermore, it is important to mention that the accessibility to resources and
its quality bridged the gap between existing technical knowledge of some participants and
the new acquired knowledge of the rest of the pre-service teachers. This was also rein-
forced when the 40% of participants strongly agreed and 42,5% agreed that the resourc-
es used in the course helped them develop their skills Unity and Blender regardless their
previous knowledge in this area.
The general course participants’ agreement that the training course was effective and
allowed then to improve their skills in the modeling instructional resources in 3D is key.
Hence VR has become a driver of change which is paving the way for revolutionary chang-
es in education (García-Herrera y Guevara-Vizcaíno, 2024), it is necessary that teachers
construct these types of instructional resources and use them in their classes. Particularly
in teaching Science because it allows students to be immerse in different environments
where they can combine learning scientific content and, at the same time, develop their
English linguistic competence.
CONCLUSIONS
The current society is experiencing change due to technological development and global-
ization. Thus, teachers need to adapt to these changes and use new methodologies that go
in tandem with the demands of the modern society. In this sense, Virtual Reality is funda-
mental in helping teachers create innovative 3D instructional materials. vr has the poten-
tial to immerse students in interactive scenarios that resemble reality and favors learning
Science in English.
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
48 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
Creating 3D instructional materials requires teachers to have knowledge and technical
skills in Blender and Unity. For this reason, training teachers in this area is fundamen-
tal. This study shows that pre-service students value vr’s potential for teaching Science
in English, and they recognize that training develops their skills regardless of previous
knowledge. However, it is important to consider that teachers need computers with specific
characteristics that allow Unity and Blender to run correctly. Therefore, the availability of
updated devices is a must, which, on the other hand, may become a disadvantage in case
teachers cannot access these devices.
CONTRIBUTOR ROLES
Karla Espinoza: Conceptualization, methodology design, results analysis and description,
graph creation, original draft writing, review and editing, final manuscript preparation.
Evelyn Cabrera: Literature review, data collection, introduction writing, review and
editing, formal analysis.
Diana Chimbo: Literature review, data collection, survey design, conclusions writing,
and editing support.
Erick Quizpe: Literature review, data collection, survey design, conclusions writing,
and editing support.
ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS
The authors state that there are no ethical implications.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declare that there are no financial and non-financial conflicts of interest that
could have influenced the work presented.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This is part of the research project entitled cori-unae2022-1 «biochem-arsimlab». funded
by the Universidad Nacional de Educación, Azogues, Ecuador.
REFERENCES
Angulo, G., Lewis, F., Plante, P., y Brassard, C. (2023). Estado del arte sobre el uso de la
realidad virtual, la realidad augmentada y el video 360 en educación superior. Edutec,
Revista Electrónica de Tecnología Educativa, (84), 35-51. https://edutec.es/revista/index.
php/edutec-e/article/view/2769
Agurto, J., y Guevara, C. (2024). Realidad virtual para la mejora del rendimiento académi-
co en estudiantes de educación superior. Revista Metropolitana de Ciencias Aplicadas,
Espinoza K. et al
49REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
6(S2), 233-243. https://dspace.ucacue.edu.ec/items/bc76b86f-ded2-4514-925a-
83013225b9fe
Aquino-Rojas, M., Aquino-Macias, I., Macias-Silva, E., y García-Alcívar, N. (2024).
Análisis del discurso en la enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera. Polo del
conocimiento, 9(8), 2449-2457. https://polodelconocimiento.com/ojs/index.php/es/
article/view/7830
Aarons, H. (2020). A practical introduction to survey design: a beginner’s guide.
Ayón-Parrales y Víctores-Pérez. (2020). La simulación: Estrategia de apoyo en la enseñan-
za de las Ciencias Naturales en básica y bachillerato, Portoviejo, Ecuador. Ciencias de
la educación, 6 (2), 04-22. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7467929
Cabrera, F., y Jerves, E. (2022). Evaluación y acreditación de la educación superior en
Ecuador: La Universidad de Cuenca como caso de estudio. Revista Educación Superior
y Sociedad, 34(1), 155-180. https://ess.iesalc.unesco.org/index.php/ess3/article/view/
v34i1-6
Crespo, V., Moyota, A., Salinas, H., y Logos, G. (2024). Virtual Reality in The University
Classroom: Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching in Higher Edu-
cation. Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental, 18(8), e06373-e06373.1-14. https://rgsa.
openaccesspublications.org/rgsa/article/view/6373
Constitución de la República del Ecuador. (2008). Registro Oficial N° 449. Asamblea
Nacional Constituyente, https://www.asambleanacional.gob.ec
Elias, C., Vargas, S., y Castillo, K. (2021). La realidad virtual en la experiencia educativa
de pregrado. Delectus, 4(1), 139-145. https://www.inicc-peru.edu.pe/revista/index.
php/delectus/article/view/72
Espinoza-Castro, K., Plaza-Chalco, L., Bravo-Guzhñay, F., y Mogrovejo-Mogrovejo, M.
(2024). Realidad Virtual y educación: retos y propuestas desde actores educativos del
bachillerato público en Ecuador. Atenas, nro. 62, e10771, 1-13. https://atenas.umcc.
cu/index.php/atenas/article/view/912
García-Herrera, E., y Guevara-Vizcaíno, C. (2024). Realidad Virtual como estrategia
didáctica: Retos y propuestas desde los docentes de Azogues-Ecuador. Revista Mexi-
cana de Investigación e Intervención Educativa, 3(2), 127-138. https://pablolatapisarre.
edu.mx/revista/index.php/rmiie/article/view/97
Hamid, M., Rahman1, S., Darmawan, I., Fatkhurrokhman, M., Nurtanto, M. (2021). Per-
formance efficiency of virtual laboratory based on Unity 3D and Blender during the
Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. https://iopscience.iop.org/
article/10.1088/1742-6596/2111/1/012054/pdf
Lerma, L., Rivas, D., Adame, J., Ledezma, F., López, H., y Ortiz, C. (2020). Realidad Virtual
como técnica de enseñanza en Educación Superior: perspectiva del usuario. Enseñanza
& Teaching: Revista Interuniversitaria De Didáctica, 38(1), 111–123. https://revistas.
usal.es/tres/index.php/0212-374/article/view/et2020381111123/24521
Magallanes, J., Rodríguez, Q., Carpio, Á., y López, M. (2021). Simulación y realidad virtual
aplicada a la educación. Reciamuc, 5(2), 101-110. https://www.reciamuc.com/index.
php/RECIAMUC/article/view/651
Mendoza-Mendoza, R., y Loor-Carmargo, I. (2022). Estrategias Didácticas para la En-
señanza de las Ciencias Naturales y Desarrollo del Pensamiento Científico. Dominio
de las ciencias, 8(1), 859-875. https://dominiodelasciencias.com/ojs/index.php/es/
article/view/2527/5648
Ministerio de Educación. (2021). Currículo priorizado con énfasis en competencias co-
municacionales, matemáticas, digitales y socioemocionales: Nivel Bachillerato. https://
EFL Teacher Professional Development Considerations: A Case study in Different Schools of Cañar Province.
50 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2022/03/Curriculo-con-enfa-
sis-en-CC-CM-CD-CS_-Bachillerato.pdf
Morales-Cadena, J., Alejandro-Muñoz, M., y Moran-Borja, L. (2024). Impacto de la
realidad virtual en el proceso de aprendizaje en estudiantes de bachillerato. Revista
Arbitrada Interdisciplinaria Koinonía, 9(17), 203-220. https://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?
pid=S2542-30882024000100203&script=sci_arttext
Moreno, N., y Galván, M. (2020). Realidad aumentada y realidad virtual para la creación
de escenarios de aprendizaje de la lengua inglesa desde un enfoque comunicativo. Re-
vista DIM: Didáctica, Innovación y Multimedia, (38). https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/
articulo?codigo=7489318
Murillo, G., y Rosales, R. (2024). Incidencia del uso de las tic en la enseñanza aprendizaje
del idioma inglés en estudiantes de bachillerato General Unificado. reciamuc, 114-122.
https://reciamuc.com/index.php/RECIAMUC/article/view/1358/2167
Ordóñez-Procel, G., Freire-Medina, M., Ortiz-Joutteaux, M., y Herrera-Lopez, A. (2023).
Realidad Virtual en la Enseñanza del Inglés: Inmersión y Práctica. MQRInvesti-
gar, 7(2), 1680-1702. https://www.investigarmqr.com/ojs/index.php/mqr/article/
view/424
Ortiz, E., Adúriz-Bravo, A., y Tuay, R. (2024). La incidencia del pensamiento crítico en
la enseñanza de las ciencias en secundaria. Góndola, Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de las
Ciencias, 19(3), 564–582. https://doi.org/10.14483/23464712.21496
Peña, A., y Cuzco, E. (2023). Hacia un Aprendizaje Conectado: Realidad Virtual como
Herramienta Transformadora en la Educación de Telecomunicaciones. Código Científ-
ico Revista De Investigación, 4(2), 165–194. https://revistacodigocientifico.itslosandes.
net/index.php/1/article/view/236
Pérez-Barrioluengo, E., Ferreira, C., García-Díaz, A., y Vidal, J. (2024). Realidad virtual
inmersiva en la enseñanza de inglés en Educación Primaria según la percepción del
profesorado. En F. Sirignano, R. Matinez-Roig, y A. López (Eds.), Enseñanza y apren-
dizaje en la era digital desde la investigación y la innovación (pp.300-308). Octaedro.
https://rua.ua.es/dspace/handle/10045/150308
Pérez, S., y Martínez-Aznar, M. (2020). El proceso de implantación del bilingüismo en
Science en un centro concertado de Primaria y Secundaria. Revista complutense de ed-
ucación, 31(1). https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/RCED/article/view/61723
Pérez, S., Muñoz, A., Stefanoni, M., y Carbonari, D. (2021). Realidad virtual, aprendizaje
inmersivo y realidad aumentada: Casos de Estudio en Carreras de Ingeniería. En F.
Frati. (Eds.). xxiii Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación (pp. 963-
968). https://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/120930
Pimentel, M., Zambrano, B., Mazzini, K., y Villamar, M. (2023). Realidad virtual, reali-
dad aumentada y realidad extendida en la educación. recimundo: Revista Científica de
la Investigación y el Conocimiento, 7(2), 74-88. https://recimundo.com/index.php/es/
article/view/2027
Porlán, R., Pérez-Robles, A. y Delord, G. (2024). La didáctica de las ciencias y la for-
mación docente del profesorado universitario. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 42(1), 5-22.
https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/ensciencias.5998
Reinoso-Avecillas, R., y Chicaiza-Aucapiña, D. (2022). Referenciales de la calidad en la
educación tecnológica superior ecuatoriana. Sophia, colección de Filosofía de la Educación,
33, pp. 279-309. https://sophia.ups.edu.ec/index.php/sophia/article/view/5987
Robles, S. (2021). La enseñanza de science en Educación Primaria: metodologías in-
novadoras como forma óptima de trabajo. [Tesis de grado, Universidad De Vall-
Espinoza K. et al
51REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859
adolid Facultad de Educación de Palencia]. UVaDOC. https://uvadoc.uva.es/han-
dle/10324/49273
Saavedra, J., Jiménez, E., Chamba, L., y Lalangui, R. (2024). La didáctica de las ciencias
como una opción metodológica para la apropiación conceptual de los contenidos de
la asignatura de Química y Física. LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales
y Humanidades 5 (5), 3626–3638. https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v5i5.2884
Sousa, R., Campanari, R., y Rodrigues, A. (2021). La realidad virtual como herramienta
para la educación básica y profesional. Revista Científica General José María Córdova,
19(33), 223-241. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S1900-6586202100010
0223&script=sci_arttext
Sousa-Ferreira, R., Campanari-Xavier, R., y Rodrigues-Ancioto, A. (2021). La realidad vir-
tual como herramienta para la educación básica y profesional. Revista Científica General
José María Córdova, 19(33), 223–241. https://doi.org/10.21830/19006586.728
Toala, J., Arteaga, J., Quintana, J., y Santana, M. (2020). La Realidad Virtual como herra-
mienta de innovación educativa. episteme koinonia: Revista Electrónica de Ciencias de la
Educación, Humanidades, Artes y Bellas Artes, 3(5), 270-286. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/
servlet/articulo?codigo=8976605
Torres, C., y Estrella, L. (2022). Retos y desafíos en el proceso de aprendizaje del inglés:
reflexiones y perspectivas. Revista Scientific, 7(24), 255-271, e -ISSN: 2542-2987.
https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2022.7.24.13.255-271
Turpo-Gebera, O., y Gonzales-Miñán, M. (2020). La enseñanza de las ciencias en edu-
cación básica: representaciones didácticas del profesorado. Publicaciones, 50(2), 187-
201. https://shs.hal.science/halshs-02876559/document
Vaca, S., Guerrero, A., García, C y Gil, L. (2024). El Bachillerato como preparación para
la Educación Superior en Ecuador. Revista Social Fronteriza, 4(5): e45435. https://doi.
org/10.59814/resofro.2024.4(5)435
Valenceja, R. (2021). Metodología learning by doing aplicada a Science en educación pri-
maria. [Tesis de grado, Universidad De Valladolid Facultad de Educación de Palencia].
UVaDOC. https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/51006
Velastegui-Hernández, R., Hernández-Chérrez, E., Hernández-Del Salto, S., y Mayor-
ga-Ases, M. (2024). Competencias de la Educación Superior en Ecuador. 593 Digital
Publisher CEIT, 9(4-1), 118-129. https://doi.org/10.33386/593dp.2024.4-1.2682