Impact of the documentaries from the project Por la ruta de la historia on the learning process of the subject Dominican history and constitutional education

Abstract

Audiovisual resources, such as documentaries, have become effective pedagogical tools to enhance teaching by linking academic content with visual narratives that promote meaningful learning. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived impact of the documentaries from the Por la Ruta de la Historia project on the learning process in the subjects Dominican History and Constitutional Education at the Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA). A quantitative, descriptive, and non-experimental cross-sectional approach was used. The population consisted of 913 students enrolled in the 2025-1 term, of whom 525 completed the questionnaire, representing 57.5% of the total. Participants viewed two documentaries integrated into weeks 2 and 4 of the academic program, addressing the National Constitution and the Restoration War, respectively. Data collection was conducted via Google Forms within the virtual classrooms, evaluating thematic coherence, motivation, and effectiveness. The results show that 72% of respondents perceived a strong connection between the documentaries and the course content; 64.4% reported increased motivation toward the subject matter, and 62.5% stated that the documentaries contributed positively to achieving the expected learning outcomes. In conclusion, the analyzed documentaries proved to be effective teaching tools for enhancing understanding and interest in historical content. However, it is recommended to adjust their duration to optimize their impact on students with different learning paces.