From Play to Dance: A Handbook of Constructivist Strategies for Teaching Ecuadorian Native Rhythms in Teacher Training

Abstract

Initial teacher training in Physical Education in Ecuador faces the challenge of integrating the cultural and expressive dimension of national dance into pedagogical processes. The objective of this research was to diagnose the pedagogical needs of fifth-semester students in the Pedagogy of Physical Activity and Sports program at the Central University of Ecuador and, based on this diagnosis, to systematize methodological strategies for teaching Ecuadorian ancestral rhythms in Physical Education. The study followed a quantitative approach, with a descriptive scope and a diagnostic-propositional component, using a field-based, non-experimental, cross-sectional design. The population consisted of 90 students, to whom a Likert-scale questionnaire was administered. The instrument was validated through expert judgment and obtained a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89. The results showed a high need for specialized didactic guides: 87% required support to understand both theory and practice, 72% reported difficulties in relating cultural foundations to motor execution, and 68% indicated problems remembering sequences of basic steps. Ludic-inductive, sensory-corporeal, and pedagogical economy strategies were systematized and applied to the Yumbo, Danzante, and Inti Raymi rhythms. It is concluded that the proposal constitutes a relevant methodological basis for guiding the teaching of Ecuadorian ancestral dance.