Enhancing the learning of differential equations: Implementation of open-source software at the Polytechnic School of Chimborazo

The objective of this research was to describe the significant learning experiences in the use of free software as a didactic strategy in the teaching of linear ordinary differential equations. In epistemological terms, the research scope was qualitative with the support of the phenomenological approach, operationalized through the techniques of documentary research, for the collection of secondary sources of proven academic value and; participant observation, which served at the same time to collect the subjective experiences of a group of students of four boys (2 men and 2 women) of the third semester of the Faculty of Mechanics of the Polytechnic School of Chimborazo in Ecuador. It is concluded that, in the constructivist vision of learning, free software fosters collaboration and teamwork, which are essential elements of learning in the 21st century. With a free and affordable platform like GeoGebra, all students can explore and experiment with differential equations, without the economic barriers that other resources can offer.