Impact of Audiovisual Narrative on the Teaching of Dominican Social History

Abstract

This study analyses the impact of using audiovisual resources in the teaching of the course ‘Fundamentals of Dominican Social History’ at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). Using a qualitative approach, based on focus group discussions with students in the first cycle, the study explores their perceptions, experiences and assessments of the use of educational vídeos from the ‘Matices de la Historia’ channel as a teaching tool. The results show that audiovisual storytelling enhances understanding of the historical context, stimulates the development of critical and argumentative thinking, and strengthens students’ emotional connection with historical content. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of a hybrid pedagogical model that combines the use of audiovisual resources with academic texts and teacher guidance, thereby striking a balance between dynamism and academic rigour. Furthermore, the study also shows that the impact of audiovisual resources depends not only on their incorporation, but also on their pedagogical design, their coherence, and the didactic intent with which they are used in the teaching-learning process. Among the main limitations, students highlight the need to improve the technical and aesthetic quality of the materials, noting the absence of dynamic visual elements such as animations, interactive graphics and timelines. In this regard, there is a need to move towards the integration of advanced editing technologies and interactive formats that enhance meaningful learning of history in a university context.