BYTE: Integration of Narrative and Gamification for Teaching Programming in Educational Environments

In the current educational context, the teaching of programming faces challenges related to low motivation and difficulty of understanding by students without previous experience. This study addresses this problem by evaluating the educational video game BYTE, developed by the Bolivarian University of Ecuador, which integrates interactive narrative and gamification elements. The objective was to analyze its impact on motivation and learning of basic programming concepts. A mixed exploratory-descriptive methodology was used with 145 participants, applying a 27-question questionnaire and qualitative analysis of comments. The results show a high acceptance of the game, with no significant differences between teachers and students. Strong correlations were found between overall satisfaction and aspects such as educational usefulness and narrative design. In conclusion, BYTE is validated as an effective tool that promotes active learning, motivation and conceptual understanding, being applicable in mixed educational environments and adaptable to other disciplines.