Educating for Sustainability

A Didactic Proposal to Strengthen Students’ Competences

Abstract

The present research proposal was developed under the socio-cognitive constructivism paradigm, focusing on analyzing the incidence of a didactical proposal of education for sustainability on strengthening the competences of the Piloto University students in an environment and sustainability course. This was carried out within a socio-critical and action research perspective using semi-structured interviews and perception surveys where some elements that hindered the teaching and learning process were identified. The lack of articulation and knowledge of didactics and the use of generic competences in teachers were highlighted, as well as the simplicity when analyzing environmental contexts and the limited capacity to make proposals with this approach oriented to students. A didactic sequence, whose theoretical-practical and applied learning activities were based on the suggested contemporary didactics, was developed to improve students’ competences. Likewise, from the mixed dialogical method of focused systematic observation, whose analysis was descriptive, observation units related to transversal competences such as critical analysis, systemic thinking, a sense of responsibility towards present and future generations and collaborative decision making for sustainability were correlated. The record was made through focused observation grids counter-argued with the perceptions of the focus group, which supported the relevance of the intervention. Finally, the findings were represented in the progressive evolution of the group under study from the cognitive, behavioral and attitudinal value perspective, to achieve the initial purpose of this investigation.