DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETENCIES THROUGH ACTIVE METHODOLOGIES: THEORETICAL-DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS

Abstract

Environmental education has become a key component in preparing citizens capable of understanding and addressing current socio-environmental challenges. To achieve this, it is necessary to move beyond traditional approaches and promote pedagogical proposals that foster active participation, critical reflection, and responsible action. This article aims to analyze, through a literature review, the contributions of active pedagogies to the development of environmental competencies in educational contexts. The study was conducted through a critical analysis of twenty-four academic documents published between 2014 and 2025, including 18 doctoral dissertations, 1 master’s thesis, and 5 scientific articles. The search engines and databases used were Google Scholar, Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, Dialnet, and university institutional repositories, including the repository of the Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador (UPEL). This was complemented by a systematic selection process based on criteria of thematic relevance, methodological rigor, and educational significance. The information was organized into emerging categories such as active pedagogies, environmental competencies, the teacher’s role, and the contextualization of learning. The results show that strategies such as project-based learning, ecopedagogy, active teaching units, and the pedagogical use of technologies foster the development of environmental competencies by promoting meaningful, contextualized, and action-oriented learning. However, limitations were identified related to teacher training, competency assessment, and the superficial implementation of these methodologies. It is concluded that active pedagogies represent a relevant pathway for strengthening environmental education when integrated in a critical and coherent manner.