Developing Sustainability Competencies Through Active Learning Strategies Across School and University Settings

Carmen Castaño, Ricardo Caballero, Juan Carlos Noguera, Miguel Chen Austin, Bolivar Bernal, Antonio Alberto Jaén-Ortega and Maria De Los Angeles Ortega-Del-Rosario ()
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Carmen Castaño: Research Group in Industrial Engineering (Giii), Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Panama City 0819-07289, Panama
Ricardo Caballero: Research Group in Industrial Engineering (Giii), Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Panama City 0819-07289, Panama
Juan Carlos Noguera: Industrial Design, School of Design, College of Art and Design, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
Miguel Chen Austin: Centro de Investigación e Innovación Eléctrica, Mecánica y de la Industria (CINEMI), Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Panama City 0819-07289, Panama
Bolivar Bernal: Research Group in Industrial Engineering (Giii), Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Panama City 0819-07289, Panama
Antonio Alberto Jaén-Ortega: Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Maria De Los Angeles Ortega-Del-Rosario: Sistema Nacional de Investigación (SNI), Clayton, City of Knowledge Building 205, Panama City 0816-02852, Panama

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-38

Abstract: The transition toward sustainable production requires engineering and science education to adopt active, interdisciplinary, and practice-oriented teaching strategies. This article presents a comparative analysis of two educational initiatives implemented in Panama aimed at fostering sustainability competencies at the university and secondary school levels. The first initiative, developed at the Technological University of Panama, integrates project-based learning and circular economy principles into an extracurricular module focused on production planning, sustainable design, and quality management. Students created prototypes using recycled HDPE and additive manufacturing technologies within a simulated startup environment. The second initiative, carried out in two public secondary schools, applied project- and challenge-based learning through the Design Thinking framework, supporting teachers and students in addressing real-world sustainability challenges. Both programs emphasize hands-on learning, creativity, and iterative development, embedding environmental awareness and innovation in both formal and informal educational settings. The article identifies key opportunities and challenges in implementing active methodologies for sustainability education. Challenges such as limited infrastructure and rigid schedules were identified, along with lessons learned for future implementation. Students connected local issues to global goals like the SDGs and saw themselves as agents of change. These initiatives offer practical models for advancing sustainability education through innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Keywords: active learning methodologies; design thinking; sustainable development education; sustainability competencies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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