Environmental education mediated by information and communication technologies

Abstract

Currently, it is important to promote a committed and responsible citizenship towards environmental conservation. Active methodologies, which integrate Information and Communication Technologies, have gained relevance in this field. Media and Information Literacy is fundamental for the effective management of technologies. This study addresses the problem of the limited integration of information and communication technologies in environmental education in Cuba, due to the absence of clear policies on their responsible use in classrooms, deficiencies in infrastructure, unequal access, and lack of teacher training. The objective was to design a system of workshops aimed at fifth-grade students at the Amistad Cuba-México school through the pedagogical use of information and communication technologies to contribute to comprehensive education aligned with the sustainable development goals. Theoretical methods were used to establish the theoretical and methodological foundations of environmental education mediated by information and communication technologies. Empirical methods were employed to diagnose the current state of this environmental education among students. The design of the workshops was based on participatory action research, educommunication, and active methodologies. The implementation and evaluation through a survey demonstrated that the integration of information and communication technologies contributed to environmental education. The workshops sparked significant student interest in local environmental issues and raised their awareness about the importance of adopting sustainable lifestyles.