El Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas como estrategia metodológica para el desarrollo del Pensamiento Crítico

In response to social changes and the need to redefine the role of the teacher and their pedagogical action, a central challenge arises: the lack of attention and understanding of critical thinking skills in the educational environment. Despite its vital importance, there is a considerable gap in its practice. This article analyzes Problem-Based Learning as a methodological strategy to foster critical thinking; it is based on a mixed research approach supported by the deductive-inductive, phenomenological and hermeneutic methods. The effects of this strategy on the teaching work are examined and a series of didactic guidelines are proposed to support the development of this skill. Given the rapid evolution of today's society, it is essential to educate citizens with the ability to make informed decisions and to participate actively in a constantly changing environment. It is concluded that teachers at the Ecuadorian unified general high school level are superficially familiar with PBL and its application is restricted by time limitations for planning and by the use of teaching-learning strategies with traditional approaches. The use of didactic strategies such as PBL promotes the development of mental operations and intellectual processes, and fosters awareness of the learning process.