Aprendizaje por problemas: La experiencia del proyecto “Desafiando mi creatividad pedagógica” en la formación docente del estudiantado de la carrera de Pedagogía con énfasis en Educación Preescolar y Primera Infancia de la Universidad Nacional, Costa

Aim. This article systematizes the experience of two practice courses of the Pedagogy career with an emphasis on Preschool and Early Childhood Education (abbreviated as PEEP-PRI) from the National University, Costa Rica, regarding the critical skills developed by the students from the project Challenging my pedagogical creativity. Methodology. The methodological approach is based on problem-based learning that proposes the theory-practice relationship with the resolution of problems experienced in a specific context. Both courses propose the Challenging my Pedagogical Creativity project, which aims to help students identify challenging situations and develop critical skills through specific pedagogical innovation responses. A total of 33 students from level II and 20 students from level IV of the PEEP-PRI program participated, taking the courses on Pedagogical Mediation Experiences from birth to 3 years, and Cognitive and Learning in Early Childhood, respectively, in the year 2022. The methodological design corresponds to action research; pedagogical planning and the systematization of experiences as tools to analyze and document practice were prioritized. Results. It is highlighted that problem-based learning allows the development of different skills in students, such as critical thinking, innovation, creativity, collaborative work, autonomy and self-management. Discussion. Applying a problem-based learning methodology in the university context allows us to break traditional educational paradigms by guaranteeing a greater prominence for the student body, so that it can influence a positive transformation in the different educational contexts in which it will be developed.