Aprendizaje basado en problemas y proyectos: claves socio-constructivistas para la enseñanza en secundaria

In light of the profound changes facing the educational system, secondary education emerges as a strategic space for reconfiguring traditional pedagogical practices centred on memorisation and the unidirectional transmission of knowledge. In this context, Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PBL) position themselves as active methodologies that respond to the demands for more meaningful, participatory, and contextualised teaching. Based on the socioconstructivist approach, these strategies recognise the student as an active participant in the construction of knowledge, with the teacher serving as a guide who mediates inquiry, reflection, and the resolution of authentic problems. Through a systematic literature review using the PRISMA methodology, the principles supporting the application of PBL and PBL in secondary education were analysed and systematised, revealing their potential to transform the traditional pedagogical model, integrate content transversally, and promote cognitive, social, and emotional competencies. However, school practices centred on lecturing and rote memorisation persist, hindering the development of critical and autonomous students. PBL and PBL thus offer an effective path to revitalise teaching and connect learning with the realities of the surrounding environment.