Promoting interdisciplinarity and sustainability: the importance of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in high school

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of adopting innovative methodologies in education, focusing on Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a strategy to overcome disciplinary barriers and engage students in real and complex issues related to sustainability. Contemporary education faces the challenge of preparing young people to deal with urgent problems, such as climate change and environmental degradation, which require not only theoretical knowledge but also critical thinking, responsibility, and collaborative action. In this context, PBL emerges as an active methodology capable of promoting interdisciplinarity and meaningful learning by involving students in authentic situations that articulate different areas of knowledge, stimulate investigation, creativity, and conscious decision-making. The overall objective of this study is to analyze how PBL contributes to the development of students who are more critical and engaged with sustainability. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: to examine the contributions of PBL to student leadership and the development of cognitive and socio-emotional skills; to discuss the implications of the methodology for the critical, participatory, and responsible education of students in relation to sustainability; and to reflect on the challenges and possibilities of its implementation as an interdisciplinary pedagogical practice in high school. The methodology adopted consisted of a qualitative literature review based on a careful analysis of scientific articles, books, theses, and official documents published in the last five years, selected according to criteria of relevance, timeliness, and methodological rigor. The results indicate that PBL promotes greater student participation and autonomy, in addition to enabling the practical application of school knowledge in real and meaningful contexts. In summary, the implementation of PBL as a teaching strategy proves to be a promising path for the effectiveness of education for sustainability, strengthening the school as a space for social transformation and the construction of practices aligned with the complex challenges of the 21st century.