Educational strategy to strengthen learning in the geoschools of the Río Coco UNESCO World Geopark

Abstract

In the context of the protection and dissemination of the geopatrimony of the Río Coco Geopark, the results of the implementation of an educational strategy are presented, with the aim of strengthening learning in students from five geo-schools in the territories of Somoto, San Lucas, Las Sabanas, San José de Cusmapa, and Totogalpa, in the department of Madriz. The methodology that guided the study was a qualitative paradigm and its approach with a Participatory Action Research focus, where all stakeholders were part of the process. The sample was selected through the convenience method, involving teachers, students, and community leaders from the prioritized geosites. The main results are evidenced in the proposal for the development of a «Geopark Didactic Handboo» that includes the educational and innovative strategies developed by teachers for student learning. With this initiative, UNESCO evaluators for the year 2023 rated the intervention process of UNAN León-CUR Somoto through the project funded by competitive funds from the National Council of Universities (CNU) as «Excellent.» The consolidation of five geo-schools and proposal of naming in the territory to address key elements such as promotion of education, conservation, and sustainable development in the region marks a significant milestone in the protection of local geopatrimony. Lastly, the leagues of knowledge allowed to assess the level of knowledge acquired by students about the empowerment of the Geopark.