Dayana Maribel Valencia-de-la-Cruz, Carlos Iván Villalva-Heredia, Luis Enrique Silva Adriano
The impact of innovative teaching strategies in technical and vocational education is analyzed, with an emphasis on developing student autonomy as a key skill for facing professional and personal challenges. Through a case study conducted at a technical educational institution, interviews were conducted with teachers and surveys were administered to students to assess current methodological practices, identify their strengths and limitations, and propose a comprehensive teaching strategy. The results show a partial and unsystematic use of active methodologies such as project-based learning, collaborative work, and gamification. Likewise, a positive relationship was identified between these strategies and student motivation, although with little impact on the sustained development of autonomy. In response, a structured proposal is put forward that articulates pedagogical objectives, teaching activities, and formative assessment mechanisms, designed to consolidate autonomous learning processes in technical contexts. The study concludes that methodological innovation, supported by adequate institutional conditions, is an effective way to transform technical education and prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century.