Active learning methodologies and the development of professional competencies in postgraduate education: a literature review in higher education

Abstract

This study explores the implementation of active learning methodologies in university teaching and their influence on the development of professional competencies among postgraduate students, through a literature review of 18 scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025, selected from the specialized databases Science Direct and ERIC. The reviewed studies focus on strategies such as flipped classroom, problem-based learning, collaborative work, and gamification, highlighting their contribution to the enhancement of critical thinking, academic motivation, and employability. The findings reveal that effective implementation of these methodologies requires ongoing teacher training, curriculum redesign, coherent formative assessment, and pedagogical integration of emerging technologies. Persistent barriers remain related to institutional resistance, limited resources, and attitudinal constraints among faculty. It is concluded that active methodologies should not be understood as isolated techniques, but as essential components of a complex pedagogical ecology that demands integrated structural, cultural, and formative conditions aimed at transforming higher education and strengthening the professional profile of postgraduate students in a globalized educational context.