Within the framework of sustainable development, the concept of cultural heritage is linked to the heritage awareness of a specific spatial context, and to the conservation of collective memory. Despite the clear interest in cultural sustainability, the lack of research devoted to interpreting different teaching methods for transmitting patrimonial assets and preserving natural heritage is noteworthy. For this reason, the present study takes various scientific contributions as the background for considering sustainable education as a fundamental instrument to recover and conserve heritage resources, both from an informative and educational point of view. The aim of this study was to assess the training of new teachers in terms of the particular skills needed to develop active learning methods related to the teaching of heritage sustainability. The research sample consisted of 488 students in the Degree in Primary Education program. The methodology combined both qualitative and quantitative techniques, to obtain information from both observation and an opinion survey given to the students. The results show several opinions related to achieving and facilitating the implementation of innovative methodologies, due to a lack of initial university training. Generally speaking, this work provided an opportunity for students to analyze a series of prejudices regarding their working methods, and to overcome excessive theorization in their university studies.

El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar cómo se implementan las estrategias metodológicas empleadas para desarrollar competencias en sostenibilidad y un compromiso patrimonial en los estudiantes. La educación para el desarrollo sostenible se centra en la concienciación para la conservación de los bienes patrimoniales y naturales. La muestra la componen 458 alumnos y alumnas del grado de educación primaria de las Universidades de Cádiz y de Córdoba (España). Se ha optado por una metodología mixta con un diseño de corte transversal, fundamentalmente descriptivo e interpretativo, que se complementó con un diseño cuantitativo no experimental tipo encuesta. Los resultados arrojaron diversas creencias acerca de la afinidad que existe entre el patrimonio cultural y la educación sostenible a nivel curricular y metodológico. En conclusión, este proyecto supone una significativa oportunidad para que el alumnado universitario revise y supere la excesiva teorización de su actual formación universitaria.