Methodological development for teaching environmental management within the framework of the university research and teaching project in the Central of Heredia (March to September 2020), Costa Rica. A preliminary study

In January 2020, the “Urban and social reconfiguration project of Heredia, and youth population, 1985-2020” starts its operations. Its objective is to analyze the urban capacities for social life, and the imprint of young people has developed between 1985 to 2020 in Heredia. Thus, to achieve the proposed goals, a methodology is established that joins research and teaching areas. Consequences of institutional policies impact this methodology to come from a national emergency of Covid-19, which causes the substantial methodological changes of the project. This preliminary study aims to communicate the methodological challenges in teaching environmental management in the current context. The method is interviews applied to students and academics participating in the project, consultation of secondary sources, records, databases, institutional reports, and observation of areas representing a less epidemiological risk to researchers. The conclusions of this experience are the following: (i) changes in the techniques of the methods and tools used in science; (ii) resilience of academic staff to take on extra hours; development of new learning technologies; and (iii) approach to the pedagogical discussion related to the project in the current conditions, which it makes a solid and enriching panorama for academic issues.