“Water sustainability competencies in preservice teachers: e-learning for socio-ecological water education in a karst aquifer region”

Water is a critical component of socio-ecological resilience; however, its sustainable management remains a global challenge. Advancing water literacy requires preparing future educators with the knowledge and critical thinking needed to understand hydrological systems and promote responsible water management. This study evaluates the effectiveness of synchronous and asynchronous e-learning modalities for developing water sustainability competencies among preservice primary school teachers in Yucatan, Mexico, a region dependent on a vulnerable karst aquifer system. The educational intervention was based on a competency-oriented approach informed by Education for Sustainable Development and contextualized through hydrology and hydrogeology. A quasi-experimental design with diagnostic and post-intervention assessments was implemented. Chi-square analyses revealed statistically significant improvements in disciplinary knowledge, groundwater contextualization, and critical reflection on water governance (p < 0.05). Cramér's V indicated weak associations between learning modality and competency development (V = 0.069–0.155), supporting competency-based e-learning as a flexible and scalable strategy for teacher education in groundwater-dependent regions.