Aprendizaje basado en proyectos: una metodología para activar el compromiso, la motivación y el interés en las aulas de Ciencia Política

Abstract

This article questions the possibility that active and cooperative methodologies, specifically Project-based learning, can increase students’ commitment to their own learning process. After presenting the fundamentals of cooperative learning, based on the principles of positive interdependence, individual responsibility, face-to-face interaction, permanent reflection and the management of interpersonal skills, this article describes a teaching experience founded on Project-based learning implemented in a first-year subject of the degree in Political Science. After presenting the methodological sequence, the evaluation system and the group work methodology, the focus shifts to the changes this type of learning requires in the role of the instructor, the students, the evaluation and the way of transmitting knowledge. Supported by the analysis of quantitative indicators derived from institutional evaluation and the qualitative analysis of 83 students’ reflections about the methodology, this article shows how Project-based learning increases the commitment of students in their formative itinerary inasmuch as it activates interest and extrinsic motivation as a consequence of its applied, cooperative and self-regulated nature.