“How has Your City Changed?” Using Project-Based Learning to Teach Sociology of Education

Abstract

During the 2012 to 2013, 2013 to 2014, and 2014 to 2015 academic years, 20% of course time within the subject Sociology of Education, in the Pedagogy, and Social Education undergraduate degrees run by the University of the Basque Country, was devoted to Project-Based Learning. The aim was to design, test, and evaluate an innovation and educational improvement experience oriented toward fostering the competences linked to the subject, using active, and participatory methodologies. The design of the exercise involved preparing the Teacher and Student Guides, outlining the context of the project and its objectives, drafting the statement or scenario and the justification and specifying related topics, expected work, previous knowledge required, activities planned, deliverables, resources to be used, evaluation systems and schedule, among others. The results, which were based on student notes and opinions, were positive: Project-Based Learning enables active student participation, fosters contact with reality, and results in significant learning for their professional future.