Virtualizing project-based learning: An abrupt adaptation of active learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic with promising outcomes

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is renowned as an active-learning practice that promotes the application of knowledge buildup through real-world and often open-ended problems. PBL has been applied as a methodology at the Engineering School of Lorena, at the University of Sao Paulo, through different courses over the curriculum of a typical Industrial Engineering student. The first of which is taken during their first semester, in which students must develop solutions for a given single problem through the weekly class meetings. The observations of the evolution of the activities throughout the years demonstrate that the collaborative and group activities act as exercises that develop transversal skills an engineer should possess. These courses have been applied since 2013 under continuous improvements through feedback from the many shareholders the courses present, including the students, instructors, and guest evaluators. The projects are mostly related to the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. In a matter of a few weeks of classes in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a quick virtualization of the learning process, posing an unprecedented scenario for the students and the instructors regarding in special this course, which is based primarily on presential discussions and activities. The first weeks of class following the abrupt virtualization of activities were encountered with misinformation and lack of clarity on the adaptation of the activities. Fortunately, through rapid iterations, the adjustment process resulted in time invested by the students and classes with active discussion using the tools made available by the University. In this sense, this work aims to present the forced abrupt changes applied to this first semester course, highlighting the challenges faced and the positive outcomes obtained and observed by both the students and the instructor, making a comparison with the evolution of the course over the past years. © 2021 University of Minho. All rights reserved.