Constructivist Approach Research Articles

Enhancement of Secondary Science Teacher’s Professional Knowledge in Learning Pedagogical Content Knowledge through Involving in Professional Learning Community

The qualitative research study explored Bangladeshi secondary science teacher’s experiences working in a professional learning community (PLC) in terms of enhancing professional knowledge in learning pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The research questions that guided this study are: (1) What are the learning experiences of the secondary science teachers regarding their involvement in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) as a means of professional learning for enhancing their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)? (2) How do Secondary Science teachers apply their learning from Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to their teaching plans and practices through the Content Representation (CoRe) framework? (3) How do secondary science teachers use the knowledge gained from participation in a professional learning community (PLC) to design and implement effective teaching strategies in their classrooms? The study is based on a constructivist approach to learning, which views knowledge construction as a socially mediated process. Therefore, teachers’ experiences were collected as qualitative data through analyzing teachers’ lesson plans and self-reflective journals. As a result, the findings showed teacher’s enhanced professional knowledge working in a PLC in sizing up the topic, identifying the importance of the topic, exploring self-content knowledge relevant to the topic, knowing what learners might think, identifying contextual factors choosing the topic and examples, selecting more appropriate teaching-learning and assessment strategies. The findings of this study are expected to provide insights into how PLCs can be utilized to enhance secondary science teacher’s PCK knowledge. This study is significant as it contributes to the literature on professional development for science teachers and offers practical recommendations for improving science teacher’s professional knowledge in learning PCK. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research, 49 (1), 155-174

Picking Apart a Program Evaluation Committee: A Multiple Case Study Characterizing Primary Care Residency Program Evaluation Committee Structure, Program Improvement, and Outcomes.

As of 2014, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates initiating a Program Evaluation Committee (PEC) to guide ongoing program improvement.However, little guidance nor published reports exist about how individual PECs have undertaken this mandate. To explore how four primary care residency PECs configure their committees, review program goals and undertake program evaluation and improvement. We conducted a multiple case study between December 2022 and April 2023 of four purposively selected primary care residencies (e.g., family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine). Data sources included semi-structured interviews with four PEC members per program and diverse program artifacts. Using a constructivist approach, we utilized qualitative coding to analyze participant interviews and content analysis for program artifacts. We then used coded transcripts and artifacts to construct logic models for each program guided by a systems theory lens. Results: Programs adapt their PEC structure, execution, and outcomes to meet short- and long-term needs based on organizational and program-unique factors such as size and local practices. They relied on multiple data sources and sought diverse stakeholder participationto complete program evaluation and improvement. Identified deficiencies were often categorized as internal versus external to delineate PEC responsibility, boundaries, and feasibility of interventions. The broad guidance provided by the ACGME for PEC configuration allows programs to adapt the committee based on individual needs. However, further instruction on program evaluation and organizational change principles would augment existing PEC efforts.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PJBL) IN WRITING SKILLS: AN ANALYSIS OF LEARNING APPROACH

Project-based learning (PjBL) is a pivotal approach in language education, which aligns seamlessly with the demands of the 21st century. Essentially, the importance of the constructivist approach has become more significant in recent years to create effective teaching and learning strategies. The 21st century has provided significant contributions to the evolution of contemporary language acquisition. As such, focusing on students’ needs and evaluating the effectiveness of existing teaching methods in preparing students to master the language proficiently are crucial in this dynamic landscape. The need to enhance language proficiency, particularly writing skills, has prompted educators to seek novel approaches to student engagement in Malaysia. English, which is recognised as the second language, plays a pivotal role in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. The prevalence of unsatisfactory English writing skills among Malaysian students underscores the significance of implementing effective strategies to address the current issue. Hence, highlighting and adopting innovative approaches to elevate Malaysian students’ English writing skills are vital. The present study aims to appraise teachers’ and students’ acceptance and perceptions of implementing PjBL in writing skills. A document analysis method was employed through secondary resources to determine the PjBL effectiveness in enhancing students’ writing skills. Discussions and recommendations were also provided to relevant parties regarding PjBL as an innovative approach to improving writing skills.

Autosalutografia. O emancypacyjnych strategiach negocjacji dobrostanu u Małgorzaty Baranowskiej

This article presents a model of reinterpretation of illness narratives from the cate-gory of autopathography to that of autosalutography, i.e. restorative/therapeutic auto-biography. The cases in point are Małgorzata Baranowska’s To jest wasze życie. Być sobą w chorobie przewlekłej [ This Is Your Life: How to Cope with a Chronic Illness] (1994) with their textual strategies of (re)negotiation of autonomy and agency. Drawing on the work of Elselijn Kingma, this analysis takes the constructivist approach to the opposition of health and illness. At the same time, the legacy notion of health with its punitive and oppressive implications, is substituted by the concept of wellbeing (as construed in Tanja Reiffenrath’s Memoirs of Wellbeing). The latter covers a broad range of lived experiences and upgrades the patient’s personal perspective, especially if it is applied within the socio-constructivist understanding of health and illness (disorder).

Exploring the Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning as a Constructivist Approach in Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills in High School Classes

This study investigates the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as a constructivist approach in enhancing critical thinking skills among high school students in the United States. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study compares traditional teaching methods with PBL in terms of their impact on students’ critical thinking abilities. Quantitative data analysis, including paired t-tests and ANOVA, reveals a significant improvement in critical thinking scores among students in the PBL group compared to the control group. Qualitative findings, derived from semi-structured interviews, highlight increased engagement, a deeper understanding of subject matter, and the development of critical thinking skills as key outcomes of PBL. The study identifies challenges and successes encountered during the implementation of PBL and discusses the implications for education. By adopting PBL, educators can create more engaging and intellectually stimulating learning environments that cultivate essential 21st-century skills.

Challenges in EFL Constructivist Classrooms From Teachers’ Perspectives: A Case Study in Vietnam

Educational reforms in many Asian countries, particularly in China and Vietnam, have highlighted the pivotal role of the constructivist approach. However, the implementation of constructivism into the classroom is still very challenging for teachers. Although there is a wealth of research on constructivism, few studies have focused on the difficulties teachers often encounter when organizing constructivist lessons, especially in the EFL context. To address this gap, this study employed a mixed-methods approach, including triangulated data (a questionnaire, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews) with the participation of 120 EFL teachers in a private university in Vietnam. The findings indicate that teachers faced a wide array of problems in their constructivist classes, including conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, political, and technological dilemmas. Furthermore, they did not comprehend constructivism as they believed, probably due to a superficial understanding of this approach or the effect of Confucian culture. Additionally, this study verifies and contributes to the framework of Windschitl regarding the four dilemmas teachers often confront in constructivist classrooms. Theoretical and practical implications for future researchers as well as for educational stakeholders and institutional leaders on what should be taken into careful consideration prior to the incorporation of constructivism, were also discussed in detail.

The constructivist approach as a concept of active learning and teaching of optimization processes at technical universities

As we move toward a more competitive global economy, the demand for highly qualified people to create and manage more efficient logistics systems, such as flows and management of materials or information, human flows, and supply chains, increases. Without logistics, the commercial world would grind to a halt. Businesses depend on logistics professionals to keep production and delivery moving forward which makes logistics education crucial. Companies expect their future employees to gain practical information, and to master what they are learning. Students must know how to apply what they learn. This is a reason why increasing importance is attributed to the constructivist approach to teaching and learning in university education. Through experiments or simulation of processes, and group work based on previous experience and knowledge, students better uncover the laws of phenomena. By actively engaging in the learning process, deeper and long-term applicable knowledge about the studied processes is acquired. The goal of this article is to implement the constructivist approach in the education of operational research and logistics at technical universities.

Russia Abroad vs Russian Diaspora in the Interwar Period

This article considers a relevant issue of modern historiography, i. e. the expediency of introducing the concept of “Russia Abroad” in the study of Russian emigration of the 1920s–1930s, along with the definition of “diaspora”. The task is complicated by the lack of a unified categorical apparatus and a variety of interpretations. The problem is solved based on structural and constructivist approaches, as well as comparative analysis. The authors propose their own classification of identifying features of the diaspora, highlighting the geographical (territorial), social, political, cultural, and mental blocks. The phenomenon of Russia Abroad is analysed through the prism of diasporisation. The article shows the process of institutionalisation of the Russian emigration of the 1920s, which brings it closer to the diaspora. However, its composition, unlike that of diaspora, was polyethnic. The dominant trend was the preservation of not ethnic but cultural and civic identity, which determined the structure-forming leitmotif of activity aimed at constructing its “Russia Abroad”. However, having renounced the citizenship of Soviet Russia/USSR and recognising the Soviet government as illegitimate, the emigrants unsuccessfully tried to consolidate a legal connection with the state that had disappeared from the political map of the world, trying to defend the old passports. The vectors of reflexive activity with a myth-generating potential were an ostentatious opposition to all things Soviet, the preservation of national identity and traditional values (unlike those born in the revolution), the “ethical code”, social norms, and the justification of the missionary role of emigration. Of the many institutions that claimed to have become a successor authority, the Council of Former Ambassadors headed by M. N. Girs stands out. He concentrated human, financial, material, and organisational potential in his hands and had representation at international organisations, including the League of Nations, in Geneva. The foreign diplomatic corps became the guardian of the idea of all-Russian statehood. Well-established communication links helped him to carry out tasks that were not typical of him, adapted to the new situation and focusing primarily on the settlement of the legal situation of refugees. The article concludes about the consolidating function of both mythmaking and activities aimed at reproducing the attributes of statehood. The Russian “state-like form of being” contributed to the preservation of the Russian language, national identity, and the creation of a system of Russian educational institutions and institutes of historical memory. The doom of Russia Abroad was due to both its conservatism and confrontation with the motherland. The division into two Russias could not carry a positive potential. Foreign Russia can be characterised as a diaspora, but this phenomenon goes beyond even the wide range of identification features that are given to the diaspora today.

Transformations of the Family Institution in the Perception of Student Youth in the South of Russia

Introduction. The family, being one of the most important social institutions, is subject to significant changes that occur in society and in its social organization. However, the direction of family transformations does not immediately become obvious, which actualizes their scientific understanding on the basis of sociological measurements. The purpose of the article is to identify the attitude of student youth in the South of Russia to the nature of the transformations taking place in the modern institution of the family and, on their basis, to formulate generalizing conclusions and recommendations. The importance of such research is determined by the special role of the student social group in ensuring the sustainability of society and in shaping its future appearance. Materials and Methods. The object of the study was student youth of the South of Russia. The empirical basis of the study was the results of a survey of full-time students at 13 universities and university branches in the South of Russia (Rostov Region, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories) based on a representative sample (n = 639). The questionnaire survey method made it possible to identify some of the students’ attitudes and aspirations regarding the institutional state of the family. The conceptual basis of the study was the constructivist approach, which considers the most important theoretical meanings and trajectories of the process of family transformation (crisis and modernist) as social constructs that influence students’ perception of the direction of development of the family institution. Results. Analysis of the collected empirical material shows a certain duality in the position of student youth in the South of Russia in determining priority trajectories for the development of the family institution. This is evidenced by students’ perception of the crisis and modernist constructs of family transformation through the analysis of their main indicators (the state of attractiveness of a family-child lifestyle; attitude to the dominance of having few children and having one child; perception of childfreeness; attitude to divorce and cohabitation, etc.). The survey also revealed a certain predominance among students of negative assessments of the influence of individualistic value sentiments on the institutional stability of the family. Discussion and Conclusion. Using the example of the southern region of Russia, the conclusion was confirmed that the worldview, socio-economic and information-cognitive state of society influences the priority of perception of various trajectories of transformation of the family institution (crisis and modernization). The attitude of students to semantic indicators of their perception is ambiguous. This is largely due to the heterogeneity of value orientations in our society. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that it made it possible to identify the opinion of student youth about their attitude to the current state of the family institution and the prospects for its development. The results obtained may be useful to scientists studying this issue, as well as practitioners forming and implementing youth policy.

A scoping review of reinforcement learning in education

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning algorithms is surging in education. One of these methods, called Reinforcement Learning (RL) may be considered more general and less rigid by changing its learning through interactions with the environment and specifically the inputs received as rewards and punishments. Given that education has shifted towards a constructivist approach and uses technology such as algorithms in its making (e.g., instructional design, delivery, assessment, and feedback), we are interested in taking stock of the effect RL may play in today's teaching and learning. We conduct a scoping review of the literature on RL in education. This work aims to open discussions on the pedagogical paradigm of RL and various types of bias introduced in teaching and learning.

Politization of Islam in Modern Iran: Autopoiesis of Shiite Tradition?

The article examines the development of politicized Shiite Islam in Iran as a type of autopoiesis (N. Luhmann) of this religious tradition. The topic arises from the actualization of the influence of religion on the life of a number of societies that have relied on technological modernization, as well as the importance that the topic of the optimal combination of modernization and traditional values is acquiring today. The purpose of the study is, based on an analysis of the activities of the Shiite clergy, to characterize the uniqueness of the revaluation of the values of Iranian society in the course of the development of modern philosophy and ideology of Shiism. The objectives of the study were: 1) to systematize the existing scientific approaches to the process of politicization of Shiism in the second half of the 20th – early 21st centuries; 2) consider the connection between political processes and the specific theology of Shiism; 3) reveal the dynamics of the relationship between the values of tradition and modernization in the teachings of Shiite religious figures; 4) clarify the specificities of the stages of influence of Imami Islam on the religious and political life of modern Iran. The research was based on theological and scientific writings of Islamic spiritual leaders, their opponents and followers. The key method used was historical-genetic, which made it possible to analyze the formation of Shiism in Iran in the historical and cultural context; and comparative, with the help of which the specifics of the various stages of the autopoietic formation of Iranian Shiism against the background of other denominations of Shiism and Islam in general were clarified. It has been proven that consideration of the path of development of the philosophical and ideological aspects of Shiism theology from the perspective of N. Luhmann's theory makes it possible to trace not only the external, but also the autochthonous foundations of the complex reverses of this religious model of self-awareness of society; as well as identify and characterize the functional specificity and dynamic characteristics of the process of politicization of Shiism in Iran. In modern Iran, theology influences the consciousness of believers, and, as a consequence, social and political processes, and not vice versa, as is commonly believed in relation to modern societies. The role of Imami Islam (Shiites) in the formation of values and behavioral attitudes during the actual structuring of relations in society turns out to be key for Iran. At the same time, however, this theology contains the potential for historical change: the very theological system changes, starting from its own concepts and transforming them. This constructivist approach turns out to be compatible with the emphasis on traditionalism. The logical possibility of such collaboration in building a new type of society is justified within the framework of the development of the theory of legal guardianship.

Perceptions and Experiences of Psychotherapy Among Forced Migrants With Limited English Proficiency

This qualitative study focused on the perspectives of forced migrants’ and their pursuit of mental health services, specifically as they relate to language use in therapy. Semistructured interviews were held during two face-to-face focus groups consisting of 16 adult participants identifying as forced migrants. Analysis of translated and transcribed interviews was conducted by a research team utilizing a constructivist approach to grounded theory. A substantive theoretical model on engagement in therapy emerged, with the core category of culture, which influences forced migrants’ level of trust and mistrust in psychotherapy. Multiple factors, including perceptions of therapy and English language facility, impacted forced migrants’ willingness to engage in psychotherapy. Findings supported language as a barrier to psychotherapy, even when an interpreter was utilized. Consistencies and inconsistencies of findings between the present study and existing literature were offered. Clinical, training, advocacy, and research implications of this study were explored.

A model to support the development of professional capital in trainee teachers: a constructivist grounded theory

PurposeThis paper shares findings from a constructivist grounded theory study, exploring Trainee Teachers’ perceptions of their teaching and learning experienced during university-based teacher education programmes, specifically the theoretical components. Findings led to the development of a model of program design, pedagogy and teaching strategies that were successful in creating opportunities to build Professional Capital. This paper aims to share this model, highlighting the significance of Professional Capital amidst challenges in English Teacher Education, and to suggest implications for application of the model within broader workforce development.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 trainee teachers from four English universities. To support the development of the theoretical framework, researchers employed inductive and iterative constant comparative methods aligned with constructivist grounded theory to sensitise concepts and codes, which were verified using theoretical sampling.FindingsInformed by the findings of this study, a model is presented which highlights that participants developed human, social and decisional capital during their academic programs helping them to widen their perceptions of what counts as educationally important, beyond narrow performativity measures that are pervasive in a school system. By actively adopting a transformative pedagogy and employing constructivist approaches to curriculum design and delivery, optimal learning environments for learners to build their professional capital can be provided.Practical implicationsThese findings may prove valuable to Higher Education academics as a model when designing and delivering professional, student-centred programmes. There are also implications for policymakers seeking to redesign initial teacher education towards schools-led and practice-oriented approaches, who wish to consider the perceptions, values and motivations of trainee teachers.Originality/valueThe findings highlight the significance of teacher trainees’ active engagement with academic literature and theory, in terms of contributing to the development of their professional capital, resilience and professional commitment.

Implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Theori Freire Program

Learning that prioritizes freedom of expression, smart in socializing, and virtuous becomes the principle of independent Learning Program. This principle has been introduced by Paulo Freire, which is also in line with the principles of Constructivism. The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness of the implementation of the independent Learning Independent Campus (MBKM) program for UKI Toraja students. The research method applied is a qualitative approach, with data collection techniques through open questionnaires to students. The implementation phase of the research started from the registration of MBKM programming students, followed by sending an open questionnaire to interns at the South Sulawesi Language Center by applying the principle of Independent Learning according to a constructivist approach. The second stage is to classify the results of the questionnaire from students, then discuss the results of the questionnaire, by linking the results of the questionnaire with the constructivist approach, and Paulo Freire's theory. To determine the validity of the data, triangulation was carried out to students regarding the results of the questionnaire. This research was conducted in the even semester of 2021/2022, for UKI Toraja students in 2019. The results showed that the Independent Learning Campus (MBKM) was effective in developing creativity, independence, and social interaction. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended for further researchers to examine aspects of personal communication in the implementation of the Independent Learning Campus (MBKM) program

Innovative Pedagogical Practices In Teacher Education

Teacher education is a program that is related with teacher proficiency and competency to equip future teacher(pre-service) with the required set of knowledge, attitude and skill to face new challenges and training should be provided to in-service teachers to upgrade their knowledge and to make them competent to face new challenges by using innovative pedagogy. The main purpose of this paper is to explain the new changes that has been incurred in teacher education and gives overview of recent trends and innovative pedagogical practices that used in the teaching learning process that is need of the hour. Some of the innovative pedagogical practices like constructivist approach, flipped classroom, blended learning, personalized system of instruction or self-learning, team teaching, experiential learning, reflective teaching, competency-based approach, improving critical teaching skill, peer tutoring, multicultural education and some of the practices like importance on emotional intelligence, multidisciplinary approach, professional development through digital platform, recruitment of senior or retired teachers and involvement research-based teaching (Recommended by NEP-2020) etc. needs to be reflected in teacher education program that greatly helps in producing quality output in teaching learning process. To face the challenges in 21st century the teacher should have the skill and competency in different innovative methods and approaches to make the teaching learning process active, meaningful and enjoyable. That greatly helps the students to be a problem solver, decision maker and discoverer of knowledge.

Conceptual Understanding of Ethnicity in Nepal: Exploring Primordial and Constructivist Approach

This paper critically analyzes the primordial and constructivist approaches to understanding ethnicity in Nepal and examines how intersectionality, hybridity, power dynamics, and agency shape ethnic identity construction. The study draws on diverse perspectives and scholarly literature to explore the complexities of ethnicity in Nepalese society. The findings reveal the interplay of primordial factors, such as shared ancestry and kinship, with constructivist factors, including social construction and fluidity, in shaping ethnic identity formation. The analysis also highlights the significance of intersectionality, where gender, caste, class, and ethnicity intersect, in influencing ethnic identity construction. Additionally, the study emphasizes the role of hybridity, power dynamics, and agency in shaping and contesting ethnic identities. The implications of these dynamics for marginalized ethnic communities are discussed, focusing on their challenges in challenging dominant narratives and advocating for their rights. The research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of ethnicity in Nepal and informs future research, policy considerations, and interventions related to ethnicity and identity.

Embedding past, present and future crises: time and the political construction of the Covid-19 pandemic in the EU

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the construction of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis by EU elites. It addresses the puzzling relationship between the spread of the new virus with a large-scale reconfiguration of economic governance in the EU which was unimaginable a few months earlier. Drawing from a constructivist approach to political economy, we argue that the discursive construal and framing of this crisis was instrumental to embed the emergency of the pandemic with broader levels of conjunctural, historical, and even civilizational temporal references. Providing a frame analysis of public statements by the heads of the European Commission, the European Council, and European Central Bank during 2020, we show how the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 was framed as a catalyst for tackling the EU’s historical crisis of purpose, the socio-economic imbalances left over from the euro crisis, as well as the predicament of the climate crisis.

Лингводидактическая модель дискурс-анализа

The study aims to develop a scientifically substantiated, theoretically validated, and practically tested linguodidactic model of discourse analysis. The paper analyzes the evolution of the discourse direction in foreign language teaching, marked by stages such as focusing on the formation of the discourse component of communicative competence, developing a discourse-oriented approach to foreign language teaching, viewing discourse as an independent object of foreign language education and creating models of professionally oriented foreign language education based on discourse analysis. The main directions in the study of discourse were analyzed, with a focus on concepts that formed the methodological basis for developing the linguodidactic model of discourse analysis, specifically linguistic and constructionist approaches to discourse analysis. The scientific novelty of the study lies in proposing the linguodidactic model of discourse analysis aimed at professionally oriented foreign language education, based on the theoretical understanding of the fundamental principles of discourse theory. The work uncovered relevant concepts in linguodidactics related to discourse analysis, providing a basis for extrapolating them to issues in foreign language education. The linguodidactic significance of the sociolinguistic approach to discourse analysis was identified in terms of directing students’ attention to the nuances of verbal interactions among representatives of different organizations and public institutions. The importance of critical discourse analysis and discursive psychology in linguodidactics was also noted, with discourse being viewed as a form of social practice. The linguodidactic model of discourse analysis developed in the study includes a system of interconnected methodological techniques, facilitating a phased transition from analyzing and interpreting meanings encapsulated in verbal and nonverbal components of professionally oriented foreign language discourse to the actual production of discursive utterances.

Family health beliefs and cascade genetic testing in Asian families with hereditary cancer risk: "Okay, now what?"

The limited literature on Asian family communication of hereditary cancer risk and cascade genetic testing for pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 has reported that Asian patients have selective communication of test results and lower cascade testing rates. To better understand the factors that impact communication and cascade testing in Asian families, we conducted an in-depth qualitative study guided by the Health Belief Model. Participants with heterozygous PVs in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, or PALB2, who identified their family's origins to an Asian country, were recruited from the Stanford Cancer Genetics Research Database in October-November 2021. Utilizing a constructivist approach, we conducted sixteen semi-structured interviews around family communication and cascade genetic testing. The research team analyzed the transcript data using a reflexive thematic approach. Extensive discussions between the research team resulted in three primary themes presented in this paper: (1) the role of family health beliefs in cascade genetic testing, (2) changes in communication as a result of genetic testing, and (3) genetics providers' role in supporting family discussions on cascade genetic testing. Certain health beliefs, such as perceived susceptibility to cancer and self-efficacy to take action, were co-created by family members and these shared beliefs influenced decisions about genetic testing, family communication, and family support during the cascade genetic testing process. Participants shared strategies for how genetics providers can prepare Asian patients for more effective conversations with relatives and better address potential testing barriers by tailoring information and providing anticipatory guidance. This study represents an important contribution to the literature about cascade testing among an underrepresented group. Shared family health beliefs about genetic testing may be particularly relevant for this community and these findings can inform strategies to increase cascade genetic testing in Asian families.

Embedded assessment throughout the problem-based learning – a path to authentic learning experiences

This article examines the benefits and challenges associated with Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching and assessment tool, a constructivist approach that promotes a more pragmatic and student-centered mode of assessment. A tangible illustration of the proposed assessment tool is presented. The study aims to analyze different aspects of mathematical competence in line with the European Commission Framework for Lifelong Learning, such as critical thinking, practical application in authentic problems, and more effective knowledge acquisition. Data were collected through direct classroom observations, open-ended questionnaires, surveys, and personal interviews. The methodology was applied to a sample of 60 students from American College of Sofia (ACS) who participated in project work instead of conventional testing. The results of the study revealed that assessing students’ progress through problem-based tasks not only enhances the development of students’ mathematical competencies compared to traditional methods, but also fosters lifelong learning skills.However, this approach requires a more significant time commitment compared to tra- ditional testing.