Project-based Learning In Higher Education Research Articles

Undergraduate Students’ Engagement in Project-Based Learning with an Authentic Context

Despite the widespread adoption of project-based learning in higher education, few empirical studies have explored its impact on situating learners within real-world contexts and enhancing student engagement. This study situates undergraduates in a technology integration course in an authentic context to increase the levels of engagement of the students. The project, requested by real-world clients from an elementary school, enabled students to develop learning resources around topics in need that aligned with state standards. We expected students engaged with real-world clients to demonstrate higher levels of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement compared to those involved in non-real-world context projects. The results of our mixed-methods research revealed increased student engagement with an authentic, real-world context compared to a non-real-world context. The integration of real-world context not only heightened student involvement in the project and strengthened group dynamics but also facilitated a deeper understanding of technology integration and service learning. Implications for future research are also discussed.

Project-based learning through the lens of SEEM: enhancing implementation in the Brazilian context

PurposeThis study aims to mitigate the inherent challenges associated with implementing project-based learning (PjBL) by integrating it with the service engineering methodology (SEEM). The study demonstrates that combining PjBL with a methodological approach provides a step-by-step procedure that facilitates the practical application of PjBL and preserves the development of competencies inherent to PjBL.Design/methodology/approachAction research methodology was used to assess the effectiveness of combining PjBL learning strategy with SEEM. Data was collected through observations, questionnaires and focus group discussions to evaluate students’ expectations and perceptions of this combination.FindingsThe results show that PjBL implementation combined with SEEM enabled the organization of class dynamics, helping to mitigate difficulties encountered in the application of PjBL. Students conveyed that the integration of PjBL with SEEM afforded them a guiding structure without compromising their autonomy in decision-making for proposed solutions. It proved efficacious in honing skills pertinent to service design and analysis, teamwork, solution formulation, creativity and innovation stimulation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has been limited to four classes in one university in Brazil. Besides, PjBL was combined with only one methodology (SEEM). Therefore, this needs to be tested in broader settings and contexts.Practical implicationsThe article highlights the potential benefits of PjBL in bridging the gap between academia and the professional world while acknowledging the challenges involved in its implementation, combining PjBL with a methodology that provides a sequence of steps to be followed.Social implicationsThe social implications of implementing PjBL in higher education in the Brazilian and international contexts are multifaceted. The adoption of PjBL encourages instructors to adapt their learning strategies and align them with the evolving needs of worldwide society. Through PjBL, Brazilian and international higher education institutions may contribute to the development of individuals who are not only knowledgeable but also capable of applying their knowledge effectively in practical situations around the world.Originality/valueThe theoretical contribution lies in suggesting that combining PjBL with a methodology that provides a sequence of steps to be followed (such as that exemplified through SEEM) can address intrinsic issues that consider the complexity of PjBL implementation, preserving the development of competencies inherent to PjBL.

The Implementation of Project-Based Learning in Higher Education: A Case Study in the Indonesian Context

The implementation of project-based learning has been the center of the teaching and learning process in higher education especially in Indonesia. Higher degree education including universities that implements the project-based learning model. Along with the practical use in class, there is a need to clarify whether the project-based learning has been well conducted. This study is conducted through qualitative approach to dig depicted picture of the implementation of the teaching model. The data were gathered through observation and in-depth interview which were analyzed using qualitative data analysis. The observation covers the preparation of the class like checking the lesson plan, syllabus, learning materials, and the instructional model used. The observation has also been done during the implementation of the lesson plan. The in-depth interview was done through conducting interview with the lecturers and the students about the implementation of the instructional model. The result of the study presents that the implementation of project-based learning was done in a number of ways and stimulate the development of the students’ skills. The implementation of the model was done in various ways covering the three main processes: preparation, implementation, and evaluation. The model implemented facilitates the students’ problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, and information literacy. As the students developed their life skills, the teaching through the project-based learning model can be done creatively depending on the learners’ and teacher’s characters and the learning facilities.

Scoping review methodology and its use to review online project-based learning in higher education, 2020-2023

Scoping review methodology and its use to review online project-based learning in higher education, 2020-2023

Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Project-Based Learning in Higher Education

This study explores the benefits and challenges of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in higher education. The research methodology employed a review study, utilizing various tools, methods, and software such as databases, citation management software, and data analysis software. The main findings of this study highlight the multifaceted benefits of PjBL in higher education, including enhanced student engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and authentic problem-solving. Implementing PjBL in higher education also presents challenges. These include faculty resistance and readiness, complexities in curriculum design and assessment, time and resource constraints, and the need for effective project management strategies. Strategies to address these challenges are discussed, including faculty training and support, curriculum alignment, assessment rubrics, and project management frameworks. This study’s findings can be useful in higher education institutions across various disciplines and areas, providing insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers who seek to integrate or enhance PjBL approaches in their curriculum. This study contributes to the existing knowledge on PBL in higher education by providing a comprehensive exploration of its benefits and challenges. It advances the understanding of how PjBL promotes active engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and authentic problem-solving, ultimately bridging the gap between theory and practice in education.

PROJECT MODELLING TOOLBOX IN HIGHER EDUCATION: HEXAGONAL CANVAS IN PROJECT BASED LEARNING

Inclusion of project modelling tools into higher education is based on expectations of industry about young professionals with applicable, rich skillset. Business or project model canvas is one of the most widely used frameworks in contrary to traditional planning tools. Pedagogically - project model canvas is a teaching goal and method simultaneously. Those aspects widen possibilities to integrate the tool in various study courses and levels. The aim of the research is to explore and evaluate functional and cognitive impacts of Hex-canvas use in project-based learning in higher education. This tool is represented in a form of template of 11 fundamental elements which describe a specific aspect of a project. The research is based on experiences gathered in Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia. Data used in this research has been comprised of structured interviews of doctoral level students (n=8) who used Hex-canvas in summer school and from bachelor and master level students (n=16) of “I Living Labs” study course (year 2022). Results reveal high applicability in structuring of the projects, defining aims and activities for implementation, it gives overall perspective of project, however there must be clear instructions by teachers, as well the consistency of usage is recommended.

The Need Analysis of Technology-Based Project-Based Learning in Higher Education

21st-century learning places more emphasis on student-centered learning and requires students to develop 6C competencies. In line with this, the project-based learning method can be used as a method that can help students to develop their abilities, especially in language skills subjects. This study aims to analyses the characteristics of technology-based project-based learning needed in teaching language skills in tertiary institutions. This research used an explanatory mixed method. The language skills courses were analyzed in terms of the current and desired conditions in four aspects such as context, input, process, and product. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. To provide trustworthiness or validity and reliability, this study used the source triangulation method.The results of the study revealed that the conceptual framework regarding the application of project-based learning through technology in teaching language skills courses should be added to higher education. The existence of a conceptual framework can assist lecturers in implementing project-based learning in the language skills class.

Co-creativity in real-world problem solving in project-based learning in higher education

The present study constitutes a preliminary effort to frame co-creativity, project-based learning and real-world problem-solving under a cultural historical activity theory framework. The paper establishes co-creativity as collective concept formation in the wild and collective mediation as primary elements for the study of real-world problem solving in higher education. This study aims at bridging gaps between co-creative real-world problem solving in higher education and knowledge, competency, action between higher education and the real world.

Role of perceived self-efficacy in automated project allocation: Measuring university students’ perceptions of justice in interdisciplinary project-based learning

Universities have implemented digital-technology-assisted automated project-allocation solutions to solve perceived injustices raised by students during manual project allocation for project-based learning (PBL). However, perceived injustices still occur. Grounded in social cognitive theory and organizational justice theory, this mixed-method case study explored the proposition that self-efficacy predicts perceived justice. First, we developed and evaluated an integrated scale that assessed self-efficacy and perceived justice by incorporating the educational context into PBL project allocation. Second, we tested three hypotheses regarding the relationship between self-efficacy and the dimensions of perceived justice, using structural equation modelling. Third, we conducted focus group interviews and qualitative analysis to explain the quantitative findings. The questionnaire was administered to two undergraduate cohorts (N1 = 226, N2 = 537) in an interdisciplinary PBL course at an international university. Perceived self-efficacy, procedural justice, distributive justice, and learning equity were the most relevant factors for perceived justice in PBL project allocation. Moreover, students' self-efficacy significantly predicted perceived justice, confirming human agency's critical role in automated project-allocation decision-making. Three themes were extracted to explain underlying mechanisms. This study provides a context-specific justice measurement tool and a conceptual model highlighting the importance of student self-efficacy for perceived justice in sustainable PBL in higher education.

An Exploration Into Key Roles in Making Project-Based Learning Happen: Insights From a Case Study of a University

Given the challenges encountered in adopting project-based learning in higher education, it is important to understand how project-based learning pedagogy can be effectively delivered, hence, resulting in quality student learning from project experience. Recent work suggests that the instantiation of specific roles of the teacher and the student may be central in a project-based learning course. Using a case study of UNI-X with a focus group approach, we examined the roles played by the teacher and the student in project-based learning courses. Results suggest that the teacher plays the roles of a designer, champion, facilitator and manager in a project-based learning course. To ensure learning is effective, the student has to play the roles of a self-directed learner and a warrior when completing his or her project. Our study also identifies the existence of role ambiguity and role conflict in project-based learning courses and we discuss how role conflict could impact the effectiveness of student learning. Implications for research and practice are highlighted.

A review of project-based learning in higher education: Student outcomes and measures

Project-based learning (PjBL) is understood to be a promising approach that improves student learning in higher education. Empirical studies on project-based learning have been reviewed with a focus on student outcomes. Affective outcomes (i.e. perceptions of the benefits of PjBL and perceptions of the experience of PjBL) were most applied, which were measured by questionnaires, interviews, observation, and self-reflection journals. Cognitive outcomes (i.e. knowledge and cognitive strategies) and behavioral outcomes (i.e. skills and engagement) were measured by questionnaires, rubrics, tests, interviews, observation, self-reflection journals, artifacts, and log data. The outcome of artifact performance was assessed by rubrics. Future research should investigate more about students’ learning processes and final products. Measurement instruments and data analyses should also be improved.

Towards a Successful Integration of Project-based Learning in Higher Education: Challenges, Technologies and Methods of Implementation

Project-based learning (PBL) is a learner-centered teaching method that seeks to enable students to develop themselves and their knowledge through means relevant to their lives. The structural principles of the method reflect contemporary knowledge regarding the importance of autonomy, activity, and collaboration in learning, and harmonize well with the information age and its technologies. Despite these, however, project-based learning implementation in higher education has been slow and accompanied by difficulties. In this paper, I review the main features of project-based learning, the advantages it offers to higher education, and the main challenges that its successful implementation faces. On the basis of a synthesis between theoretical and practical knowledge, I present and demonstrate ways for integrating the project-based learning principles with available information and communications technologies, and offer implementation guidelines for lecturers and institutions of higher education.

Project-based learning in higher education in the UAE: a case study of Arab students in Emirati Studies

Educational institutions in the Middle East are often criticized for using outdated teaching strategies such as lecturing that promote rote learning and memorization skills rather than life skills such as critical thinking, creativity and innovation which are important for students’ education and their future careers. This applied research paper presents an example of using Project-Based Learning (PBL) in Higher Education as a supplement to traditional lecturing and the benefits of using this approach for teaching and learning. A group of 62 female Arab students studying Emirati Studies at a federal higher institution in the UAE were involved in this classroom-based inquiry which took place over a 14-week semester. Data were collected using quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how effective the PBL approach was in engaging learners, in improving their skills and in helping them achieve the course learning outcomes. The results of the study showed that PBL was useful in helping students develop essential 21st century skills such as critical thinking, team work, problem solving, research skills, presentation skills, interpersonal communication skills, negotiation skills, creativity, and innovation. This research project helps to illustrate and provide evidence of how using PBL as a supplement to traditional lecturing can be a catalyst for an effective and efficient process-oriented quality education where students are active individuals managing their own learning and having fun in the process.

The effectiveness of wikis for project-based learning in different disciplines in higher education

Concerning the effectiveness of using wikis for project-based learning in higher education, this study compared the perceptions and actions among students in three undergraduate courses of different disciplines, English Language Studies, Information Management, and Mechanical Engineering, who used wikis in their course assignments. Using a triangulation methodology, the study shows that students mostly hold positive attitudes towards the use of wikis for project-based learning. However, significant differences exist in 5 aspects, such as “Motivation” and “Knowledge Management”, in the questionnaire among all participants. Additionally, the level of participation and core actions on the wikis vary among students of the three disciplines. These findings can be explained by the variations in participants' previous learning experiences, their technical backgrounds and the relationship between learning goals and collaborative learning. A series of insights are offered in the context of the use of wikis in project-based learning in higher education.

Project-based learning in higher education: Exploring programming students development towards self-directedness

The purpose of the research reported here was to explore whether the application of project-based learning in higher education could develop programming students’ self-directedness. This research was based on social constructivism and emphasised the construction of knowledge in which students were collaboratively involved. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The participants in this research were 89 second-year BSc students with a major in Computer Science/Information Technology. Students worked together in a team to develop a programming project. Data collection involved questionnaires, development of a project and a manual as well as various narrative reflections. Findings indicate that participants’ application of project-based learning may contribute to the development of self-directedness.

Well-being, leadership,andpositive organizationalscholarship: A case study of project-based learning in higher education

The emerging fields of positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship (POS) contribute new perspectives and approaches for leadership education and leadership development in higher education. While there are emerging empirical studies in these new fields, little connection has been made to the intellectual and practical applications for undergraduate leadership education. In this paper, the authors make a case for the intersection of leadership and positive organizational scholarship in the context of an academic course that combines theory-to-practice using a project-based learning approach. Student learning gains in this course are reported through a pre-post assessment of student’s competency and personal levels of well-being.

Interdisciplinary project-based learning: an online wiki experience in teacher education

In the current research study the use of Wikis as an online didactic tool to apply project-based learning in higher education was reported. The study was conducted in university teacher education programmes. During the online activities, participants developed interdisciplinary projects for the primary school working collaboratively in small groups in a Wiki virtual environment within the Moodle platform. Science was at the core of the projects and acted as an organising hub to finding links with other disciplines. A mixed-methods approach involving the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted in the current research study. The authors developed the following three instruments in order to measure both processes and outcomes of the online activities: the interdisciplinary project-based learning questionnaire, the reflection questionnaire and a rubric for assessing interdisciplinary projects. The current paper focuses only on the qualitative data, which were subjected to an inductive content analysis. Results provided evidence of the processes involved during the collaborative activities and that online activities can develop teachers’ abilities to design projects in interdisciplinary contexts. The discussion highlights the aspects of the online environment that made the collaborative work effective in learning. Future implications and suggestions for teacher education programmes are discussed.

Project-Based Learning in Higher Education

Students learning styles must be taken into account when devising curricula for teaching EFL and EAP at university. The differences in learning styles are frequently more subtle than the mere classification into visual or auditory learners. Therefore, we investigated how project-based learning contributes to better performance by students of engineering in their first and second year at university, as illustrated by the pass rate in English as a Foreign Language. Keywords: EST, project-based learning, student participation, new technologies, higher education

Web 2.0 project-based learning in higher education: some preliminary evidence

This paper develops an understanding of how Web 2.0 applications can be utilised to support a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach. Creating communities in the classroom has been the traditional method of engaging students. Web 2.0 technologies are changing the way dispersed learning communities interact. To provide preliminary evidence on this, we have designed a Social Computing Environment (SCE) to support a community of students coming from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan and involved in an International Master's Programme in e-Business Management (IMeBM). This study suggests that Web 2.0 tools enhance learning effectiveness in terms of learners' satisfaction, knowledge creation and learning performance. The preliminary results suggest that learners prefer to utilise wikis more than blogs to collaborate with peers, tutors and mentors.