Students’ Perspectives and Experiences in Project-Based Learning: A Qualitative Study

Teaching project management to engineering students demands real-world experiences in which they can apply and develop work-ready skills, such as critical thinking, empathy, and teamwork. While a shortage of these skills in new graduates is frequently claimed by engineering companies and educational bodies, there is still a lack of higher education research studies on how to foster them through teaching practice. This paper intends to contribute to filling this gap by presenting an exploratory case study research of a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) experience aimed at designing and implementing a professional (re)integration plan for social and economic deprived people (e.g., long/short-term unemployed), who depend on external food supply provided by a non-profit organization called REFOOD. The experience was carried out in Portugal, from February to June 2021, with 7 MSc mechanical engineering students from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD). We firstly describe the PjBL experience in terms of the key driving question, the learning goals, the educational activities, the collaboration among students and stakeholders, the scaffolding activities, and the tangible learning artefacts produced. We further discuss the preliminary results of the study from data collected through documental analysis, participant observation, and self-completion questionnaires on students’ perceptions of the PjBL experience. Data analysis shows that this experience positively impacted the development of students’ project management, empathy, critical thinking, and team-working skills, by mainly having challenged their personal belief systems and biases related to the real-world scenarios they dealt with. Finally, we outline implications for the teaching practice concerning the development of similar PjBL experiences, as well as future research directions.KeywordsEngineering educationSocial responsibilityProject managementEmpathyCritical thinking

Background: Inclusive STEM high schools employ a variety of instructional strategies, including PBL (problem and/or project-based learning) experiences, with the goals of building students' 21st century skills, facilitating long-term academic success, and encouraging pursuit of STEM careers. PBL approaches are central to the goals of inclusive STEM schools; however, at this writing, no description of the implementation of PBL at these schools exists. Material and Methods: The current study draws on classroom observations and teacher interviews to describe PBL implementation across schools and classrooms. We describe specific instructional practices and classroom behaviors that teachers and students engage in during PBL. Results: Results highlight the multifaceted and multidimensional nature of PBL implementation, and that consistencies in practice do exist across inclusive STEM schools. Additionally, quantitative results show increased use of particular strategies in PBL experiences, as compared with non-PBL classes. Conclusions: This paper provides an in-depth look at instructional practices used in PBL approaches at inclusive STEM schools across the country, and findings have implications for how researchers and practitioners understand and use PBL going forward.

This study examines elementary school students' project-based learning (PBL) experiences through computer-mediated communication (CMC). The purpose of the study is to explore whether the use of computer-mediated communication tools in a project-based collaborative learning process enhances 5th grade students' attitudes toward computer and computer class within an online supported environment, analyze the level of learners' satisfaction about the project-based collaborative learning through CMC, and examine students' perceptions of their social presence and how effective social presence is as a predictor of overall students' satisfaction.

This research work presents an experience of the Faculty of Engineering of Mondragon Unibertsitatea using Project Based Learning (PBL) with the students of 4th semester of Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Organization Engineering (IOE). The PBL delved into the concepts developed in the subjects of Management Systems and Production Logistics. The project was contextualized in a company that produced parts for the automotive sector. Teams of students implemented a management system that enabled the efficient management of materials and the production process using tools such as Demand Driven MRP (DDRMP). As a result, they had to solve the proposed problem, develop a simulation and choose the proposal that best met the needs of the company. In order to assess PBL performance a survey was carried out. The results confirmed that the experience was positive since the achieved knowledge provided a meaningful learning experience for the students, while facilitating the development of both technical and transversal competences.

Competency-based training focuses both on the development of capabilities, skills and knowledge, as well as on education in values, experiences and attitudes that, when integrated, are aimed at the successful performance of the student. In this sense, active methodologies, particularly project-based learning (PBL), provide an opportunity for students to apply and develop skills in real situations and through teamwork, making use of the potential of the application of information and communication technologies (ICT), such as Artificial Intelligence. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the methodology applied in the experience of project-based learning and Artificial Intelligence in the online training of mechanical engineers. The experience was developed in the degree of Mechanical Engineering at two universities (National University of San Agustín de Arequipa, Perú and the Technological University of Havana, Cuba) in two subjects, respectively: Mathematical logical reasoning and Pedagogy and didactics of higher education. The analysis was carried out based on a set of achievement indicators (pass, fail, dropout and withdrawal), and it allowed for a comparative study between 2022 and 2023 that offers valuable results in the online training process of these students. The methodology used, the analysis carried out and the impact obtained constitute a motivating guide for today’s higher education.

In the contemporary landscape of education, integrating Project-Based Learning (PjBL) within online educational environments has emerged as a prominent pedagogical approach, aiming to foster students' critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. This study seeks to evaluate students' experiences with Project-Based Learning in the context of online education, recognizing the significance of understanding the effectiveness and challenges associated with this instructional method. The primary aim of this research is to assess the perceptions and experiences of students engaging in Project-Based Learning within online educational settings. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to capture students' perspectives comprehensively. The study sample comprised students enrolled in diverse online courses across various disciplines, ensuring a broad representation of experiences and insights. The study's main results reveal a nuanced understanding of students' experiences with Project-Based Learning in online educational contexts. Quantitative analysis indicates overall positive perceptions regarding the effectiveness of PjBL in enhancing learning outcomes and fostering student engagement. Qualitative findings further elucidate the multifaceted nature of students' experiences, highlighting both the benefits and challenges of implementing PjBL in online settings. In conclusion, this research underscores the potential of Project-Based Learning as a valuable instructional approach within online education, offering opportunities for meaningful learning experiences and skill development. However, it also identifies several considerations and areas for improvement, such as adequate technological support, clear guidelines, and enhanced facilitation to optimize the PjBL experience in online environments. This study contributes to the field of education by providing empirical insights into implementing Project-Based Learning in online educational contexts. The findings offer valuable implications for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers seeking to effectively integrate innovative pedagogical approaches into online learning environments, ultimately enhancing the quality and efficacy of online education.

This study explores the effectiveness of podcasting as an approach to project-based and experiential learning implemented in an intermediate Italian studies unit at an Australian university. In the project, students are asked to write and record a podcast script on a topic related to their experience as university students or to events concerning Italian culture or the Italian community in Australia. The podcasts are then used in class as learning material and some are also made available to an Australian Italian language radio service. The findings of our mixed-method study on students’ evaluation of the project show that the activity is effective in helping students develop, reflect on and gain more confidence in their L2 skills (particularly pronunciation), and it also fosters the acquisition of non-linguistic skills, such as time management, problem solving, interpersonal abilities and autonomy. The results offer some important insights for future implementations of the project and further confirm the benefits of project-based experiential learning, and of podcasting specifically, as a learning tool in language teaching.

Most engineering curricula in the United States include some form of major design project experiences for students, such as capstone courses or design-build-fly projects. Such courses are examples of project-based learning (PBL). Part of PBL is to prepare students—and future engineers—to deal with and prevent common project failures such as missing requirements, overspending, and schedule delays. But how well are students performing once they join the workforce? Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to prepare future engineers as best we can, the frequency of failures of complex projects shows no signs of decreasing. In 2020 only 53% of projects were on time, 59% within budget, and 69% met their goal, as reported by the Project Management Institute. If we want to improve success rates in industry projects, letting students get the most out of their PBL experience and be better prepared to deal with project failures before they join the workforce may be a viable starting point. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to identify and suggest improvements to areas that PBL lacks when it comes to preparing students for failure, to investigate student behaviors that lead to project failures, and to improve these behaviors by providing helpful feedback to students. To investigate the actions and behaviors that lead to events that cause failures in student projects, I introduced “crowd signals”, which are data collected directly from the students that are part of a project team. In total, I developed 49 survey questions that collect these crowd signals. To complete the first part of the dissertation, I conducted a first experiment with 28 student teams and their instructors in two aerospace engineering PBL courses at Purdue University. The student teams were working on aircraft designs or low-gravity experiments.Does PBL provide sufficient opportunities for students to fail safely, and learn from the experience? How can we improve? To identify areas that PBL may lack, I compared industry failure cause occurrence rates with similar rates from student teams in PBL courses, and then provided recommendations to PBL instructors. Failure causes refer to events that frequently preceded budget, schedule, or requirements failures in industry, and are identified from the literature. Through this analysis, I found that PBL does not prepare students sufficiently for situations where the failure cause missing a design aspect occurs. The failure cause is fundamentally linked to proper systems engineering: it represents a scenario where, for example, students failed to consider an important requirement during system development, or did not detect a design flaw, or component incompatibility. I provided four recommendations to instructors who want to give their students more opportunities to learn from this failure cause, so they are better prepared to tackle it as engineers. Is crowdsourced information from project team members a good indicator of future failure occurrences in student projects? I developed models that predict the occurrence of future budget, schedule, or requirements failures, using crowd signals and other information as inputs, and interpreted those models to get an insight on which student actions are likely to lead to project failures. The final models correctly predict, on average, 73.11±6.92% of budget outcomes, 75.27%±9.21% of schedule outcomes, and 76.71±6.90% of technical requirements outcomes. The previous status of the project is the only input variable that appeared to be important in all three final predictive models for all three metrics. Overall, crowdsourced information is a useful source of knowledge to assess likelihood of future failures in student projects. Does targeted feedback that addresses the failure causes help reduce failures in student projects? To improve student behaviors that lead to project failures, I used correlations between failure measures and the crowd signals as a guide to generate 35 feedback statements. To evaluate whether the feedback statements help reduce project failures in the student teams, I conducted a second experiment at Purdue University with 14 student teams and their instructors. The student teams were enrolled in aircraft design, satellite design, or propulsion DBT courses. The student teams were split in two treatment groups: teams that received targeted feedback (i.e., feedback that aimed to address the failure causes that the specific team is most prone to) and teams that received non-targeted feedback (i.e., feedback that is positive, but does not necessarily address the failure causes the specific team is most prone to). Through my analysis, I found that my targeted feedback does not reduce the failure occurrences in terms of any metrics, compared to the non-targeted feedback. However, qualitative evaluations from the students indicated that student teams who received targeted feedback made more changes to their behaviors and thought the feedback was more helpful, compared to the student teams who received non-targeted feedback.

Many undergraduate IT programs recognize that their graduates will find jobs as software developers. As such, software development (analysis and design) courses are often a core requirement of IT undergraduate degree programs. This paper presents an analysis and comparison of the content of software development courses at several colleges and universities. In particular, the software development methodologies presented in the courses are examined. The comparison is based on two main criteria; the development methodologies presented through the textbook assigned to the class, and the development methodologies presented through the class lectures.A software development methodology is "a recommended collection of phases, procedures, rules, techniques, tools, documentation, management, and training used to develop a system" (Avison 2003). There are hundreds of software development methodologies. An ongoing debate has existed for several years as to what methodology is best. Prior research has shown that no methodology is best all the time and that practitioners are modifying methodologies to suit their needs. This research shows that IT software development courses have not been modified to reflect current trends in the practical application of development methodologies and students may not be learning the tools and techniques that they need to become successful practitioners. Key inadequacies and the associated pedagogical significance are discussed.

Even while Artificial Intelligence (AI) has long been a part of our lives, it has recently received more attention thanks to the Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) introduction. Since its launch in November 2022, writers have discussed its advantages and disadvantages for society. Considering the various applications of this easily accessible instrument, a significant discussion centres on how it affects learning and the academic setting. This paper discusses using ChatGPT for project-based assessments in online teacher education. Therefore, this paper aims to guide lecturers using ChatGPT to challenge students in learning and developing critical thinking abilities through various project-based evaluation methods. The constructivist paradigm was used in this exploratory case study to assess lecturers’ preparedness for project-based assessment, aligning with a qualitative approach. Twelve lecturers with at least five years of Open and Distance e-learning (ODeL) experience were purposefully selected, and data was gathered via e-mail questionnaires focused on project-based assessment. Inductive analysis, a qualitative researcher synthesising and making sense of the data, was used to evaluate the questionnaire-transcribed data. Assessment is a necessary teaching skill, one of the most important critical aspects of teacher preparation. More emphasis on project-based evaluations that emphasise knowledge application should replace traditional, memorisation-based exams. Through project-based learning, students can show that they can apply what they have learned and engage in critical and creative thinking. Findings reveal that academic institutions and individual scholars must prioritise exploring AI technology, such as ChatGPT, and its implications within educational contexts. Moreover, project-based assessments are highly effective in fostering critical and creative thinking. These assessments encourage students to solve problems, collaborate, and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. However, many students lack proficiency in project-based skills and struggle to apply knowledge from traditional resources to develop new ideas. Academic institutions should incorporate generative AI technology alongside project-based learning methodologies to prepare students for the rapidly evolving workplace. This approach promotes creative and critical thinking, collaboration, and the practical application of knowledge.

Student-centered learning approach, which embodies shifting the focus of instruction from teacher to student, actively engages students in their own learning process by incorporating their learning skills and interests. With the developments in instructional technologies making online learning widespread, the student-centered learning approach has found the opportunity to transition from theory to practice. How project-based learning, which is one of the best application areas of student-centered learning, can be realized in online learning environments and the views of pre-service teachers about this experience are the research subjects of this study. Conducted as a descriptive case study, this study investigates the views and experiences of 55 Computer and Instructional Technologies Education Department students towards application of project-based learning in an online course. Data gathered through close-ended Likert type questionnaire, open-ended questionnaire and self-evaluation reports revealed that project-based learning method provided learners with gains in terms of comprehension of course content through hands-on experience, developing research skills, improving collaboration and group work skills, and creating something by making use of their imagination and creativity in a fun way.

In accordance with the changing scope of culture learning (CL), i.e., intercultural knowledge development, since the 1990s onwards, this study intends to explore the potential of CL through project work concerning intercultural knowledge construction and its experiences within a preservice English teacher education. In other words, the research employs project-based learning (PBL) as a tool to incorporate the principles of constructivism and experiential education. This study modified Stoller's (1997) PBL model into a seven-step sequence, which was embedded in the midst of a CL course for eight weeks. The study used three data sources collected from eleven participants: group projects, weekly journals, and post-project written reflections. The results are as follows. First, students showed intercultural knowledge construction by: 1) producing four projects, each for a cultural topic of Korean, American, and other international cultures; and 2) expressing they built deep intercultural knowledge, understood the interwoven nature of culture, and developed genuine interest in the cultures. Second, the study identified four perceived PBL's benefits: metacognitive skills practice, language practice, student-centered active learning, and integration of PBL theory and practice. Finally, PBL's challenges were identified: many time-consuming tasks, insufficient language competence, unfamiliar cultural topics, and being unaccustomed to student-centeredness.

In an effort to achieve the development of students' critical thinking skills in elementary school science learning, various innovative learning models can be used, one of which is the Project Based Learning (PjBL) model. The PjBL model is a learning method that can improve critical thinking skills through problem solving. This type of research is a quantitative meta-analysis study. The meta-analysis study aims to determine how big the effect of the PjBL model is on students' critical thinking skills in elementary school science learning? The collection of articles using the publish or perish application with the keywords project based learning model, critical thinking, elementary school science learning as many as 200 articles and 12 theses. Articles that meet the inclusion criteria are analyzed by calculating the effect size of each journal and thesis. The average effect size analysis of 0.59 is in the moderate category. The PjBL model has an effect on elementary school students' critical thinking skills with r RE = 0.59 in the moderate category. This shows that the application of the PjBL model has an effect on students' critical thinking skills in elementary school science learning. PjBL-based science learning allows students to apply and develop theories, skills, and techniques to solve problems. PjBL enriches students' learning experiences and knowledge, providing more meaningful education in innovative learning

This research investigated the impact of the Meta Virtual Project-based Networked Learning (Meta VPNL) model on student performance within a virtual learning environment (VLE) in the subject of The Development of Audio/Radio Media at the State University of Surabaya. The study aimed to address the problem of low student engagement and practical skills development in traditional VLEs. By integrating meta-learning, project-based learning (PjBL), and networked learning, the Meta VPNL model sought to enhance student engagement, collaboration, practical skills, and self-regulation. Qualitative data were collected through reflective journals, focus groups, and observations. The findings indicated that the Meta VPNL model significantly increased student engagement and motivation due to its hands-on, real-world projects. Students developed better collaboration and communication skills, with many reporting improved teamwork and problem-solving abilities. Practical skills related to the subject also showed marked improvement, demonstrating the model's effectiveness in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Furthermore, students exhibited increased self-regulation and meta-learning skills, becoming more autonomous learners. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges in time management and balancing coursework were noted, highlighting the need for additional support. The study suggests practical actions for educators, institutions, and students to enhance the learning experience. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the Meta VPNL model could offer personalized learning experiences and facilitate effective collaboration, presenting an exciting opportunity for future improvement. The Meta VPNL model proved a practical approach for enhancing student performance in VLEs.

Narrative Inquiry into Graduate Students' Mentoring Experiences in Project-Based Learning