Inquiry-based learning and related approaches such as project- and problem-based learning respond to the increased availability of information in a networked world by emphasizing the location and application of information by the learner rather than its transmission from teacher to learner. The role of teacher necessarily shifts toward being a designer and facilitator of projects through which students learn rather than the primary source of knowledge in the classroom. That shift is facilitated by the application of digital technologies to initiate learning activities, access and process information, and present results. It confronts teachers with challenges in relation to the relative emphases on content and process in learning and assessment, and the role of learners in deciding what is learned and how

This paper reports a learning experience related to the acquisition of project management competences. Students from three different universities and backgrounds, cooperate in a common project that drives the learning-teaching process. Previous related works on this initiative have already evaluated the goodness of this multidisciplinary, project-based learning approach in the context of a new educative paradigm. Yet the innovative experience has allowed the authors to define a rubric in order to measure specific competences in project management. The study shows the rubric’s main aspects as well as competence acquisition evaluation alternatives, based in the metrics defined. Key indicators and specific reports obtained from data base fields in the web tool will support this work. As a result, new competences can be assessed, such ones like teamwork, problem solving, communication and leadership. Final goal is to provide an overall competence map to the students at the same time they improve their skills

Report of a CELT project on supporting students through innovation and researchIn response to a wider agenda, this innovation aimed to develop a Problem Based Learning approach to support teaching and learning in pre-registration nursing at Level 1. RN/ DipHE students on 3 University sites were divided into 25 groups, each with an average of 11 members. Each group was allocated 1 staff member who facilitated them for 15 contact hours per student, to work on 3 enigmas. Evaluation of the project suggests that both staff and students further developed a wide range of necessary skills within a supportive project structure

Critical thinking (CT) is widely regarded as an important competence to obtain in education. Students’ exposure to problems and collaboration have been proven helpful in promoting CT processes. These elements are present in student-centered instructional environments such as problem-based and project-based learning (P(j)BL). Next to CT, also higher-order thinking (HOT) and critical-analytic thinking (CAT) contain elements that are present in and fostered by P(j)BL. However, HOT, CT, and CAT definitions are often ill-defined and overlap. The present systematic review, therefore, investigated how HOT, CT, and CAT were conceptualized in P(j)BL environments. Another aim of this study was to review the evidence on the effectiveness of P(j)BL environments in fostering HOT, CT, or CAT. Results demonstrated an absence of CAT in P(j)BL research and a stronger focus on CT processes than CT dispositions (i.e., trait-like tendency or willingness to engage in CT). Further, while we found positive effects of P(j)BL on HOT and CT, there was a lack of clarity and consistency in how researchers conceptualized and measured these forms of thinking. Also, essential components of P(j)BL were often overlooked. Finally, we identified various design issues in effect studies, such as the lack of control groups, that bring the reported outcomes of those investigations into question.

There is limited published research and discussion on pedagogical approaches in architectural education. Problem (or Project) Based Learning is used successfully in other professional disciplines, and, consequently, there have been attempts to utilise the same pedagogical approach in architectural education. This paper critically reviews PBL implementations at the Faculty of Architecture, Technical University of Delft (TUDelft), Netherlands and the De-partment of Architecture, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia and draws general conclusions about the implementation of PBL in architecture and particular recommendations with respect to the teaching of architectural computing

This study examines the comparative effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in enhancing student engagement, academic achievement, and character development among primary school students in Indonesia and Malaysia. A total of 120 fifth-grade students participated, equally divided into two groups: 60 students in the PBL group and 60 in the PjBL group, drawn from Unismuh Elementary School in Indonesia and the Indonesian School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Each group underwent a six-week intervention using either PBL or PjBL strategies. Student engagement was assessed using standardized observation sheets, academic achievement was measured through curriculum-aligned cognitive tests, and character development was evaluated using validated character questionnaires encompassing responsibility, honesty, empathy, cooperation, and initiative. Data were analysed using independent t-tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and effect size calculations (Cohen’s d and partial eta squared) to determine both statistical significance and practical relevance. The results indicate that PjBL was more effective in promoting student engagement and character development, whereas PBL yielded stronger gains in academic achievement. These differentiated outcomes highlight the importance of aligning pedagogical approaches with specific educational objectives and contextual conditions, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on evidence-based, student-centred education.

Rich Environments for Active Learning (REALs) are comprehensive instructional systems that are consistent with constructivist theories. They promote study and investigation within authentic contexts; encourage the growth of student responsibility, initiative, decision making and intentional learning; cultivate collaboration among students and teachers; utilize dynamic, interdisciplinary, generative learning activities that promote higher‐order thinking processes to help students develop rich and complex knowledge structures; and assess student progress in content and learning‐to‐learn within authentic contexts using realistic tasks and performances. Problem‐Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology that can be used to create REALs. PBL's student‐centred approach engages students in a continuous collaborative process of building and reshaping understanding as a natural consequence of their experiences and interactions within learning environments that authentically reflect the world around them. In this way, PBL and REALs are a response to teacher‐centred educational practices that promote the development of inert knowledge, such as conventional teacher‐to‐student knowledge dissemination activities. In this article, we compare existing assumptions underlying teacher‐directed educational practice with new assumptions that promote problem solving and higher‐level thinking by putting students at the centre of learning activities. We also examine the theoretical foundation that supports these new assumptions and the need for REALs. Finally, we describe each REAL characteristic and provide supporting examples of REALs in action using PB

This article presents an autoethnographic account of 23 years of teaching experience using problem- and project-based learning (ProbBL and ProjBL) in higher education, across face-to-face, blended, distance learning, and massive open online course (MOOC) formats. Drawing on 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and personal teaching notes, I systematically analyse how PBL approaches were developed, adapted, and implemented in diverse institutional and cultural contexts. These published works, based on both quantitative and qualitative research, serve as reflective artifacts through which I revisit and reinterpret my teaching practice. Using content mapping and thematic coding, I identify recurring tensions and enabling conditions in the application of PBL over time. Key findings highlight the importance of institutional support, student autonomy, emotional engagement, and community partnerships in sustaining active learning practices. Conversely, structural challenges such as faculty precarity, bureaucratic rigidity, and cultural resistance to pedagogical change often undermine these efforts. This article contributes to the literature by foregrounding the often-invisible institutional and emotional labor involved in sustaining transformative teaching practices. It also offers practical recommendations for educators and academic leaders seeking to advance PBL in complex and evolving educational environments.

A number of constraints have initiated a major curriculum revision of the Bachelor of Engineering degrees offered at Murdoch University (MU). The new curriculum will have mostly traditionally taught units in first and second year followed by design studios in third and fourth year, incorporating problem and project-based learning. Two examples from European Universities where problem and project based learning have been embedded in engineering curricula are reviewed. They highlight many positive aspects of student-focused teaching methods, but also show that there is inevitably some loss of technical competency for engineering graduates. The paper then investigates the transition from two traditionally taught units in Photovoltaics and Wind Energy Engineering at MU to an engineering design studio that is part of the Renewable Energy Engineering specialisation. First core content centred learning objectives are determined before a number of possible projects are evaluated. It is found that, in order to achieve technical as well as process skill competency, students should be exposed to a number of projects and a combination of traditional and problem/project-based learning methods should be applied. The paper also discusses the challenges of a successful implementation of the design studio model at Engineering MU, which will require resources, training and support for staff so that they are prepared for their new roles in a more student focused learning environment

The increasing demand for programming logic skills in the era of digital transformation has driven this study to identify and analyze effective learning strategies for their development. This research focuses on the implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) approaches, which are considered essential for enhancing problem-solving, analytical, and developmental processes in programming education. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) combined with bibliometric analysis was employed to examine relevant studies published between 2020 and 2025. The PRISMA guidelines were applied to select the literature, and data sources were collected using the Publish or Perish (PoP) application. A total of 32 articles met the inclusion criteria and were subsequently analyzed using VOSviewer software to identify research trends, patterns of collaboration among researchers, and keyword co-occurrence networks. The findings indicate that PBL- and PjBL-based learning strategies are effective in improving students’ understanding of programming logic, particularly in enhancing creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills. These findings are expected to serve as a foundation for the development of curricula and instructional innovations in programming education that are more responsive to the demands of the digital era.

The goal of this paper is to show the results of an on-going experience on teaching project management to grade students by following a development scheme of management related competencies on an individual basis. In order to achieve that goal, the students are organized in teams that must solve a problem and manage the development of a feasible solution to satisfy the needs of a client. The innovative component advocated in this paper is the formal introduction of negotiating and virtual team management aspects, as different teams from different universities at different locations and comprising students with different backgrounds must collaborate and compete amongst them. The different learning aspects are identified and the improvement levels are reflected in a rubric that has been designed ad hoc for this experience. Finally, the effort frameworks for the student and instructor have been established according to the requirements of the Bologna paradigms. This experience is developed through a software-based support system allowing blended learning for the theoretical and individual?s work aspects, blogs, wikis, etc., as well as project management tools based on WWW that allow the monitoring of not only the expected deliverables and the achievement of the goals but also the progress made on learning as established in the defined rubri

This study explores engineering design students’ perceptions of their agency for sustainability in a Danish problem- and project-based learning (PBL) context. A conceptual framework is proposed with three dimensions: personal, action, and contextual. Q methodology was adopted to investigate the subjective views of 24 first-year undergraduate students in a Sustainable Design program regarding the most important contributors in their development of agency for sustainability. The Q factor analysis identified three prevailing opinions, which emphasized: 1) The professional role of engineering designers to act for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); 2) The role of the formal curriculum in building the foundations to act for the SDGs; and 3) Collaboration within and beyond the university. These results indicate the complexity of student agency and highlight PBL's effectiveness for supporting students’ learning for sustainability across all three dimensions of student agency. The results also suggest that institutions and educators should design more formal and informal sustainability-related activities with clear structures and well-defined regulations and strategies for sustainability.

This research aimed to: (1) determine differences in science learning abilities between students taught using the project-based learning and problem-based learning models; (2) determine differences in science learning abilities between students who had high learning interest and those who had low learning interest; and (3) determine the interaction between learning models and learning interest on science learning abilities. This research was quantitative research with a quasi experimental type carried out in two sub districts: Pasarkliwon Sub district and Banjarsari Sub district. The research samples were sixth-grade students at Carangan State Elementary School in Pasar Kliwon Sub district as the experimental group and Purworejo State Elementary School, Banjarsari Sub district as the control group. Data collection techniques used test and non test techniques (questionnaires). The data analysis technique used Two Way Analysis of Variance using a significance level of α = 0.05. The results of the research showed that there were differences in students' understanding abilities with a significance level of 0.00<0.05 in project-based learning model learning and problem-based learning. There was a difference in the ability to understand solar system material with a significance level of 0.00<0.05 between students who had a high interest in learning and students who had a low interest in learning. There was an interaction between the learning model and learning interest indicated by (α) 0.003<0.05. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of learning models and students' learning interests influenced students' ability to understand solar system materials.

This paper describes a methodological study carried out between 2018 and 2022, at Rey Juan Carlos University, focused on the subject monitoring and control systems within a master's program in Industrial Engineering. The study proposes an innovative teaching strategy using problem‐based learning and project‐based learning methodologies. The projects undertaken are based on Internet of Things (IoT) systems aimed at enhancing weather stations, services and facilitating real‐time decision‐making. Inspired by our experience in the development of Industry 4.0 projects, we have designed a methodological strategy for this subject that focuses on providing students with the necessary knowledge and skills in the field of Control and Monitoring Systems and the IoT to develop real monitoring and control systems. The approach emphasizes interdisciplinary problem‐solving, with students working collaboratively in stable teams. Throughout the 16‐week course, tasks of increasing complexity are completed, resulting in the development of a complete system. The practical approach of the course and its relation to real applications motivates students, resulting in better performance. The acquired techniques and skills from the course are broadly applicable across engineering disciplines.

This paper addresses one of the major confusions in the study and practice of problem-based learning today, namely the use of the term “problem-based learning” to refer to both the small-group tutorial method pioneered by McMaster University and Maastricht University in medical education, and the problem-oriented project-work method developed in Denmark at the universities of Roskilde and Aalborg, which has gained prominence in recent years in the field of engineering education. This paper offers a comparison of the models using a thematic analysis of key elements of PBL, namely the nature of problems, the role of teachers, the nature of the educational process, and the underlying principles of the method, to conclude on a discussion of the causes of the confusion taking place today, and its potential ramifications for the study and practice of PBL in the future.

In this meta-analysis, we examined the effects on students’ motivation of student-centered, problem-driven learning methods compared to teacher-centered/lecture-based learning. Specifically, we considered problem-based (PBL), project-based (PjBL), and case-based learning (CBL). We viewed motivation as a multifaceted construct consisting of students’ beliefs (competence and control beliefs), perceptions of task value (interest and importance), and reasons for engaging in tasks (intrinsic or extrinsic). In addition, we included students’ attitudes toward school subjects (e.g., science). We included 139 subsamples from the 132 included reports (83 PBL, 37 PjBL, and 19 CBL subsamples). Overall, PBL, PjBL, and CBL had a small to moderate, heterogeneous positive effect (d = 0.498) on motivation. Moderator analyses revealed that larger effect sizes were found for students’ beliefs, values, and attitudes compared to students’ reasons for studying. No differences were found between the three instructional methods on motivation. However, effect sizes were larger when problem-driven learning was applied in a single course (when compared to a curriculum-level approach). Larger effects were also found in some academic domains (i.e., healthcare and STEM) than in others. While the impact of problem-driven learning on motivation is generally positive, the intricate interplay of factors such as academic domain and implementation level underscores the need for a nuanced approach to leveraging these instructional methods effectively with regard to increasing student motivation.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore inservice teachers’ definitions of project based learning (PjBL) and their accounts on the meaning of their PjBL implementations. A purposive sample of six teachers from grades four through twelve in public and private schools participated. Three themes evolved from inductive analysis: (1) teachers define PjBL through its perceived advantages on learning, (2) teachers vary in their use of PjBL over the continuum of the learning process, and (3) teachers adopt student-centered approaches in PjBL. Interpretations and implications of the findings are also presented

Problem‐oriented project work, also known as problem and project‐based learning (PBL), is a popular educational approach in engineering education. However, the focus of the literature on the implementation of PBL has been at the course and institutional levels. Scant attention has been paid to the student experience, especially regarding student conceptions of PBL.

The paper explores project management in action in a large public research organisation – NLAT which decided to change its internal organisation from team-based to project-based organisation a few years ago. A systematic and comparative analysis of 8 projects reveals that adherence to the ISO 9000’s standardized rules of project management - specific staffing and project leaders, definition of milestones ex ante, procedure manuals, and formalized learning accumulation mechanisms - had little to do with the organisations success over recent years: Looking for explanations for this success, the paper focuses on the process of transferring from one project to another, enhancing organisational learning through rules breaking. We identify three elements which encourage the accumulation of knowledge and competencies, as organisational learning: low project core staffing levels which stimulates the circulation of engineers and researchers between projects and blurs project boundaries, implementing and managing thematic projects which build on specific competencies developed in dedicated projects and encouraging ‘bricolage’ to hybridise project management with traditional hierarchical management practices.PROJECT MANAGEMENT;R&D;HIGH TECH;MANAGEMENT PRACTICES