Abstract:

Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred form of instruction characterised by differents aspects, such as student’s autonomy, collaboration, communication, common goal-setting and constructive investigations. PBL needs to culminate in an end product. Students can encounter real-world problems which need to be addressed in order to construct and present the end product in response to the driving question. The present study analyzes the effect and impact that the subject Integrated Projects and Innovation from the areas of Primary Education (Primary Education Degree, University of Jaen) generates on the students. During the learning process, students are involved in the design and production of an integrated project based on the PBL methodology.

The data collection process was based on a test composed of 30 short questions related to PBL that were arranged into three blocks:
1) Previous ideas;
2) Learning difficulties;
3) Projection of the future.

Previous ideas of the students were recorded to know their level of knowledge about PBL before beginning the learning process. Learning difficulties’s block included questions about the learning experience of the students in relation to the projects they developed while the third block, Projection of the future, included questions to know opinions and students perspectives on using PBL in the primary classroom. The answers provided by the students (N = 160; ages 21±4 years) were collected on a linear scale from 1 to 5, where 1 represents the lowest value (strongly desagree) and 5 the highest value (strongly agree). All of the students within this study were exposed to the same learning experience. Results show that 23% of the surveyed students did not have knowledge about this methodology previously to the start of the learning experience. Students stated that they had difficulties in the design of the driving question (9%, high difficulties), the didactic sequence (24%, high difficulties) or the end product (41%, intermediate level of difficulty). However, 71% of the students felt they were capable of developing an integrated project based on the PBL methodology when completing their learning process through this subject. In fact, 86% of students indicated that they would like to use this methodology in schools once they develop their professional activity. In conclusion, Integrated Projects and Innovation from the areas of Primary Education is considered by students as a subject that positively contributes to their learning process, motivation and development of capacities related to PBL.

Keywords:

project-based learning, previous ideas, learning difficulties, Primary Education degree