Abstract:

The development of practical activities in the classroom is essential for applying and deepening theoretical knowledge and for fostering profound learning by integrating theory and practice. This case study investigates the impact of a practical project on the academic performance of 596 Building Engineering undergraduate students enrolled at Universitat Politècnica de València, in the course on Economics. Participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group (who carried out an academic project on entrepreneurship in the course / who did not). Academic performance was assessed based on the final outcome in the course (pass/fail) and the result in the entrepreneurship content of the second midterm exam (pass/fail). Academic data were analyzed using the non-parametric Chi-square test. The results showed that students who completed the project passed the subject and the theoretical assessment of "entrepreneurship" content more frequently. This study concludes that implementing practical academic projects significantly enhances students' performance and achievement, highlighting the importance of these pedagogical methodologies in higher education.

Keywords:

Academic performance, academic project, Higher education, theoretical and practical teaching.