Abstract:

The Project-Based Learning (PBL) method has become increasingly prevalent in higher education, particularly within European universities. Institutions such as the University of Seville have adopted this approach to facilitate a more active and engaging learning environment, aligning closely with the prospective professional careers of their students.

The implementation of PBL is particularly advantageous in the context of Building Structures, where real-world projects act as the focal point for student learning. At the University of Seville, the Architecture degree program incorporates three key courses titled "Structures," which span from the first to the fourth academic year, each lasting 15 weeks. These courses aim to cover fundamental aspects of concrete and steel structures, including design, analysis, and verification in accordance with contemporary Spanish building codes.

Traditionally, the teaching methodology for Building Structures has blended theoretical and practical elements. The theoretical component focused on explaining the unique properties and behaviors of construction materials, while practical sessions involved solving numerical problems on the blackboard. Student performance was typically assessed through examinations. However, in the "Structures 1" course, PBL has been employed for several years, yielding positive but improvable outcomes.
In response to these observations, the current academic year has seen a refined syllabus for the "Structures 1" course. This revised syllabus is grounded in the PBL framework, incorporating new organizational and control mechanisms to address previously identified issues. These enhancements aim to streamline the learning process and improve the overall effectiveness of project-based instruction.

The efficacy of these improvements was assessed through student feedback at three distinct stages of the course. The analysis of this feedback was conducted using stair diagrams to visualize and interpret the results.

This paper is structured as follows:
(I) an introduction section outlining the context and significance of the study;
(II) a summary of the key elements of the enhanced syllabus;
(III) an examination of student responses to the implemented changes; and
(IV) an evaluation of the new instructional approach and its impact on student learning outcomes.

Keywords:

Project Based Learning, Building Structures, Degree in Architecture.