Abstract:

The excessive rigidity of higher education curricula has hindered the much-needed flexibility and updating of study programs, leaving students less prepared for an ever-evolving job market. In this regard, greater collaboration between educational institutions and the job market is necessary to promote the development of new skills that will benefit both parties. One strategy that can aid in this collaboration is the adoption of innovative methodologies by higher education faculty, fostering a more relevant education aligned with the demands of contemporary society. These methodologies enable the creation of dynamics in the contexts where learning takes place, promoting alternative forms of interaction between teachers and students and, simultaneously, the development of different competencies.

Within the context of innovative methodologies, various pedagogical responses can be considered. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is one such response and has been cited as one of the best examples of a constructivist learning environment because it is inductive and anchored in individual construction resulting from interaction with a specific context.

The "Route Change" project, or "Mudança de Rota" in Portuguese, emerges from the desire to do things differently in search of different results. This project was implemented in the first year of the Master's in Work and Organizational Psychology at the Portuguese Catholic University, Braga Regional Centre, Portugal. The project seeks to disrupt the routine trajectory of students commuting between home and university by introducing novel "stops" in this trajectory. These stops, in practice, correspond to study visits to different types of organisations operating in different sectors, from industry to services sector. The project, now in its 3rd edition, involves two courses of the mentioned Master's program: Organisational Diagnosis and Psychosocial Risks.

In terms of activities, everything begins in the classroom with the preparation for each visit, which may involve researching the organisation and the visit of the organisation's representative to the university. A script with questions for the visit is also prepared. Then, the students "stop" in an organisation for a study visit. At the end of the visit, each organisation presents a challenge to the group (students and faculty), called Homework, to be solved in the classroom over approximately two weeks. This challenge generally corresponds to a problem the organisation faces and has not yet resolved. Once solved, the solutions are sent or presented in person to the organisations' representatives.

Throughout this process, students construct a portfolio that includes the characterisation of visited organisations, the description of the preparation and realisation of visits, homework assignments (challenges posed by organisations), reflection on the process, and results. This portfolio constitutes 40% of the course assessment. Evaluation of the project's outcomes hinges on the satisfaction metrics of organisations, students, and faculty, which register notably high levels. Additionally, scrutiny of the quality of solutions proffered and their subsequent adoption by organisations is a tangible measure of the project's efficacy.

Keywords:

Innovative methodologies, Project-Based Learning, Master's program, Higher education curricula.