Abstract:

Project-based learning (PBL) has gained considerable relevance in educational processes in recent years. According to multiple published researches, this strategy has allowed improving students' commitment, motivation and academic performance in educational processes. The present research is developed in a postgraduate program in Project Management (e-learning modality), particularly in research training courses in Colombia. In this course, postgraduate students develop skills and capabilities as researchers in the companies where they work. The research courses (Research Process I and Research Process II) have three academic credits (48 hours of student work per credit). As a baseline, the students of this program found the research courses to be very theoretical, unattractive and with little application to their professional performance, generating a low level of commitment. The level of desertion in these courses was 25%. In this sense, a pedagogical proposal was designed using project-based learning for the development of the course. The central theme was the use of emerging technologies (Big-Data, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) applied to project management. A quantitative research was developed. The course was developed in eight weeks, with three deliverable activities (two individual and one group) and two collaborative participation forums. The main variable of interest was the academic performance of the students. 120 students participated in the research. There was a control group (without strategy application) and two experimental groups. The results show that the pedagogical proposal generated an increase, with statistical significance, in the academic performance of students in the Research Process I course. The level of desertion was also reduced by 10%.

Keywords:

Project-Based Learning, Emerging Technologies, Research Course, Academic Performance.