Asee peer logo

Beyond the Classroom: Problem-Based Learning in Real Scenarios, Fostering Self-Efficacy and Sense of Belonging

Download Paper |

Conference

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Portland, Oregon

Publication Date

June 23, 2024

Start Date

June 23, 2024

End Date

June 26, 2024

Conference Session

Broadening Perspectives in Construction Education

Tagged Division

Construction Engineering Division (CONST)

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--46649

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/46649

Download Count

109

Paper Authors

author page

Jose Manuel Fuentes-Cid

biography

Monica Quezada-Espinoza Universidad Andres Bello, Chile Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-0383-0179

visit author page

Monica Quezada-Espinoza is a professor and researcher at the School of Engineering at the Universidad Andres Bello in Santiago, Chile, where currently collaborates with the Educational and Academic Innovation Unit, UNIDA (for its acronym in Spanish), as an instructor in active learning methodologies. Her research interest topics involve university education in STEM areas, faculty and continuing professional development, research-based methodologies, community engagement projects, evaluation tools and technology, and gender issues in STEM education. https://orcid.org/0000- 0002-0383-0179

visit author page

Download Paper |

Abstract

This complete research presents how engaging students in practical, real-world activities within the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach enhances their sense of belonging and self-efficacy. Situated in the practice course 'Building Processes I' of the Construction Engineering program at a private university in Chile, this study aims to address the issue of low student engagement and motivation within conventional educational settings. By shifting to a PBL paradigm, the course directly tackles these challenges by actively involving students in meaningful and applicable learning experiences. The research employed an experimental methodology, using a validated survey to assess students' sense of belonging and self-efficacy. Participants were twenty-one students enrolled in the “Building Processes I” class. The project-based activity was structured into three phases: planning, execution, and closure. Students engaged in an ongoing project, applying classroom knowledge to plan and execute construction tasks, and concluded by evaluating the project outcomes to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement. The Wilcoxon test confirms that the PBL methodology significantly improves participants' sense of belonging (interactions) and self-efficacy when engaging in projects situated in real-world scenarios. Collaborative activities that involve role assignments and active problem-solving in authentic contexts are particularly effective in enhancing these sociocognitive factors.

Fuentes-Cid, J. M., & Quezada-Espinoza, M. (2024, June), Beyond the Classroom: Problem-Based Learning in Real Scenarios, Fostering Self-Efficacy and Sense of Belonging Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--46649

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2024 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015