PAT R Í C I A A R A Ú J O

S U S A N A S A N TO S
E VA O L I V E I R A WE NEED
CHALLENGES!
T h e C a s e O n Fo u r
Project-based
Learning Initiatives
a t Po r t u g u e s e
Higher Education
Institutions
PBL – PROJECT BASED LEARNING

• Confucius and Aristotle: early proponents of

learning by doing (Boss, 2011).

• The term "project learning" : William Kilpatrick 1918

• PBL, educator and philosopher John Dewey (1959)

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

• Project-based learning is a form of “situated learning

and it is based on the constructivist finding that
students gain a deeper understanding of material
when they actively construct their understand by
working with and using ideas” (Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2006, p. 318)
 SUB PRODUCTS OF PBL

- Case based learning

- Challenge based learning
- Game based learning
- Passion based learning
- Problem based learning,
- Service based learning
- Team based learning Search it!!!

- Work based learning David Hunter:

Using a zombie apocalypse narrative to
- Zombie-based learning …. teach geography aligned to National
Geography standards
METHODS
• A multiple case study approach was adopted where each case
is a project implemented by three different teachers.

• 4 projects, by 3 different teachers, from 2 different HE

institutions (convenient sample).

• The 8 Essential Elements from PBL Buck Institute for

Education
THE 8 PBL
ESSENTIAL
ELEMENTS

BUCK INSTITUTE
FOR EDUCATION
(BIE)

BI E i s th e Fo u n de r of:

Ww w. Pb l - o nl in e.O rg
T HE 8 PBL E SS EN T IAL EL EMEN TS : B UCK I NSTI T UT E FO R ED UCAT I ON

Principle Description

Key Knowledge, Project is focused on student learning goals. Standards-based content and skills:
Understanding, and critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and self-management.
Success Skills

Challenging The project is framed by a meaningful problem to solve or a question to answer, at

Problem/Question the appropriate level of challenge.

Students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding

Sustained Inquiry
resources, and applying information.
The project features real-world context, tasks and tools, quality standards, or impact
Authenticity – or speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives.

Student Voice & Students make some decisions about the project, including how they work and
Choice what they create.
Students and teachers reflect on learning, the effectiveness of their inquiry and
Reflection project activities, the quality of student work, obstacles and how to overcome them.

Students give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products.
Critique & Revision

Students make their project work public by explaining, displaying and/or

Public Product
presenting it to people beyond the classroom.
I PA M L E A D E R S H I P
CHALLENGE
• IPAM Porto and Ipam Lisbon, in 2016, 2017 and
2018.
• Project-based Learning; Team-based learning;
Challenge-based Learning

• Student’s Team – Leadership Skills – Self

Leadership – Shared Leadership – Organizing
Event – inviting Portuguese Keynote speakers
on leadership
• Producing news releases; Being Blog Managers…
ONE PITCH
FOR ONE CAUSE
• “One Pitch for One Cause” was a PBL
implemented in Ipam Lisbon, in 2017
PBL + Service-based learning.

• PBL that combines learning goals and community service in ways that can
enhance both student growth and the common good (Bandy, n.d.).

• it is a a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful

community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning
experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen
communities.” (National Service Learning Clearinghouse cited by Bandy, n.d.).
AR CA DI A
CHAL LENGE
• “Arcádia Challenge” was a PBL implemented in IPAM Porto during
the 2016 within the scope of ‘Product Management’ and ‘Price
Management’ formal curricular units (bachelor degree in Marketing management).

• 4 challenges:

• 1. Private Label Stores versus Large Surfaces

• 2. Licensing agreement with the three major Portuguese Football
Clubs
• 3. Need to innovate and broaden the range of Chocolate Candy
• 4. Extension of the range of pastries (biscuits and jams)
ESB SCIENCE IN
THE COMMUNIT Y”
• Formal Curricular unit “Personal Skills Development”
(Transferable skills, 21h: Team Building, Work Plan, Time Management,
Presenting Science Results in public, Communications skills and
Entrepreneurship)

• Degree in Microbiology and Bioengineering

• Escola Superior de Biotecnologia at the Catholic University of Portugal

36 topics to choose from : (1) Water Footprint; (2) New gourmet foods: insects; (3) Food: to deal with the
crisis without neglecting the quality; (4) Quick diets: what you get and what you lose; (5) Be a responsible
consumer: Can clothes, toys, mattresses be damaging to your health and that of your children?; (6)
Chemicals in day-to-day products linked to neurological disorders in children; (7) Antibiotic resistance: a
clinical and public health problem; (8) Emerging pollutants: a problem for all of us; (9) Bioengineering:
solutions for a healthier and sustainable environment (10) Hydroxyapatite for biomedical applications; (11)
Effects of Coffee on health, etc
FOUR TEAM LOGOS CREATED BY
STUDENTS TEAMS
LIST OF SCHOOLS INVOLVED IN THE LAST YEARS

Colégio D. Dinis .Sta. Catarina

Colégio D. Duarte
Colégio de Ermesinde
Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos
Colégio de Santa Maria de Lamas
Colégio Luso Francês
Escola Secundária João Gonçalves Zarco
Colégio Ellen Key
Escola secundária com 2º/3º ciclos Clara de Resende

Escola Secundária D.Sancho I- Vila Nova de Famalicão

Colégio Nossa Senhora de Lourdes
 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Many Higher Education teachers:

• do not have pedagogic (or andragogic) training, which in many countries is
mandatory to become a university or college teacher. (In PT, a Masters or PhD is enough…)

• are using PBL methodology and don’t know the methodology name or principles…

• have budget limitations in Portuguese Higher Education Institutions.

• are in several ways teachers careers are in several ways, very far behind other
European institutions ( “on-call” and “paid by the hour” teachers becoming
increasingly common.

• who engaged in PBL are often passionate by the subject and do it in their own
hours.
 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Although this idea Of PBL is widely spread and common among
teachers, they still feel some limitations when implementing PBL
approaches and recognize that further training is needed in order to
implement successful PBL practices (Bilgin et al., 2015)

• A good teacher is a forever student. To improve as educators, we must

be in constant learning and be open to point out the limitations in our
teaching practices.
 REFERENCES
Araújo, P. (2015). Multiplasticity: A Grounded Theory on the Adaptation to Anemployment. (Doctoral Thesis),
Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade do Porto, Porto.
Araújo, P. (2018). O “Challenge-Based Learning” na Promoção das Competências de Liderança. Revista Rh
Online. Retrieved from http://www.rhonline.pt/artigos/escolas_e_universidades/2018/02/07/o-
challenge-based-learning-na-promocao-das-competencias-de-lideranca
Bandy, J. (n.d.). What is Service Learning or Community Engagement? Retrieved from
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-engagement/
Bilgin, I., Karakuyu,Y., & Ay,Y. (2015). The effects of project based learning on undergraduate students'
achievement and self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics,
Science and Technology Education, 11(3), 469-477. doi:10.12973/eurasia.2014.1015a
Boss, S. (2011). Project-Based Learning: A Short History. Edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-history
Krajcik, J., & Blumenfeld, P. (2006). Project-Based Learning. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of
the Learning Sciences (pp. 317-334). Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
Larmer, J. (2015). Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning vs. X-BL. Edutopia, (June 2017).
Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-vs-pbl-vs-xbl-john-larmer
Mergendoller, J., & Larmer, J. (2015).Why We Changed Our Model of the “8 Essential Elements of PBL”.
Edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.bie.org/blog/why_we_changed_our_model_of_the_8_essential_elements_of_pbl
 Thank you!
and become a PBL teacher!

It’s awesome! 

e ol ive ira @p o rto. uc p . p t s c s a n tos @ u nivers id a de e urop ei a. p t

p a tt a ra u j o @g ma i l. com